First of all, can I just say, who else is giving you sweatshop-free fashion advice and an excerpt of a speech by a world-renowned economist/environmental thinker like Jeff Rubin (author The End of Growth), all on one dense column page? Welcome to the revamped Ecoholic section in NOW! We cover it all, literally. Here’s a… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Ever feel like you need a blowtorch and a hacksaw to break into a product you bought? Would your child need to wire cutters and a pick axe to access their new toy? Are you frustrated that that tiny little thing you bought comes in all that packaging? CBC Marketplace is taking nominations for their… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

What do cut flowers and sweat socks have in common? On the surface, not so much. However, if you follow the trail back to where they were made, they both come with a pretty heavy back story the store clerk doesn’t often sell you on.  The story, whether we’re talking Joe Fresh socks or the… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

After nine full years of doing the Ecoholic column in NOW Magazine, we’ve given it a bit of a facelift! Instead of just sticking to the basic Q&A style every week, we’ll be mixing and matching different elements, like our NOW Test Lab (reviewing and ranking products every week – this time, canned tuna), Nature… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Wondering about cell phone safety and whether it’s worth looking for a phone lower in radiation? The answer is complicated…and may surprise you. Check it out the column in Ecoholic. ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Besides my column on throwing a zero waste party, a lot of important stuff has happened this past year. I get into the year’s greenest highs and lows in my latest Ecoholic and cover all sorts of stuff like the year’s crazy, not-so-random weather and the rousing victory that put an end to plans for Canada’s largest… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

I’d been dreading going out to the shed to pull out my box of holiday gear this year. I had this sneaking suspicion raccoons had been, to put it bluntly, pooping in there for the last couple weeks (this is what happens with a busted shed door!). And while, yes, they did poop on my… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

This time of year tends to bring out a lot of people’s inner grinches. We start grumbling about Christmas carols/crowded malls/commercialism/in-laws/family fueds/the weather, you name it.  I’m guilty of a little under-the-breath cursing myself (mostly about sweatshop goods and cold winds; I do love a good Bing Crosby carol though, sorry). True, the holidays may… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

I love a good craft show. I don’t care if it’s in a church basement, a community hall or a convention centre. They’re the most charming FU to shoddily made, sweatshop-manufacturing, in my opinion. And the One of a Kind Show is really the mother of all seasonal craft shows. The place is so big,… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

If you’ve been anywhere near a mall or retail store of any kind lately, you know the holiday gift buying season is upon us and quickly escalating in frenzy-factor. My family isn’t big into holiday gift swapping (you should have seen the eye-rolling I got from my siblings when I suggested we at least make each… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Two of my girlfriends were heading up north for a week of camping adventure. Neither had any real camping experience. When I asked one if she was bringing up essentials like camping cookware, a water filter, a basin for washing dishes away from the lake and heard, “um, no, nope, no,” I thought, 1) these… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

This week’s column question came from a reader in Edmonton heading to her brother’s wedding across the country. She wanted to know how she could green the whole shebang. She wasn’t talkin’ about greening the bouquet or making sure there was organic, locally raised chicken on the menu, that was the bride’s call. (You can read my column on… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

  Criss-crossing the country promoting Ecoholic Body, I’ve gathered up a few postcards from the road. First up: beautiful Nelson, B.C. After stopping by Breakfast Television Edmonton and doing a book signing at the one-and-only Carbon Enviromental Boutique (also in eternally-sunny Edmonton) I headed for a little R’ n’ R in the Kootenay’s (which happens to be… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Planning on buying flowers for mom this year? You gotta love my straight-shooting mother-in-law for putting a stop to any more disposable flower buying in her name. As pretty as they are, it’s true – they die so quickly! But if you’re still planning on getting flowers, you should check out this week’s Ecoholic column… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸

Ever tried to persuade your boyfriend/wife/roommate/parents/children/colleagues/friends to stop using a product you think is toxic but they just don’t seem to listen? Last thing you want to do is get all preachy. Check out my latest Ecoholic column in NOW with tips on encouraging those around you try more natural products this Earth Day/Month. My mom will tell you… ◂ReadPreviousNext Post▸