Hmmm. Don't know whether writing about the annual Green Show for a second time makes me repetitive or accomplished. Too busy to think about it.
Went Saturday with Lesley. Hit the ground running at 10 a.m. We had a blast. Lesley, PhD Engineer woman, was fascinated by the technical aspects of all the home-related gadgets and systems. Me, I'm just thrilled that these wonderful, creative options exist.
Have you ever heard of 'grey water'? I hadn't. Its a system which recycles the water used in the home for dishes and showers etc. and sends it to the home's toilets. The result? Each flush uses zero potable water! Add a low flush toilet and you are really conserving water. The catch with this system is that it would be tough to retrofit. If I were building, this baby would definitely be on my wish list.
We also discovered fibreglass windows, got a closeup look at the above ground unit that directs the heat/cool flow for a geothermal 'furnace' and heard about the nano-particle paint that keeps heat in and cold out. But enough about those engineering feats – I'll leave those for Lesley to moon over.
The personal care products, baby gear and home decor options were also out in force. I finally got to see the gorgeous texture and colours of American Clay, the product with which my husband and I hope to one day cover the cement board in our basement. The clay is gorgeous and creates a warm feeling in a room. Never mind the fact that it is apparently healthy for human kind – something to do with negative ions..
I came home with stainless baby bottles for gifts, gogi berries and raw cacao nibs plus this cool contraption – made in TO of recycled plastic – to prop up my husband's laptop so that it stays cool, uses less electricity and keeps him in proper alignment.
Oh yes, also found a cork yoga block and a new respect for Sears. That's right, Sears. They had an impressive display of the items now available in every Sears store. These include PVC-free shower curtains, organic baby clothes/blankets, bedding for folks of all ages and even low emission furniture! Beyond that they are making great efforts to cut down on their packaging. Definitely worth a look.
If we hadn't been so zonked by 4:30 p.m. we would have stuck around to watch Colin Firth receive an award for environmental activism. Ordinarily I would stick around to watch Colin Firth period. We were done.
