practical * credible * local
You want to make environmentally friendly choices. But there’s so much information out there that it’s difficult to know what to do.
RDPL’s Rediscover Green Resource Guide lists and links you to resources that offer practical suggestions so you can figure out what you can do to help protect the environment. Our first series focuses on what you can do in and around your home. (Also, watch this page over the next few months as we prepare for upcoming series on green workplaces.)
The information on these pages will be updated regularly. We are asking the people of Red Deer to submit their suggestions and will add some of them to our lists as well. Review the criteria for selecting resources.
Series 1: Household
- Household Products
- Household Actions
- Household Choices that Protect our Resources
- Home Construction and Renovation
1. Household Products
Here is information about household products that are environmentally friendly. If you know of a book or web site or other resource that should appear on one of these lists, feel free to suggest that resource here.
General Resources:
- E Magazine
published by Earth Action Network - Ecoholic Home: the greenest, cleanest and most-energy-efficient information under one (Canadian) roof
by Adria Vasil - Ecoholic: your guide to the most environmentally friendly products, information and services in Canada
by Adria Vasil - Natural Home Magazine
published by Ogden Publications - Natural Resources Canada - Office of Energy Efficiency
This Government of Canada site has information on conserving energy and on the ecoENERGY Efficiency Initiative. - Ready, Set, Green: eight weeks to modern eco-living from the experts at TreeHugger.com
by Graham Hill & Meagan O'Neil - Toxic Nation
This Environmental Defence site is a good resource for researching ways to reduce toxins in your life. - Whole Green Catalog: 1,000 best things for you and the earth
edited by Michael W. Robbins
Specific Topics:
Appliances- EnerGuide Appliance Directory 2010
by Natural Resources Canada
Cleaning (dishes, laundry, general) - Clean: the humble art of zen-cleansing
by Michael de Jong - Organic Housekeeping: in which the nontoxic avenger shows you how to improve your health and that of your family while you save time, money, and, perhaps, your sanity
by Ellen Sandbeck - Toxic Nation Guide to Spring Cleaning
This resource is produced by Environmental Defence.
Personal Care
- Health Canada's Cosmetics Program
This Government of Canada site has information on cosmetics sold in Canada. - Natural Beauty Basics: create your own cosmetics and body care products
by Dorie Byers - Natural Beauty at Home: more than 200 easy-to-use recipes for body, bath and hair
by Janice Cox
Baby
- Feeding Baby Green: the earth-friendly program for healthy, safe nutrition during pregnancy, childhood, and beyond
by Alan R. Greene - Raising Baby Green: the earth-friendly guide to pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care
by Alan R. Greene
Clean Air
- Clean Air Plants
This is one of the Toronto Master Gardener factsheets produced by the Toronto Botanical Garden. - How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 houseplants that purify your home or office
by B.C. Wolverton - Parkland Airshed Management Zone
This non-profit group is responsible for identifying air quality concerns within the zone and for implementing management strategies to respond to those concerns.
Food
- Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association
This non-profit organization represents the direct market gowers of Alberta. Refer to this site for farm direct markets in your area. - Alberta Seasonal Fresh Food Guide
This online resource from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development lists when you can expect fresh local foods. - Diet for a Hot Planet: the climate crisis at the end of your fork and what you can do about it
by Anna Lappe - Fresh Food from Small Spaces: the square inch gardener's guide to year-round growing, fermenting, and sprouting
by R. J. Ruppenthal - Locavore: from farmers' fields to rooftop gardens: how Canadians are changing the way we eat
by Sarah Elton - Pressure Perfect: two hour taste in twenty minutes using your pressure cooker
by Lorna J. Sass - Righteous Porkchop: finding a life and good food beyond factory farms
by Nicolette Hahn Niman - Ripe from Around Here: a vegan guide to local and sustainable eating (no matter where you live)
by Jae Steele - Slow Food Canada
Slowing the pace of life and stressing the importance for food production to be tied to a respect for the surrounding ecosystem is the aim of Slow Food Canada. For more on this movement, refer to this site. - The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest
Carol W. Costenbader
Outdoor/Gardening
- 100 Easy-to-grow Native Plants for Canadian Gardens
by Lorraine Johnson - Alberta Native Plant Council
The Alberta Native Plant Council promotes the knowledge and conservation of the native plants and vegetation of Alberta. - A Practical Guide to Ecoscaping in Western Canada
This is a publication by EPCOR. - Creating the Prairie Xeriscape: low-maintenance, water-efficient gardening
by Sara Williams - Earth User's Guide to Permaculture
by Rosemary Morrow - Ecological Gardening
by Marjorie Harris - Edible Forest Gardens, Volume One: ecological vision and theory for temperate climate permaculture
by Dave Jacke - Edible Forest Gardens, Volume Two: ecological design and practice for temperate climate permaculture
by Dave Jacke - Growing Trees from Seed: a practical guide to growing native trees, vines and shrubs
by Henry Kock - NatureScape Alberta: creating and caring for wildlife habitat at home
by Myrna Pearman - Organic Gardening Magazine
by Rodale Press - Permaculture: principles & pathways beyond sustainability
by David Holmgren - Seeds of Diversity
Seeds of Diversity supports the conservation, documentation and use of public-domain, non-hybrid plants of Canadian significance. This is their site.
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2. Household Actions
Here is information about household actions that are environmentally friendly. If you know of a book or web site or other resource that should appear on one of these lists, feel free to suggest that resource here.
General Resources:
- City of Red Deer Public Environmental Initiatives
Refer to this page on the City of Red Deer site for information on City of Red Deer environmental programs and initiatives. - One Simple Act
This Government of Alberta program empowers Albertans to begin an environmentally friendly lifestyle with one simple act. - Sustainable Red Deer
This web portal, operated by ReThink Red Deer volunteers, promotes the understanding of sustainability issues within the community. - Waskasoo Environmental Education Society
This site for Red Deer's Kerry Wood Nature Centre and Gaetz Lakes Sanctuary links you to a blog maintained by Kerry Wood Nature Centre staff to keep you apprised of local environmental education programming and environmental issues.
Specific Topics:
Garbage/Recycling
- Alberta Recycling Management Authority
This not-for-profit association is responsible for managing Alberta's tire and electronics recycling programs. - City of Red Deer Recycling Program
- County of Red Deer Recycling Program
- Find a Bottle Depot
The Beverage Container Management Board has a listing of bottle depots throughout Alberta and a recycling guide on this site. - Gone Tomorrow: the hidden life of garbage
by Heather Rogers - Retire Your Ride
This is the site for Canada's vehicle recycling program.
Repurposing
- Habitat for Humanity ReStore Directory
- Red Deer Freecycle
Become a free member of this networl and keep usable goods from filling the landfills.
Reusing
- Furoshiki
The Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, promotes the use and reuse of the Furoshiki, a Japanese wrapping cloth.
Composting
- Alberta Environment - Backyard Composting
This link will bring you to Alberta Environment's publication on composting. - Alberta Environment - Vermi Composting
This link will bring you to Alberta Environment's publication on composting with worms. - The Complete Compost Gardening Guide: banner batches, grow heaps, comforter compost, and other amazing techniques for saving time and money, and producing the most flavorful, nutritious vegetables ever
by Barbara Pleasant and Deborah L. Martin - Compost Guide
A master composter maintains this site which aims to be the definitive online resource for composting. - Composting for Dummies
by Cathy Cromell
Recycling in Arts and Crafts
- The Big Green Book of Recycled Crafts
edited by Susan White Sullivan - Eco-craft: recycle, recraft, restyle
by Susan Wasinger - Remake It Home: the essential guide to resourceful living
by Henrietta Thompson - Remida Day: muta...menti
by Alba Ferrari and Elena Giacopini
3. Household Choices that Protect our Resources
Here is information about environmentally friendly household choices that you can make that will protect our resources. If you know of a book or web site or other resource that should appear on one of these lists, feel free to suggest that resource here.
General Resources:
Specific Topics:
Water (heating, toilets, rain barrels, etc.)
- Red Deer River Watershed Alliance
This alliance promotes sustainable management practices for the Red Deer River watershed. - Solar Domestic Water Heating
Chris Laughton - Solar Water Heating: a comprehensive guide to solar water and space heating systems
by Bob Ramlow
Rain Water Capture
- Rain Gardens: managing water sustainably in the garden and designed landscape
by Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden
Electricity (lighting, appliances, solar, etc.)
- Enmax Greenmax Program This program allows consumers to support renewable energy, produced in Alberta by EcoLogo certified facilities.
- The Human-Powered Home: choosing muscles over motors
by Tamara Dean - Solar Cookers International
This nonprofit organization spreads solar cooking awareness and skills worldwide. Click on Solar Cooking Archive for an entire solar cookbook and designs for making your solar cooker.
Gas (furnaces, insulation, etc.)
4. Home Construction and Renovation
Here is information about environmentally friendly home construction and renovation in this community. If you know of a book or web site or other resource that should appear on one of these lists, feel free to suggest that resource here.
General Resources:
- Built Green Canada Program
This is a voluntary program for encouraging green building practices. The program targets energy efficiency, water conservation, indoor air quality, waste management, resource use, and environmental impact. - Canada Green Building Council
This site has information on The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, a rating system based on sustainable, green building and development practices. - Enervision Alberta
Enervision is a not-for-profit company with a mission to make the building community greener. The sole shareholder is the Canadian Home Builders' Association - Alberta. - Green from the Ground Up: a builder's guide: sustainable, healthy, and energy-efficient home construction
by David Johnston - Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House: bringing your home into harmony with nature
by Carol Venolia
Specific Topics:
Windows, Roofing, Siding
Alternative Energy Technology
- Off the Grid Homes: case studies for sustainable living
by Lori Ryker - Power from the Sun: achieving energy independence
by Daniel D. Chiras - Power from the Wind
by Daniel D. Chiras
Solar Refitting
Green Roofs
- Alastair Ross Technology Centre Green Roof - This is a green initiative of Calgary Technologies Inc.
- Green Roofs for Healthy Cities - Green Roofs for Healthy Cities – North America Inc. is a not-for-profit industry association working to promote the green roof industry throughout North America. Some information requires membership.
- Green Roof Plants
by Edmund C. Snodgrass - Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls
by Noel Kingsbury
Flooring Paints and Varnishes
Air Quality and Climate Control