Green Deal

April 25th, 2014

Green Heroes Medals forged from recycled circuit boards, merging beauty and recyclability.

When we decided to create some medals of recognition for our Everyday #GreenHeroes video and recognition campaign, we knew they had to be special. So we sent our Green Deal craftsman out to Sims Recycling, to source some actual recycled circuit boards for the medal bases. Each was hand cut and sanded, then mounted with a laser-etched Green Heroes disc.

Lorne Craig at Sims Recycling

The individual circuit boards came primarily from hard drives and computer motherboards, and each is unique and beautiful in its own way.

“My favourite is the one actually marked ‘Apple Computer’, coming from a 2001-era machine,” says Green Deal video host Lorne Craig, “I may have actually used one of these computers back in the day!”

Check out the Vine video below to see the metal jigsaw blade cutting through the boards in ultra-slow-motion. And watch as we hand out medals and gift cards in our Everyday #GreenHeroes contest for Earth Month 2014.

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April 4th, 2014

4 Things you may not know about Earth Day

Photo: istock – Millefloreimages

Every April 22, a bunch of folks get out their blue bins, litter picker-uppers and compost buckets to celebrate Earth Day. But how much do you really know about this humble planet-helping tradition? Test your eco-trivia knowledge and find out:

Earth Day has been around since 1970  In 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco, John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and the concept of peace. A month later, United States Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed a national environmental ‘teach-in’, realizing if he could raise the emerging public awareness of air and water pollution, it could force environmental protection onto the political agenda. On the 22nd of April, 1970, millions of Americans demonstrated for a healthy environment in coast-to-coast rallies.

Earth Day has affected major environmental policy  The first Earth Day has been acknowledged for contributing to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air, Clean Water, and Endangered Species Acts.

Earth Day is one of the world’s largest non-secular ‘holidays’  The event went global in 1990, mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries Earth Day activities in 1990 helped pave the way for the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. According to Earth Day 1970 organizer Denis Hayes, Earth Day is now celebrated by more than a billion people every year.

Why April 22nd? Well.. it’s usually nice out!  The Earth Day date was actually chosen for a number of reasons. As it was originally a campus ‘teach-in’, this date did not fall during spring break or exams. It did not conflict with religious holidays such as Easter or Passover, and perhaps most importantly, is late enough in spring to have decent weather!

So this Earth Day, why not get out and celebrate? Take a few moments to consider what a great planet we actually have. Find a local event, volunteer or just think what small actions you could take to help make our planet just a little greener.

Earth Day Network – http://www.earthday.org/
Earth Day Canada – http://www.earthday.ca/

March 20th, 2014

Spring Composting Tips

Photo: istock – SylvieBouchard

If you have a compost bin in your yard, congratulations! You are helping divert waste from the landfill. And now, you can help your lawns and gardens at the same time. So as the weather heats up, here are a few earth-friendly thoughts to keep the compost love alive.

1) Spring compost bin need some work?  Is it too wet? – Turn your pile, add dry (brown) material, and cover. You can also add strips of newspaper to help absorb the moisture. Is it too dry? – turn, add water (or green material), and mix thoroughly If it’s not heating up – If the pile is damp and sweet smelling but not heating up, try adding green material (nitrogen), like fruit and vegetable scraps or green grass clippings.

2) If you don’t have a compost bin, spring is a great time to start one!  Contact your local garden centre or municipality to find out more. By next spring you could have your own fertilizer ready for the garden.

3) You can even compost without a back yard, with Vermicomposting systems.  Worms love to eat kitchen waste, and its easier than ever to get a small bin started on your balcony, or even in your kitchen!

4) Keep your kitchen scraps happy – and smell-free!  The Sureclose Foodscrap Container really helps gather those scraps in the kitchen. It allows just the right amount of air circulation to keep the odours down in between dumpings.

5) Spring is one of the the best times to apply compost to your home garden.  It can enrich soil low in nutrients or restore fertile soil. For new garden beds or lawns, some garden websites advise giving your compost-infused soil a couple of weeks to acclimate before planting. It’s important to bend the compost into the soil without damaging the microbes and worms already at work there. Maintaining an existing garden bed may require less than a quarter inch of compost. You don’t need too much of a good thing!

Find out more with these links:
Composting Council of Canada
25 Questions & Answers about Composting
Alberta Vermicomposting

February 11th, 2014

Be my Green Valentine.

A Green Valentine's Day Poem

Roses are red
Recycling is green
Will you make my Valentines
A sustainable scene?

I’ll hand feed you chocolate
Every nibble Fair Trade
Brew organic coffee
Before the bed’s made

We’ll cook veggie dinners
And compost each night
Recharge our batteries
Under LED lights

When we move in
And need things for our home
I’ll take back the packaging
Even the dang Styrofoam

Old gadgets and computers
Won’t clutter our space
I’ll take them for recycling
To a responsible place

And years down the road
When our meds all expire
They’ll go back to the pharmacy
So the fish don’t get higher

Now that you know
just how I feel
Tell me our love
Is the real Green Deal

Then let’s share the earth
We don’t need to abuse it
I’ll give you my heart
If you say you’ll reuse it
L.S. Craig

January 24th, 2014

Together we have recycled over 200,000lbs of Styrofoam™!

200,000 lbs of Styrofoam, from the earth to space!

That’s equal to about 30 Million 8oz coffee cups – enough to stack from earth to the International Space Station. Thanks to our customers for Bringing Back the Pack and keep on recycling!

*Based on a single cup weight of 3 grams, for a total of 30,239,488 cups, stacked one inside the other with a .6″ rim, creating a total stack height of 457km. The ISS orbits at an average distance from the earth of between 330 and 435km. Whew!

December 17th, 2013

Don’t blow your fuse! Recycle those old Christmas lights for free at London Drugs!

Photo: istock

The kids are playing catch with your grandma’s vintage tree ornaments, the dog is rolling around in tinsel and after trying 12 new bulbs, that dang string of lights still just isn’t lighting. Don’t string together a streak of language that will get you put on Santa’s naughty list. Just bring that old set of lights to London Drugs for free recycling.
While you’re there, you might want to pick up some high-efficiency LED lights. According to the US Department of Energy, they have some surprising advantages over old-style incandescent lights:

Safer: LEDs are much cooler, reducing risk of combustion or burnt fingers.
Sturdier: LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass.
Longer lasting: The same LED string could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now. (Some people I know would still have them on their house)
Up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected end-to-end without overloading a wall socket. So you could create a virtual runway for Rudolph without browning out your street.

You can also save some holiday dollars off your energy bill.

Estimated cost of electricity to light a six-foot tree for 12 hours a day for 40 days (a bit extreme, but you could do it…)

With incandescent C-9 lights: $10.00
With LED C-9 lights $0.27
With incandescent Mini-lights $2.74
With LED Mini-lights $0.82

So gather up those old strings and bring them in for recycling. Less money spent on electricity means more left over for chocolate.

December 13th, 2013

Give the present, not the packaging.

There is something classically fun about wallowing in wrapping and boxes on Christmas morning as the kids tear into their pile of loot. But when product packaging, plastic and Styrofoam are added to the mix, it creates a seasonal garbage glut for municipalities and a trash hassle for Mom and Dad.

For years, London Drugs has offered Bring Back the Pack – our packaging take-back program for anything you buy at our stores. That’s right, just drop off your packaging at customer service as you leave the store, or bring it back later with your receipt.

So why not pass that gift of less packaging forward? If you shop at London Drugs and include a gift receipt with your presents, your giftees can reduce their trash footprint as well.
Think of it as a gift that keeps on giving.

If you like this idea, please share it… we want to help create a holiday season with more happiness and less waste.

December 13th, 2013

Buy Everland Organic Coconut Oil and help aid Typhoon Haiyan Recovery.

In this season for giving, Everland Natural Foods will be donating $0.50 of every Everland Organic Coconut Oil unit sold in December, to charities working to help the Philippines recover from this unprecedented disaster.
(Everland has been featured in our blog before, for helping Pakistan flood victims with their delicious New World granola)

So what is coconut oil used for?

Coconut oil’s popularity is skyrocketing. It has been extracted from coconut ‘meat’ for thousands of years, and used by millions of people in tropical climates. But coconut oil stayed out of the mainstream until recently. We now know that coconut oil is free of cholesterol and trans fats and contains lauric acid, (one of the “good fats”)

People use it for everything from baking and beverages to polishing furniture and seasoning cast iron fry pans. Coconut oil is even extensively used in the Indian sub-continent for hair care. (Most of the people in those countries apply coconut oil on their hair every day after bathing or showering!)

So why not try some of this ‘miracle oil’ and help bring a little help to those in the Phillipines who could use a miracle of their own.

December 3rd, 2013

Want to shop a little more local for Christmas? London Drugs is right up your street.

There are a lot of reasons to join the local economy. From supporting good jobs to contributing to your community, spending your dollars locally makes a difference. But thinking local can go beyond artisans and craft fairs. London Drugs is 100% Canadian Owned, and we service our network of 78 stores from our head offices right here in Western Canada (Richmond, BC) We employ some 7000 people, focusing on truly serving the communities in which we operate. Because of our Canadian roots, and our regional focus, we work to stock a selection of Canadian and local market products. Here are just a few examples that might put a little more local love under your tree.

Fresh Is Best Tortilla Chips – Made in small batches in the pseudo-Mexican desert of Kamloops BC, these original snacks will add a dash of festive colour to your table.

Manitoba Honey – Our London Orchard brand of honey comes from Manitoba, made by 100% Canadian bees! Perfect for holiday baking and recipes.

Dolce D’Or Chocolates – “Sweet Gold” made in Delta, BC. Which means you can eat more of them (Don’t ask why, it’s just one of those things)

Ganong Chocolates – Did you know this family-owned Canadian company has been making candies and chocolates in New Brunswick for 140 years?! Their Delecto line is perfect for Christmas gifting. Check out their video story on YouTube here.

Camino Chocolate – a Canadian Organic, FairTrade company that supports family farmers. That calls for another piece of chocolate.

Nature’s Path – A great company that started in BC and is beginning to go mainstream in the US. Dedicated to organic and non-GMO, they make great cereals for stocking up at home, and snack bars for stuffing stockings.

Fair Trade Organic Coffee – Perfect for an office gift or gift basket. We have a huge selection, roasted in Canada, including blends by Commercial Drive, Salt Spring Coffee, Kicking Horse Coffee, Ethical Bean, Level Ground and Earth’s Choice. Find out more about our coffees in our blog post here.

Uncle Luke’s 100% Pure Maple Syrup – A Canadian tradition from a Canadian company who has been making syrup for over 35 years. Who couldn’t use a jug of this sweet love?

Cascades Bathroom Tissue – OK, not the funnest gift to unwrap. But think practically here – with holiday guests arriving, better stock up. 100% Canadian and recycled… from some of the very materials we collect locally!

So next time you are heading out to do some shopping, consider that local comes in different sizes. And remember, when it comes to larger retailers, if you live in Western Canada, London Drugs is about as local as they come.

November 7th, 2013

A Great Green Gift Basket is as Close as Your Local London Drugs

If you need a gift for a friend or client who is into all things ‘green’, look no further. A bundle of GreenDeal products from London Drugs will have something to please almost anyone.
For this box, I chose a variety of food, housewares beauty and cleaning products totaling about $65, including the classy suede-like storage box at $7.99 (I have not yet researched the supply-chain on this particular item, but I like that its very useful and reusable)

Here are some highlights:

Coffee: I chose Ethical Bean because it was on sale, but LD has an awesome variety of organic, locally-roasted fairly traded blends.
Reusable Mug – This cool cup from Aladdin is made from recycled plastic and is recyclable at the end of its life. Open the cup and close the loop.

Organic Chocolate – It’s a good idea to have something in the pack that can be eaten right away. There’s a nice milk chocolate variety pack from Green & Blacks, and a dark chocolate bar from Camino – a Canadian Organic, FairTrade company that supports family farmers.

Nature’s Path Granola – I chose the organic fruit & nut blend, but they have lots of other great products, too. It’s an added bonus that their packaging looks tasteful enough to dress up the package.

Method Dish Soap – Sure its cleaning stuff, but it looks like art. Biodegradable, with full ingredient transparency on their website. It’s not Sodium Lauryl Sulfate free, but the Method company does a good job of Corporate Social Responsibility, including offsetting their energy and carbon footprint.

London Drugs Organic Tomato Sauce – This is an example of a great tasting, organic product that competes on price with national, non-organic brands.

Burts Bees Lip Balm – This is a nice treat for whomever gets to it first and claims it. A premium lip balm, from a great company that makes social and environmental factors a big part of their decision making.

To make a bodacious-looking package, I propped everything up with some crumpled newspaper underneath, arranged it and wrapped it all up with a strip of cloth from a spare piece of fabric.

Got someone sustainable to recognize? Check out our list of GreenDeal products, and make up your own gift box. It’s a local, personal gift that says you care about more than just saying ‘thanks’.

Green Heroes Medals forged from recycled circuit boards, merging beauty and recyclability.

4 Things you may not know about Earth Day

Spring Composting Tips

Be my Green Valentine.

Together we have recycled over 200,000lbs of Styrofoam™!

Don’t blow your fuse! Recycle those old Christmas lights for free at London Drugs!

Give the present, not the packaging.

Buy Everland Organic Coconut Oil and help aid Typhoon Haiyan Recovery.

Want to shop a little more local for Christmas? London Drugs is right up your street.

A Great Green Gift Basket is as Close as Your Local London Drugs

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