Eco Home Care
WE GIVE YOU THE DIRT ON ECO FRIENDLY CLEANERS

What a Mop
We love Method products not only because they are environmentally friendly, but because of their pleasing designs and delicious scents (grapefruit dish soap, mmmm).

It is no surprise that Method’s new omop starter kit comes in a recyclable, compostable bamboo container, has a sleek modern design and smart, eco-friendly components. Our test surface was a brand new bamboo floor—which we were anxious not to scratch—and the mop more than impressed.

Corn-derived compostable sweeping cloths were quickly fastened into the mop head’s plastic teeth, and thanks to its flexible design, the mop limboed its way under a low bed, gathering all of the curled-up dust bunnies. Within minutes the floor was dust-free, and so was the air.

Approximately $30, with washable microfibre mop pad and non-toxic almond cleaner. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart and Safeway. www.methodhome.com.

Clean up Your Act
Part of the Art Home ecological line from Fruits & Passion, this heavy-duty cleaner replaces the toxic petroleum-based ingredients in many all-purpose cleaners with a cleanser derived from coconut oil and cornstarch.

Fruits & Passion is famed for their use of natural fragrances, and the fresh lavender and mint fragrance didn’t disappoint, fast becoming one of our favourites. Coming in a very close second is the genius Botanical Room and Fabric Deodorizer in tulip scent that left a fragrance so convincing we swore there were fresh cut flowers in the room.

Ecological Heavy Duty Home Cleaner, 1 litre, $12. Available at Fruits & Passion. www.fruits-passion.com.

Mirror, Mirror…
Due to popular demand, Shoppers Drug Mart has expanded the Bio-life collection of environmentally-friendly cleaners. Our pick is the ammonia-free glass cleaner, which is fully biodegradable and made from renewable resources.

The spray did its job, leaving windows and mirrors squeaky clean and streak-free. And while we love the idea of using old-fashioned vinegar and water for the job, the light, fresh scent of this version is much kinder on the nose.

Bio-life Glass Cleaner, 750 ml, $3.99. Available at Shoppers Drug Mart.

On the Ball
Those of us with sensitive skin know the perils of using dryer sheets or fabric softeners. So when these spiny wonders hit the shelves, we jumped to test them out.

Nellie’s Dryerballs replace traditional dryer sheets and fabric softeners—without using any chemicals. Tossing the pair in with a load of drying laundry softened our clothes and helped them dry faster, too: as they tumble through the laundry, they separate layers of fabric that have lumped together. Each pair lasts about 1000 loads, so for about $20 you’ll save some green and the environment.

A word of caution: while the Dryerballs were great for fluffing up towels and sheets, we wouldn’t use them with delicate garments.

Available at Daniadown Home, Fresh Option Organic Delivery and London Drugs. www.nellieslaundry.com.

Inspired Practice
How big is your ecological footprint? It’s a question that would most likely leave many Winnipeggers stumped.

According to the World Wildlife Fund’s Living Planet Report, Canada’s ecological footprint is the fourth highest in the world and 10 times higher than that of lower-income countries like Bangladesh. Enter Inspired Practice, a Winnipeg company that helps businesses and organizations become more socially, ecologically and economically sustainable. Its mission is simple: to inspire, inform and empower people to build a better world.

Founder Kristle Calisto-Tavares formed the company in April 2007 after noticing that many businesses hadn’t realized the value of shifting to sustainable practices—in other words, creating profit while still protecting the environment. The result? Inspired Practice offers a slew of customized services, all of which allow businesses to strike a balance between “people, planet and profit.”

More specifically, Calisto-Tavares can measure an organization’s ecological footprint; “green” its core values and policies; promote its sustainable practices; identify opportunities to maximize its bottom line; and strategize to help it become a sustainable venture.

For more information and tools like an online ecological footprint calculator, visit www.inspiredpractice.com.

Cute as a Button
We love the charming new accessories by local girls Carey and Cindy Roess. The stylish sister team upcycles vintage buttons with contemporary glass beads and Swarovski crystals to create unique
pieces you won’t find elsewhere. Taking inspiration from vintage style, decor and the structure and shape of the buttons themselves, their designs have a modern material mix-and-match style. To find the perfect starting point, the girls scour local antique stores, flea markets and grandmas’ closets for their next retro find, while their “West Coast reps” (mother and aunts) hit the shops in BC. Just how well can siblings work together? “We run new concepts and ideas by one another and then just create. We can be quite erratic and we’re always building upon each other’s designs. We work in total chaos but in the end every piece is truly a collaboration,” says Carey. By Cindy & Carey, prices from $25-$150, available at ChiChi, 515 Osborne Street South, 219-9991.

Shoe Healers
Picture it: New York City, 2001. A young lady falls head over heels for a dynamite pair of expensive (looking) caramel, stacked-heel t-straps. Over the years, footwear silhouettes came and went from spiky stilettos to pointy-toed kitten heels, yet remarkably, the golden wonders stood the test of time. One sultry summer night while enjoying gelato on the Corydon strip, she stepped down off the sidewalk and—snap—off went a delicate strap! Don’t worry—this shoe saga has a happy ending. The girl was me, and my rescuers, the shoe repair gurus at The Leather Patch. Husband and wife team Merv Chyz and Nina Lund have saved many a pair of favourite kicks, from this seamless replacement of dainty straps to expertly reattaching broken heels and even replacing an entire handle of a handbag in coordinating leather. The list of miracles from this old-fashioned shop seems endless. They carry a great assortment of accessories, including the Foot Petals line—which helps make our heel wearing more tolerable. And since they can repair the most luxurious of lines, you will sometimes catch a glimpse of a Gucci or Louis Vuitton masterpiece on the shelves—oooh, eye candy!

The lesson of this story: when your fabulous flats are salt-stained or your tall boots lose a zipper—don’t throw them out: a trip to the cobbler will be worth the visit.
The Leather Patch, 415 Academy Road, 489-2203.

Nice day for a green wedding
Planning any wedding is challenging (cake, flowers and mothers – oh my!), never mind attempting an environmentally conscious one. The newly launched Eco Luxe Event Design Group, made up of four local companies, aims to take on the challenge of “greenovating” your nuptials, using everything from eco-friendly invitations
to paperless online photo galleries from Off The Page Photography. We love Pulp & Circumstance’s greenvites eco-stationary (illustrated here), made from 100 per cent post-consumer waste and biodegradable vegetable-based ink. Their recycling program takes it to the next level, providing boxes to collect used stationary items, which are then returned for reuse and recycling. And in an effort to offset your wedding’s environmental impact, a monetary donation is made by the company to the Forest Stewardship Council. Packaging that is biodegradable or compostable is another plus adopted by My Secret Garden floral design and the genius pastry gurus at Sweet Impressions. For more information, visit www.ecoluxewinnipeg.com.

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