Yes, it is that time of year - making the annual pilgrimage to Staples / WalMart / Local Store to pick up the list of school supplies for our kids. My daughter, being the keener that she is, wanted to get there a bit early, so we made our treck last week.

I couldn't help but notice the ever increasing number of products that are now being marketed as 'green' in some way. Paige insited on the recycled ruler and the scissors with the recycled rubber on the handle (she is going into Grade 5).…

There are things companies can do to improve their environmental performance, such as increasing energy efficiency, reducing hazardous waste and lowering water consumption. Then there are companies that produce GAME CHANGING products, all of which I am a big fan of, and now a customer of two of them.

1)      Dyson hand dryers are fantastic - they make a statement, and a far from the traditional commercial hand drying equipment. Find out more at http://www.english.dysoncanada.ca/dryers/.

2)  …

I had to pinkie swear with my nine year-old daughter last night that I would do something for her today. Yes, that little thing you do with your pinkies to let your child know that you will commit to getting it done. These things are important in the life of a nine year-old child!

Pinkie swears are the ultimate form of commitment a parent can give their child. This commitment reminded me of something I heard on Friday at the Sustainability Applied 2011 Conference in Windsor, Ontario.

Cam…

How is that for a title? Here are the details:

Tell us what your waste is - and we'll find it someone to go home with! Participants will work together to identify new relationships for their waste, because landfills can be lonely places!

The Industrial Waste Speed Dating session will help your company reduce costs and waste by identifying potential waste exchanges with other companies in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone.  This session is about turning unwanted waste into resources by finding new…

Thanks to the Province of Ontario's Green Energy Act, companies from across the province are being approached to realize new revenue opportunities from solar photovoltaic installations on their roofs and sites.

The economic opportunity is great - but there are pitfalls to implementation. To help companies cut through the marketing materials and get to the facts, Partners in Project Green is presenting a morning information session to clear the air and help companies realize the economic…

Toxic Reduction Act Now In Effect

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) introduced the Toxics Reduction Act last year. The Act and associated Ontario Reg. 455/09 require that manufacturers within NAICS codes 31, 32 and 33 as well as mineral processing facilities within NAICS code 212 develop toxic reduction plans and submit annual toxic substance reduction reports to the Ministry of the Environment and the public via the Internet.

Toxic Reduction Act Compliance Software

Binary Oak…

I am fortunate to have been involved in environmental and energy related issues since 1992. It all started with an idea to engage and educate employees, and it worked!

From January to April of 1992 I partnered with Ontario Hydro (remember Hydro) to deliver the first Employee Energy Awareness Program in Ontario for industry (so they told me). We ran a three month training and suggestion program for 300 plant employees about energy efficiency at home and work. By comparing energy use at home and…

As part of Ontario's Toxics Reduction Strategy, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment is providing funding to CME and OCETA to develop and deliver training and assistance programs on toxics reduction.

Key elements of this new program include:

• Demonstrating the business value of toxics reduction and pollution prevention planning;

• Seminars for business leaders to increase their awareness and understanding of the benefits of toxics reduction planning for business;

• Training for small…

The Ministry of the Environment is offering seven technical training sessions that will assist facilities in understanding how to meet the requirements of the Toxics Reduction Act, 2009 and O. Reg. 455/09.  The technical assistance sessions will present information on toxic substance accounting, planning, and building a business case for plan implementation, including:

• How to develop process flow diagrams
• How to select the method or combination of methods to quantify toxic substances
• How to…