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In each of our Backside Buzz newsletters, we provide a GREEN TIP to keep in mind when traveling or just living your day to day life. In order to keep our playground beautiful and intact, we must all move towards sustainability.
We have compiled a great list of tips and through various sources and came up with our own Towards Sustainability guide. Feel free to download and share it with your friends or send us an email to green@backsidetours.com for potential additions.
Here are our green tips collected from various sources throughout the past few years:
2006-12 Season
December 2011
Tip #43
Christmas is just around the corner!! Which also means Christmas shopping is here... And who wants to run around a crowded mall in your free time? DIBS OUT! This year, think about giving services instead of gifts : Gifts of service require little or no use of natural resources, and are very personal and memorable. The gift of You - your time, energy or expertise are as 'giftworthy' as anything you can put in a box. Massage, music lessons, childcare, car wash, dogwalk, lawncare, tutoring, cooking, gardening, a book of coupons for household chores.
(Ref: http://eartheasy.com/give_sustainchristmas.htm)
November 2011
Tip #42
Use LED lights for house and Christmas tree lighting - LED (Light Emitting Diode) holiday lights use up to 95% less energy than larger, traditional holiday bulbs and last up to 100,000 hours when used indoors. LED holiday lights use .04 watts per bulb, 10 times less than mini bulbs and 100 times less than traditional holiday bulbs. Over a 30-day period, lighting 500 traditional holiday lights will cost you about $18.00 while the same number of LED lights costs only $0.19. As an added bonus, if one of the LED lights burns out the rest of the strand will stay lit.
(Ref: http://eartheasy.com/give_sustainchristmas.htm
October 2011
Tip #41
Create a Recycled Halloween Costume! Skip the Halloween aisle at Wal Mart and forget about ordering them online. Opt for creating a costume from items you have at home. Get the kids involved for a fun weekend activity. If you can't find the materials you need at home.
(Ref: http://gogreentravelgreen.com/green-recreation/go-green-on-halloween-top-7-green-halloween-tips/)
February 2011
Tip #40
Wash your clothes in cold water!Water heating accounts for 90% of the energy consumption of washing machines. You can greatly reduce this by purchasing cold water laundry detergent and washing all colors in cold water. Unlike dishwashers, washing machines can clean with great results in cooler water temperatures. If you wash 80%, or four out of five loads, on cold/cold, you could cut two-thirds of a kilogram of greenhouse gas emissions per month. (Ref: http://www.bchydro.com/guides_tips/green-your-home/water_guide/cold_water_laundry.html)
January 2011
Tip #39
Before you hit that remote car starter this winter know this... Our vehicles don't need more than 30 seconds to warm up before the engine is good to go! Only warm long enough to prevent stalling when driving and that the windshield is defogged. A cold engine will warm up faster when the vehicle is being driven than when idling. Use a block heater when the winter temperature drops to -5°F or below. A block heater helps to keep oil and coolant warm, makes the vehicle easier to start and reduces gas use by as much as ten percent. (Ref http://www.motorpoint.com.au/warm-up-the-car.asp)
December 2010
Tip #38:
The gift of snow is the #1 thing us at Backside wish for every year. So now that we have our wish, we'd like to spread the joy... With a seasonal green tip!!
Holiday cards are swell and all but have you ever consider switching to e-cards? You can send photo and holiday cards using sites like Blue Mountain and Amazon.com or as simple as through your own personal e-mail account. Share the holiday cheer, electronically!
November 2010
Tip #37:
Movember is here!! And to keep the environment in mind when trimming those Mo-staches be sure to use re-usable razors instead of disposable. Keep those landfills low and those Mo-staches looking sharp!
October 2010
Tip #36:
Staying Green during Halloween:
Treats: Hand out candy that has little to no packaging to them. If they must be wrapped, make sure it can be recycled. Another option is to avoid candy altogether! Give out useful items such as colorful pencils, small boxes of crayons, erasers in fun shapes, or other inexpensive items you can find at your local dollar store. Costumes: Instead of spending $80+ on an outfit you're only going to wear once, put your costume together at a second-hand clothing store! They've always got tones of stuff at frighteningly low prices ;) (Larry's Environmental Issues Blog By Larry West, Environmental Issues Guide)
Tip #35:
When lighting on up, and by this we of course mean scented candles... Use cardboard matches vs. wooden matches or lighters. The wooden matches are usually made from trees where the cardboard ones generally come from recycles paper. Lighters on the other hand are disposable and just create extra waste in the landfills.
September 2010
Tip #34:
Use alternative modes of transportation! The snow hasn't fallen yet people!! Lets save this earth one step at a time and take advantage of this beautiful weather. Walk or bike to work and in the winter months, put into action a carpool game plan with your co-workers. Saves money and the environment! Double win!
Tip #33:
When heading out to the mountains for an adventure-filled getaway, set the timer on your porch lights and unplug all those energy vampires (coffee machine, night lights etc). Why leave them on all day and night when your busy playing in the spring snow?!
February 2010
Tip #32:
Who doesn't love a hot cup of cocoa or a fresh cup of coffee to stay warm during the winter months? Instead of using a styrofoam cup and mixing everything up with a stir stick think about bringing a reusable thermos along. To make things even simpler, put the hot chocolate mix/cream and sugar at the bottom of the cup first, then pour the liquid in, mixing everything up that way. In doing this, we can eliminate the need for plastic/wooden stir sticks all together!
January 2010
Tip #31:
This new year think about making a few simple changes towards greener living. An easy switch that can be made in the move to preserve trees and reduce paper waste is online banking. Convenient and eco-friendly! No more statements! This is just the beginning, you can choose/opt to receive (and send) many things electronically. The news, documents, invitations, etc. The list goes on. All it takes is a little investigation and your day-to-day life can be made greener with the click of a button or through a simple phone call to your provider.
December Blue Moon 2009
Tip #30: Old Man Winter says, Move! "The physical exercise from moving your body (walking or riding a bike) will increase your blood flow, strengthen all the muscles in your body, loosen your joints, improve your breathing, help you lose weight over time and increase your appetite yet help you be satisfied with lower food intake," says Winter. What's not to like about that? When driving is a must, he has this advice: Combine trips by waiting to do all errands at once; telecommute at least once a week; carpool or use public transportation more often; and share errands with neighbors.
- From Book: Sustainable Living: For Home, Neighborhood and Community.
December 2009
Tip #29: Winter has arrived!! With all the cold outside, lets keep the warm inside. Think smart, during the day open up your blinds! - Let the sun add some extra heat to your place. In the evening, close them up - Trap that warmth indoors till the morning.
November 2009
Tip #28: When heading out for groceries, doing a little shopping, going swimming, or even packing an over night bag, be sure to use reusable bags! Backside Tours is proud to introduce our Backside Eco-Bags: Towards Sustainability.
October 2009
Tip #27: It's almost time for Mother Nature to cover us with a blanket of snow, but before it does, make it a habit to carpool, bike, or take transit to work when possible. Both summer and winter present ways to save on vehicle emissions!
April 2009
Tip #26: Winter is almost over…. So be sure to turn down your thermostats. Especially at night. For each degree, you save about 1 percent on your heating costs and carbon emissions. Turn down the heat in your home overnight or when no one is home.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
March 2009
Tip #25: If you can, hop on a bus either to go to school or to the mountains or coasts with us. Buses account for billions of traveling students/patrons each year, while reporting fewer traffic accidents than private transportation. You can travel more than five miles on a full bus with the energy it takes to go just one mile in a car.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
February 2009
Tip #24: When picking up food for your ski trip, you can lower your exposure to pesticides by 90 percent just by choosing organic varieties of certain fruits and vegetables. If just 1 per cent of America’s farmlands converted to organic (nonchemical) agricultural systems, it would remove twenty six million pounds of pesticides per year from the food we eat and from the environment. If you buy organic, you’ll encourage this type of farming.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
January 2009
Tip #23: If you are not taking the bus with us to the hills and are using your own vehicle, don’t bother buying the more expensive high-octane fuel unless your owner’s manual specifically recommends it. If your vehicle was made to run on 87 octane and you choose 92 octane, there will be no improvement to your engine power, fuel efficiency, speed or performance. The price difference per fill-up, however, amounts to an extra gallon of gasoline. If all drivers used lower-grade octane, $3 billion per year would be saved—enough to buy more than 107,000 hybrid cars.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
December 2008
Tip #22: Just in time for Christmas, why not skip gift wrapping altogether? Or, reuse ribbons, other paper materials like old newspapers or old maps. If each family reused just two feet of holiday ribbon each year, thirty-eight thousand miles’ worth would be saved. That’s enough to tie a bow around the entire planet!
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
November 2008
Tip #21: Try travelling during off season or fringe season. Resorts want your business during quiet times. During this time, you can save 20-40% in costs and you’ll avoid crowds and lines at sites and attractions. You’ll create less of an impact on the planet, reduce carbon emissions if you travel in a group, and produce less congestion at your destination.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
October 2008
Tip #20: Consider renting equipment on a per use basis as opposed to wasting money and cluttering your storage with gear you only use twice a season. You’ll reduce the energy needed to produce the equipment and the waste that will eventually be sent to a landfill. If one-eighth of the skis and snowboards purchased each year were rented instead, they could be lined up from the Riviera on the Mediterranean Sea to Slovenia on the Balkan peninsula and trace the entire five-hundred-mile crescent of the Alps.
(The Green Book (Rogers, Kostigen 2007)
September 2008
Tip #19: Planning a stay in a hotel this winter? Check to see if they have a recycling program in place. If they do not, you can always bring blue bags from home to use during your stay. The accommodation will probably appreciate the initiative as it will help them to reduce their footprint on the Earth as well.
Summer Special
Tip #18: With increasing information about the global warming, one of the major areas of concern is water conservation. Hence, no matter how much our policies and rules change when it comes to conservation, ultimately it rests in our hands to make a difference. We are the users. So here are some ways we all can conserve our valuable water supply and save money:
• Shut off your tap while you are shaving and/or brushing your teeth.
• Take shorter showers, turn a 15 minute shower into 5 minutes. If your shower can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds, then replace it with a water-efficient showerhead.
• If you have plants, only water on odd days instead of every day.
• Don’t water the pavement: Position sprinklers so that water lands on the lawn or garden, not in areas where it is not needed. Also avoid watering when it is windy. Wind causes water to evaporate quickly and blows water onto areas where it is not needed.
• Plant drought resistant plants: Landscape with plants that require less water. These plants can be very attractive and can survive drought better than turf.
• Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater: Store collected water and siphon it off to water garden areas or flower beds.
• When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
• Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month. And use cold water!
• We’re more likely to notice leaky faucets indoors, but don’t forget to check outdoor faucets, pipes, and hoses for leaks.
• Install low-volume toilets.
2007-08 Season
April 2008
Tip #17: Take a walk in the woods this summer with someone young, and find a spot to plant a tree which stores CO2. Over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion. Teaching our children to love and care for the planet is the most important thing we can do to insure the future of humankind.
March 2008
Tip #16: Respect the natural habitat of mountain animals and plants by taking care not to damage vegetation, knocking off branches or damaging shoots when skiing. Many areas are out of bounds to protect the natural habitat of animals and plants - not just for safety reasons.
February 2008
Tip #15: If you are just like us, there is nothing better than a fresh cup of coffee first thing in the morning. But, have you ever stopped and wondered about the filtering process? Most Canadians use disposable coffee filters and toss them away after just one use? Instead of the disposable filters, buy reusable ones, or at the very least reuse the paper filters a few times before tossing into the garbage. Also, look for non-bleached filters (you know the not-so-pretty brown ones) instead of bleached ones. The product used to make them “pretty” is a deadly toxin called dioxin. Does the coffee machine really need a filter that is prettier to look at? We don’t think so.
January 2008
Tip #14: When going grocery shopping or doing any shopping for that matter, bring a reusable bag! No need to keep using the store ones when most grocery stores have reusable bags for sale. But for your every day shopping, use a back pack or side bag (maybe even a new Backside side bag we give out to organizers).
December 2007
Tip #13: While on the hill or at the resort, pick up at least one piece of litter every day-especially at national tourist locations which are vulnerable to huge tourist populations.
November 2007
Tip #12: Nothing compares to the feeling of giving in to gravity as you ride down a slope with wind in your face. The trouble is, thanks to climate change, our ski areas are at risk.
In order to enjoy riding the slopes, one element is essential - snow. Just a decade ago snow was guaranteed at the mountain resorts during the winter season but that is no longer a sure thing.
Increasingly, climate change has seen many mountain resorts experiencing poorer snowfalls and shorter seasons. If global warming continues unimpeded, we can expect to see this trend accelerating. The impact on this industry will be profound.
• Less Days of Skiing: The length of ski seasons could be shortened. That means later opening days and earlier closings.
• Less Snow to Ride on: Rising temperatures mean more rain, less snow. This means thinner snow bases and fewer functioning ski trails.
• Less Resorts to Ski at: Global warming could eventually limit skiing to mountains with base elevations above 1,500 meters.
• More Expensive Lift Tickets: As natural snow falls continue to decrease, resorts will be forced to increase snowmaking to ensure reliable conditions. Warmer nights will make this already costly task — which can account for 20 percent of a resort’s overall budget — more expensive and difficult.
How can you Live Green — On the Slopes
While you're enjoying your ski holiday don't forget to keep living green. We need to be continually minimizing our impact on the environment if we want to maintain a lifestyle that includes skiing.
• Choose green ski resorts: Many ski resorts are taking the lead by introducing environmental initiatives to help reduce their impact on the environment.
• Pack light: 50 kilograms less weight cuts greenhouse gas emissions by almost two percent.
• Rent gear at your destination: If you don't have your own gear, rent it at the resort. Not only will you reduce the weight that you have to transport, if there is a problem it's easier to get it fixed.
• Travel with friends: When you’re heading for the hills carpool with friends and family, and ride shuttles or ski trains while you’re at the mountain.
• Show off your ski sweater: Dress warmly and turn down the heat in your lodge.
• Don't be a drag: Take your ski rack off your car at the end of your holiday — this could save six percent in greenhouse emissions.
• Don't wear fluoro: The intense reflection of the sun rays from fluorescent ski suits is a major cause of snow melting and global warming - just kidding!
(Reference from: www.skiblacklivegreen.com)
October 2007
Tip #11: The Earth’s surface is 70% water and the human body is 70% water. Naturally, we need to do all we can to preserve water… Just a slow drip from a leaky faucet can waste 15-20 gallons of water per day. During your stay on your Backside tour, report all leaky faucets to your guides on check-out. Many gallons of water are wasted when water continues to run when it is not needed. Brushing your teeth with the water running uses 5 gallons of water. If you turn the water off, you may only use ¼ gallon or less. A 2 minute shower uses 4-12 gallons of water, while a 10 minute shower uses 20-60 gallons. Be thoughtful of the environment (and your weekend roommates) and be quick to wash off.
September 2007
Tip #10: Support local economies by seeking out locally owned lodging and dining establishments, locally grown food and locally manufactured products and crafts.
August 2007
Tip #9: As a supplement to last year’s wax tip, instead of priming your skis or board with petroleum chemical wax, which can wind up in groundwater, get 100% biodegradable soy-based BioGlide wax!
(pg 269, ECOHOLIC 2007 Adria Vasil)
Special Blue Moon edition
Supplement Tip: Summer trails are designed to avoid areas that are sensitive to disturbances. Help preserve delicate flora and fauna by sticking to marked trails when hiking and biking and by packing out what you pack in.
2006-07 Season
April 2007
Tip #8: Take photos with a regular camera. Disposable cameras are very wasteful and expensive. If possible use a digital camera for your memories.
March 2007
Tip #7: When you are at a resort with your own hot tub, put the lid on your hot tub when you're not using it so the heat doesn't escape. This way, you use less energy keeping the water warm. Also, always soak with a friend! Multiple people in the tub makes it more efficient.
February 2007
Tip #6: Carpool, or better yet, take a bus tour with Backside Tours. This helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions from too many cars and takes the pressure off resorts having to build huge parking lots.
January 2007
Tip #5: Don't leave the lights on in your room when you leave for the day or go out for the night - a river had to be dammed to make that light go on, so tread lightly on the environment and turn it off.
December 2006
Tip #4: If you are drinking on the bus or at the hill, bring a nalgine bottle and reuse it during the trip for your drinking pleasure, instead of throwing away Gatorade, pop bottles etc…
November 2006
Tip #3: Hotels and airlines which have an environmental agenda deserve your patronization. Book or have your tour operator book your guestrooms and meeting rooms with hotels that are clearly interested in protecting our environment, and let management know that's why you've chosen their hotel. Green friendly hotels are encouraged to implement water-saving measures, execute energy-saving techniques and reduce solid waste. Hotels can offer towel and sheet-changing options, soap and shampoo dispensers, guestroom recycling baskets and reduced food-related waste. Almost all guests realize that we need to help protect our favorite destinations. Those guests are more than willing to participate in a hotel's green program. BE this type of guest. During your hotel stay, let management know that it is not necessary to change your towels and sheets every day. When you leave the room, turn off the AC/heat, lights and TV. Leave the little bottles of shampoo, if you don't use them. Participate in hotel linen programs, or let the hotel know that it's not necessary to change your sheets and towels every day. Reduce the amount of water used for bathing or showering by taking less time. Participate in hotel recycling programs by placing recyclables in appropriate bins. Keep bar soap wrappers and take used bars of soap home.
October 2006
Tip #2: For those of us looking forward to the skiing season there is an issue we need to consider before we gear up for the fun. Since the 1980s, ski wax manufacturers have been using perflurocarbons (PFCs) in their wax. PFCs were considered ideal additives for ski wax because they are water repellent and have low friction coefficients. However, it has now been shown that their risks far outweigh their benefits. PFCs bread down into perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a man-made chemical which has been shown to cause cancer, birth defects, and organ damage in laboratory animals. This chemical finds its way into the environment when excess wax is thrown in the garbage or when the thin membrane of wax on a ski is gradually worn off on the slopes. With the melting of snow in the spring, the toxic PFOA is carried into our water and most sensitive habitats. What kind of wax will we use from now on? Although we can't undo the harm that's been done, we can stop contributing to it by choosing to use environmentally friendly ski wax.
( “Alive: Canada's Natural Health Magazine" November 2005 issue November 2006)
September 2006
Tip #1: When leaving your room/condo make sure to close the windows and avoid the wasted energy involved when the thermostat and the cooler air outside play cat and mouse while you are gone.
