Kuuala's Blog

Social Media Week – Socially Green

Cory Laing — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:23:18 +0000

Posted in Blog

Social Media Week (SMW) took place around the globe in 21 different cities the week of February 13th, reflecting on the global impact of social media to act as a catalyst for cultural, economic, political and social change.

This year with help from our friends at Joy Apparel , SmartBride and Raise5, we hosted a SMW event here in Toronto called Socially Green. Over snacks and a few drinks we tried to engage in discussion about how social media can be used to increase awareness about the impact that our product choices can have on the environment.

Big thanks to everyone who came out, to our friends at Merchant of Green Coffee (@MGC_Cafe) and to our event organizer Pouneh Rouhani (@Pounehr).

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Montreal’s incredible 5-story recycled garden

admin — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:49:00 +0000

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FRAGILE: interview with creators Peter Gibson aka Roadsworth and B. Armstrong from Projekroom on Vimeo.

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Aquaovo Therm-O Terra Glass Bottle

admin — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:04:41 +0000

Posted in Blog

Ditch those plastic bottles and go for the all glass Aquaovo Therm-O Terra Bottle. BPA Free, nothing to leech. It also includes a handy, removable tea strainer for all your brewing needs.

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LED Lights come to Toronto

Kuuala Team — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:16:02 +0000

Posted in Blog,GREENTE@,LED LIGHTS

Toronto, ON Canada January 25, 2011 – This week Kuuala launched two initiatives to increase the amount of LED light use in Toronto. First, Kuuala has partnered with Toronto lighting store Ultra Lighting, 129 Spadina Street, to offer it’s full line of LED lighting products in store. Kuuala believes the public is starting to understand the many benefits of LED lights, and since Toronto has always been a forward thinking city, they believe people will be quicker to make the upgrade to LEDs.

Secondly, Kuuala has launched it’s Kuualafied Showcase program where they will be working with different retail stores and businesses throughout the city to showcase LED lights and highlight the energy and environmental benefits they offer. Kuuala’s showcase program will give consumers a way to experience led lights in a variety of applications and provides incentives for retail establishments to save money and promote sustainability.

LED lights provide a glimpse into the future of lighting. Using up to 90% less energy and lasting up to 25 times longer than halogen and fluorescent lights, Kuuala’s LED bulbs are designed to accommodate existing fixtures. In addition, minimal heat is produced from the bulbs and illumination is instant once the light is turned on.

More information about Kuuala:

Kuuala, founded in Montreal, Canada with a location in New York, provides high-powered LED options and other sustainable solutions for home and working environments anywhere in North America. Pairing with sustainable ratings like Lighting Facts, EnergyStar, FSC (Forest Stewardship Council), Green Seal, and EPEAT, Kuuala offers LED lighting, cleaning supplies, information technology, and office products.

Web: www.kuuala.com

E-mail: info@kuuala.com

Phone: 1.888.KUUALA.1

Twitter: @kuuala

Facebook:Kuuala

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Organique by Himalaya

Kuuala Team — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:30:55 +0000

Posted in Blog

Organique by Himalaya

Organique by Himalaya is a unique line of body care made with active ingredients that are all organically produced, raw and natural made in India. It’s a true marriage of ancient wisdom and sophisticated science.

Organique by Himalaya’s personal care products, including hair, body, and dental care, are free from chemicals, artificial colors, and synthetic fragrances, which is why many have obtained the USDA organic certification–still very hard to find in the personal care aisle (organic certification for personal care still follows the same guidelines as organic certification for food) and why the entire line recently received the

Whole Foods Market Premium Body Care certification. How does the company do it? By taking traditional, natural Indian ingredients and testing them against time and science. “Organique by Himalaya is all about ingredients that have been time tested it’s a beautiful marriage between ancient wisdom and modern science and technology,” says Sachdev. Here are her top ingredient picks and why they work.

Neem: “This ingredient has been used for centuries in India. In the morning we would take the twigs of the neem tree, chew on it, make a fibrous brush and clean our teeth and tongue then dispose of it. That was nature’s first disposable toothpaste and toothbrush. If this ingredient has lasted for 6,000 years something must be right about it.” With natural antibacterial properties you can now find it in toothpaste, skin care, and hair products.

Turmeric: “In India the bride is bathed in sandalwood and turmeric, which is used as a mask on the body for the radiance she develops on her skin; it’s a ritual for the brides.” Its potent antioxidant, curcumin, helps keep skin wrinkle free by fighting skin-damaging free radicals. Plus, its anti-inflammatory properties make it a prime skin soother. Now find it in skin and body

care.
Holy basil: “Holy basil good for harmonizing and balancing but we also use it in some of our products for just aroma in some products for its oxygenating properties and in some we use a preservative so it’s the same holy basil performing different functions in our products.” Now find it in hair, scalp, and skin care products.

How Himalaya Goes above and beyond.

Gluten Free Products - Organique by Himalaya products are gluten free and completely free of ingredients derived from gluten-containing foods: wheat (including Kamut and spelt), barley, rye, oats and triticale, as well as the use of gluten in the form of a stabilizing or thickening agent.

Leaping bunny: cruelty-free certification – Founded in 1898. The BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) is one of the world’s most widely respected authorities in the fight against animal experimentation.

Whole Foods Market – Premium Body Care – All Organique by Himalaya products have been awarded this seal. The seal is Whole Foods Market highest mark of quality and cleanliness in personal care.

Free from over 200 synthetic ingredients - Himalaya products are free from Parabens, Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS), Phthalates, Petroleum, Silicones, etc. and contain no artificial fragrances or colors and are yet seductively pleasurable.

Cold Pressed – Cold Extracted Oils – Himalaya uses only the highest grade of cold-pressed oils in their products derived by cold extraction. Through a process called malaxation, which slowly churn milled seeds/fruits/nuts in a specially designed mixer for 20 to 40 minutes. This churning allows the smaller droplets of oil released by the milling process to aggregate and separate more easily. This is followed by a laborious extraction process that is crucial due to its effects on oil quality. Although this manual process is time consuming, its outcome is a superior product. The benefits from this process are preservation of potent anti-aging compounds, rich nutrients and moisturizing factors.

Organic Ingredients – Organique by Himalaya® products use efficacious certified organic ingredients grown in rich, naturally-nurturing soils following the laws of nature, without the use of toxic or persistent chemical pesticides or herbicides. To protect herbs from insect and pest attack, Himalaya uses prophylactic sprays like Neem Oil as a natural insect repellent.

Sensory Experience – Himalaya makes no compromises on sensory pleasure. Their aromas are earthy, sensuous, vibrant, invigorating, soothing, and refreshing. In a few words, “We take you on a seductive journey of mind, body and spirit.”

You can find Organique by Himalay in the Kuuala Store - Canada

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Kuuala makes top 26 Blogs for Going Green at the Office

Kuuala Team — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 14:07:53 +0000

Posted in Blog,GREENTE@,ECO LIFESTYLE

Here is a a list of 26 Blogs for Going Green at the Office by Human Resources Degree Blog.

An online non-profit site, created by Henry Douglas that list information for current and future students looking for a HR degree. http://www.humanresourcesdegree.com

1. Green Office – TechSoup Blog : This site walks every type of office through going green, including libraries and non-profit agencies. They also offer realistic goals for the office that wants to make a change.

2. Microsoft Small Business Blog – How Green is Your Office? : What prevents an office from going green? Employees who think there’s no room for change. Learn more about accessing how green your office is with this post.

3. Earth 911 – 8 Ways to Green Your Office : Basic tips for making your office eco-friendly, with the stats to back up why you should make the change.

4. Nature Canada – Green Office: Make Your Workplace Environmentally Friendly : This is a rundown of simple changes you can make to go green, even if your office isn’t making a collective effort. You never know who may notice and start to do the same.

5. Fast Company – Easing the Switch to Green Office Supplies : Is making the switch to green office supplies easy or feasible on a large scale? Find out with this informative article on changing the supplies used daily in your office.

6. Kuuala – Blog Kuuala is an online resource for green office supplies, but it’s blog is also a great tool because it shows you how to implement those supplies seamlessly. After all, not everyone loves change.

7. Office Furniture Blog : Get the skinny on green office furniture, including how to buy it and what makes it different than the usual suspects we see in dowdy offices.

8. Midlands Biz – Greening Your Office : We all want to go green to help the planet, but ultimately it improves the bottom line for many companies. Big and small businesses can benefit from environmental practices and purchases and this post explains how.

9. 7 Steps to Creating a Recycling Program at Work : 84% of waste in the U.S. can be recycled. This post walks you through starting up a recycling program to cut down on the waste in your office.

10. Peripheral Visions – 19 Ways to Go Green at Work : Here’s a list of simple, effective ways to go green at the office starting today.

For the full list please visit http://www.humanresourcesdegree.com

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The Story of Electronics

Kuuala Team — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 13:24:36 +0000

Posted in Blog

The Story of Electronics. Another really great video from The Story of stuff project.

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The dark side of the CFLs

Kuuala Team — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:43:08 +0000

Posted in Blog,GREENTE@,ECO LIFESTYLE,GREENTE@

You’ve heard of CFLs, right? Compact fluorescent lightbulbs. (Cue the violins) They’re supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread when it comes to energy efficiency in the home. Our own government wants to ban incandescent lightbulbs (so-called “regular” bulbs that use tungsten and give off heat) by 2012 and force folks to switch over to CFLs. But there’s a huge problem with that.

And it might be costing you and your family your health!

What’s wrong with CFLs?
Environmentally speaking, many things:
* Mercury: CFLs contain mercury, a known neurotoxin. This means that if a lightbulb breaks, you have a hazardous waste problem on your hands. Think I’m exaggerating? Here’s what the EPA recommends you do in the case of a broken CFL:

Before Clean-up: Air Out the Room

* Have people and pets leave the room, and don’t let anyone walk through the breakage area on their way out.
* Open a window and leave the room for 15 minutes or more.
* Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

* Carefully scoop up glass pieces and powder using stiff paper or cardboard and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place towels in the glass jar or plastic bag.
* Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up the broken bulb on hard surfaces.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

* Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.
* Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder.
* If vacuuming is needed after all visible materials are removed, vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.
* Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

Clean-up Steps for Clothing, Bedding and Other Soft Materials

* If clothing or bedding materials come in direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from inside the bulb that may stick to the fabric, the clothing or bedding should be thrown away. Do not wash such clothing or bedding because mercury fragments in the clothing may contaminate the machine and/or pollute sewage.
* You can, however, wash clothing or other materials that have been exposed to the mercury vapor from a broken CFL, such as the clothing you are wearing when you cleaned up the broken CFL, as long as that clothing has not come into direct contact with the materials from the broken bulb.
* If shoes come into direct contact with broken glass or mercury-containing powder from the bulb, wipe them off with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes. Place the towels or wipes in a glass jar or plastic bag for disposal.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

* Immediately place all clean-up materials outdoors in a trash container or protected area for the next normal trash pickup.
* Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags containing clean-up materials.
* Check with your local or state government about disposal requirements in your specific area. Some states do not allow such trash disposal. Instead, they require that broken and unbroken mercury-containing bulbs be taken to a local recycling center.

Future Cleaning of Carpeting or Rug: Air Out the Room During and After Vacuuming

* The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window before vacuuming.
* Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Scared yet?

It gets worse…
Even if they don’t break, CFLs could be harming your health in a more insidious way. By breaking creating what is known as “dirty electricity“. (I suggest you follow that link so you can wrap your head around what dirty electricity is). Then, onwards…

* Diabetics: Dr. Magda Havas from Trent University studied diabetics in the context of EMF (electromagnetic frequencies). She found that those exposed to an environment with dirty electricity showed a spike in blood sugar in as little as half an hour! And when removed to a spot with clean power, their blood sugar dropped back to normal just as quickly. Which means that if you have Type 1 diabetes, you might actually need more insulin if you’re in an environment with CFLs.

* Multiple Sclerosis: Dr Havas found that people with MS reported greater neurological symptoms when exposed to dirty power and improved dramatically when the power was cleaned up.

* Sick Building Syndrome: Dr Havas found that at one school in Wisconsin, kids and teachers were being treated for SBS. Once the buildings had been cleaned up of mold and other contaminants, the kids and teachers came back… and got sick all over again. They did an experiment and cleaned up the EMFs. Lo and behold, 37 of the kids who used inhalers for their asthma stopped needing them in school! And just so you don’t think this is some sort of placebo effect, the kids still needed them at home in the same time period!

* Lupus: Folks with lupus can get radiation burns just from sitting next to a lamp with a CFL bulb in it! Even healthy folks shouldn’t install CFLs in fixtures that are less than 1 metre away from their bodies (bedside lamps, reading lamps, desk or worktable lamps, etc). Global’s 16 X 9 has a pretty chilling report on the subject.

Migraines: There’s compelling evidence that some people are electrically sensitive. Dr Havas’s research suggests that as many as 1 in 3 Canadians has some degree of electrical sensitivity. And this may cause migraines. And what are these folks going to do in 2012 when there are likely going to be CFLs at work, at home and in the malls? Where will electrically sensitive people hide?

Do your own experiment
Dr Havas suggests that if you’re suffering from frequent migraines, arthritic aches and pains, a feeling of chronic fatigue, stress, tiredness, rashes or other weird symptoms, try removing ALL the CFLs in your home for a month. See if your symptoms go away. And then decide accordingly.

What you should know
* CFLs chop up the electric current in your home causing dirty electricity.
* This affects sensitive electrical equipment and we now know that it affects human health as well.
* Having a CFL on your home’s electrical circuit will create dirty electricity ALL ALONG THAT CIRCUIT, not just in the room where the bulb is on! This is why it’s important to remove ALL your CFLs if you’re doing Dr. Havas’s suggested experiment.
* CFLs create dirty electricity and also give off harmful radio frequencies (that some sensitive people can actually hear!). They also give off UV rays that can harm the very young and those that suffer from lupus and other such illnesses.
* CFLs aren’t the only source of dirty electricity. You should seriously consider bringing all your dimmers and DECT phones and baby monitors (just look on the phone cradle, it should be written on it) to the local eco centre for safe disposal. These items are especially dangerous because they give of harmful EMFs even when not in use!

Is there an energy efficient but safe alternative?

YES! Tom Nadas makes his living measuring the dirty electricity in people’s homes and suggesting safer alternatives. He says that LED lightbulbs are the way of the future. Well, if we can get the government on board!

Why Nadas thinks LEDs are such a good idea:

* They’re even more energy efficient than most CFLs

* They are virtually indestructible and contain no mercury

* They last a long, long time (great from both an economic and ecological perspective)

* Best of all, they don’t give off dirty electricity

[cbc.ca]

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Save up to $250 A Year With BITS Smart Surge

Kuuala Team — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:27:12 +0000

Posted in Blog,GREENTE@,GREEN TECH,GREENTE@

Your sneaky plasma screen on stand-by power (shut off with the remote but, still plugged in) is costing you $160 per year on your energy bill. Not to mention your other electronics like:surround sound speakers, desktop computer, printer, laptop, and cable box. If you took all those pieces of technology and were able to eliminate the extra power they used while being turned off, you would see a nice decrease in your energy bill instantly.

The little guy that saves you cash, is called aBITS Smart Surge Protector. Check out the BITS facts below:

1. It saves energy by electronically unplugging all of the devices that are plugged into the “Automatically Switched outlets” when the device plugged into the control outlet is turned off. This stops them from drawing any current without the need to turn them off or unplug them

2. The average savings that the Smart Strip will produce is $11.16 per month

3. The Smart Strip can be used even in places that it does not save energy. For example, plug your shop tool into the control outlet & your shop vac into the switched outlets. Every time you turn on you tool, the vacuum turns on with it.

Where it saves you to have a Smart Strip:

Product Saves Energy

Air Conditioner No

Battery Charger Yes

Computer peripherals Yes

Home Entertainment Yes

Hair Dryer No

Kitchen Appliance No

Lamps No

Shop Equipment No

Space Heater No

Washer, Dryer No

BITS Video

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Are Commercial LED Lights Ready For Mainstream?

Kuuala Team — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 23:24:13 +0000

Posted in Blog,GREENTE@,GREEN TECH,GREENTE@

A few Fortune 500 companies have already adopted commercial LED lighting as a viable plan to reduce their energy costs for 2010 and into the future. Is commercial LED technology ready to take center stage as the most energy efficient lighting option for the future?

I will admit, before I learned about lighting, I didn’t really care about light bulbs. Let’s face it, light bulbs are cheap and the little bit of extra money I spend on my utility bill for my inefficient lights probably doesn’t amount to that much.

But, when you discuss lighting from the perspective of a business owner, lighting actually amounts to a rather large expense. When you have a lot of lights on for 12-24 hours a day, that really starts to add up as a large overhead cost.

The drop in price of LED lights that have occurred in recent months, have put smart business owners in a position to start considering the replacement of existing lights with LED bulbs.

Furthermore, changing light bulbs represents a simple solution that can yield immediate results. The majority of the time, businesses don’t need to go through a costly renovation plan to make their building LED-ready. The savings associated with commercial LED lights can thus, be realized right away.

Below are some of the companies that have already adopted the LED technology:

Wal-Mart

Set to install LED lights in 650 of its stores in 2010, Wal-Mart’s efficiency goal is to reduce store energy consumption by 25 percent.

Google

Purchased 25,000 Pharox 6 watt LED bulbs as a replacement for 60 watt incandescent and mercury filled CFL bulbs on Earth Day in 2009 for Google employees.

Starbucks

Has already phased out the use of halogen bulb mr16 in 1,000 of its U.S. locations. Switching to mr16 LED lights will help Starbucks meet their 25% energy reduction goal by the end of 2010.

According to Starbucks, 8,000 stores worldwide will be completed by December 2010.

FIFA World Cup 2010

The “LED’s Kick Off” is a program designed by the Department of Ennvironmental Affairs (DEA) in concordance with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to offset the estimated 900,000 tons of carbon emissions from the 2010 World Cup.

Retrofitting 3 million sockets in South African hotels, offices, and homes with Pharox LED light bulbs will save 240,000 MWh in electricity annually.

Have you seen any LED Lights around? What do you think of them? Please share in the comments!

image courtesy of Danny Sullivan

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