+ The IFP - Halton Hills | Thursday, April 21, 2022 | BOPINION HOW TO BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION RIDING A BICYCLE IS A MAJOR WINNER, WRITES TONY COTE TONY COTE Column Electric cars aren't for everyone. They are expen- sive and in short supply, so while they are a favou- rite to combat climate change and environmen- tal damage they are not the only way to do your part. At the very least start yourself. Container gar- lening works inside and outside of the house. you can't live without meat EARTH DAY 2022 d, that's most of us, then use the butcher counter in your favourite grocery store. Your purchase will be wrapped in waxed pap- er and not foam contain- ers and plastic wrap. Or bring a container from home and let the butcher fill it Riding a bicycle is ama- jor winner. With the cost of gasoline hitting un- heard-of numbers just think how much can be saved by using a bike for short-haul trips within town and city limits. Bikes are relatively cheap to buy, you can fix them theifp.ca ShelfGenie EVERYTHING WITHIN REACH’ a Meighbourly: company TRANSFORM YOUR HOME AND UPGRADE YOUR STORAGE yourself, they don't spew dangerous carbon monox- ‘de into the atmosphere changes to one's heath pall b ber noticeable. stance» more aan ‘00 per cent of the population rides a bicycle. More bicy- cles commute into Copen- hagen every day than cars. People are healthier and have saved more than one million sick days a year. And the biggie -- bi- cycles don't produce car- bon monoxide — one of the worst contributors to climate change. (289) 14-2325 | shelfgenie.com * : — === Bottled water. It's diffi- cult to think of anything that is good about the in- dustry. In 2020, it is esti- that Canadians drank out of more than two billion plastic bottles, each of which ended up in the garbage or ditches or our waterways. It is also estimated that this year, the bottled water industry willsel 6 billion of wa- ter in Macc containers id th e profit on those sales can be as much as 200 per cent. Safe and healthy tap water costs a fraction of that and reusable Potties e purchased der 0. The bottled water industry makes no sense for consumers and the hile there are dozens of ways to reduce your carbon footprint cheaply and easily, it costs nothing to write about your concern: id sent them to your MPP, MP and municipal coun. Find out what the can- didates in eganes Ontario election believe. Support the candidate with strong climate and environmental concerns. Changing eating habits to a more vegetable-based diet will help, as will rid- one's ‘ health. t's a win-win situation. Hare are 101 more things you can do to be an Earth Champion: https:// ar- chive.curbed.com/2017/6/ 1/15749900/how-to-stop- climate-change-actions Tony Cote is a retired journalist with 40 years of experience in Toronto and He has served on ingabike,turningonatap Ottawa. rather than ppening a at bot. the boards of the Rideau ight ii Action ne iene away with ae tics as much as possible. the changes you can make will also save money and improve League and the Friends of Foley Mountain and now volunteers with Climate Network Lanark. He lives outside of Perth, Ont. SIGN UP FOR OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER AT THEIFPRCA