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HH HYDRO A program brought to you by the Ontario Power Authority and Halton Hills Hydro OMOfficial marks of the Ontario Power Authority *Conditions apply. For a complete set of contest rules visit www.everykilowattcounts.com/sweepstakes or www.HaltonHillsHydro.com Canada Day, Wednesday, June 25, 2008 7 Do your shopping habits measure up? When polled recently by Angus Reid, 93 per cent of Canadian women and 85 per cent of men said that they are becoming more conscious of the environment and are starting to look at, and buy products that are more environmentally friendly. Consumers, therefore, do intend to spend their money on environmentally conscious products, but only if additional benefits are evident. Here are more findings by Angus Reid about Canadian action and attitude: 99% agree that manufacturers should try to do more for the environment 75% are concerned about the effects of regular soaps and laundry detergents on the environment 74% say they would be more likely to buy an envi- ronmentally friendly laundry detergent if it was the same price as regular detergents. And perhaps this observation is most revealing, to which 60 percent of Canadians agree, and 40 percent disagree: I know that I should do some- thing about the envi- ronment but when it comes to making decisions in store, I seem to always stick to the regular brands, not the environmen- tally friendly ones. Acknowledging these reluctant buying habits gives some manufacturers great incentive, says Ed Zello at Purex, a name associated with one of Canadas leading brands. Canadians know Purex will get their clothes clean and its priced right. We also know by polling, that Canadians dont want to have to pay more and get poorer cleaning power for the sake of buying an environmentally conscious brand. We want it all clean clothes, a trust- ed brand name, great fragrances, available at our regular store, at no additional cost. Its a tall order, but thats what it takes. As a result, the Purex research and development sci- entists got to work to develop the biodegradable Natural Elements line. Its formulated with 100% naturally derived cleaning ingredients and natural fragrance extracts. Better still, its reasonably priced, free of dyes, the packaging is recyclable, and its 2X concentrated for- mula means you use half the amount of any standard detergent calling for far less water, less waste, and less packaging. So how do your shopping habits measure up? Check yourself: I am a responsible consumer if I: Use fabric shopping bags, not plastic Scout the store shelf for a greener line in the prod- uct I need Read labels to determine biodegradability Buy products that have the most responsible features Avoid plastic packaging unless it is biodegradable, or recyclable Buy local produce since it uses less energy to arrive at the market Ask my retailer to stock more green products News Canada Since 2004, Staples Business Depot has been donating money back to schools through the Recycle for Education program. Each year, local schools register with the program and raise funds for their school by collecting and recycling their used ink and toner cartridges at any Staples Business Depot. Each Staples Business Depot store location is equipped with a designated Recycle for Education recycling bin. The retailer then recycles the empty ink and toner cartridges with a third party ven- dor. Proceeds raised through the pro- gram are distributed amongst the schools that register with the pro- gram. Inkjet printers can be found in nearly every home in Canada, says Steve Matyas, president, Staples Business Depot. Most cartridges an estimated 375,000,000 are thrown in the garbage and then dumped in land- fill sites where it can take centuries before the plast ic containers decompose, so recycl ing these items with us will make a huge impact on the environment. The Recycle for Education pro- gram is an easy recycling option that translates into money for local schools. For more information and to register with the program, schools can visit www.recycle- fored.ca. News Canada Staples Business Depot turns recycling into dollars for schools through program