At P’lovers we try to stay abreast of what’s happening in the world and at home – we talk to people, we read books and magazines, and we check out web sites. The amount of information and ideas available through the Internet is overwhelming so we thought we’d identify some of our favorites for you to check out:

The Environmental Working Group Skin Deep’s (www.cosmeticsdatabase.com) website is addictive but you might also want to check out www.healthystuff.org. This is a site that provides test results for toxic chemicals in ‘everyday stuff’ including children’s products and toys. One that stands out for parents is the screen print on a ‘green baby’ recycling shirt for a 6 month old contained lead, arsenic chlorine and chromium. It always helps to dig a little deeper.

The Children’s Clean Air Network
The Children’s Clean Air Network (CCAN) is a network of like-minded partners promoting “IDLE-FREE – the next smoke-free”. Their goal is to reduce needless vehicle emissions which will improve the quality of our air and reduce the threat from climate change. CCAN began as a grassroots reduced-idling campaign at Kingswood Elementary School, near Halifax. It’s now a volunteer, not-for-profit, registered in Nova Scotia.

Some of you will be grieving the loss of National Geographic’s “The Green Guide” magazine…but take heart! You can still find great green living tips at www.thegreenguide.com.

www.healthfulhomes.ca – Check out this great website which is trying to encourage people who are buying homes to think about the environment at the same time.

CRUSISIS.ca – a brand new site which has been formed by some very keen people in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The word “CRUSISIS” comes from the combination of “CRUSade” and “cr”ISIS” – the coming together of a crusade for the crisis of people, planet and community. CRUSISIS is a guide to sustainable living in the Greater Halifax area and beyond…and for people in other parts of the world, it serves as a model for what can be done in other communities. Check it out for a wide variety of great ideas for improving your life and the planet’s chances for regaining balance.

www.storyofstuff.com – this site contains a short movie showing how the manufacture of “stuff” is damaging our planet – especially when manufacturers pay no attention to what they are doing. Lots of ideas about what you can do and a regular e-newsletter is available.

www.asenseofwonderfilm.com – Kaiulani Lee has written and performed a one-woman show about the life of Rachel Carson all over the world for many years. She has now turned her masterpiece into a magnificent one-hour movie which has just been released.

www.worldchanging.com – if you want to know the latest models, tools, and ideas for building a bright green future, this is the site for you. Worldchanging is a global network of independent journalists, designers and thinkers. Site contains over 8,500 articles and regular newsletter brings you news from around the world.

www.treehugger.com – this site presents new and exciting initiatives from around the world, all of which prove that a better, greener future is possible.

www.davidsuzuki.org – take the Nature Challenge, find out what David Suzuki is commenting on, learn fascinating tidbits of information, and consider provocative questions.

www.seventhgeneration.com – while this site promotes its own products, its regular newsletter and blogs are full of information and analysis about green questions ranging from sensible urban development to the benefits of recycled glass.

www.footprintnetwork.org – have you heard the term “ecological footprint”? This site is dedicated to helping people understand and measure the impact of human activity on the planet. You can determine your impact or find out where Canada sits on the list of country’s impacts.

www.ecojustice.ca – learn about the activities, studies, and legal cases from this team of Canadian lawyers and scientists.

www.nsnt.ca – The Nova Scotia Nature Trust is an organization dedicated to protecting and preserving environmentally significant lands and habitats.

www.ecologyaction.ca – The Ecology Action Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is engaged in dozens of projects ranging from food security and land preservation to energy efficiency and sustainable transportation.