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So you’re in line and in tune, so very one with the earth that we don’t have to tell you to pass on farmed salmon and old-growth TP. But as our understanding of the world wiggles forward, make sure you’re not left behind.
This wave
Vegetarian
Earth-conscious grazers have kept their forks far from meat, knowing it’s 20 times more energy-intensive than grains.
Next wave
Compassionate omnivores
On second thought, what if that meat were naturally raised by a planet-loving holistic farmer you can visit an hour away?
This wave
Wild salmon
Knowing the ecological horror show that hit the West Coast when farmers opted to pen salmon, wiser fish consumers stick to the wilds for their dose of omegas.
Next wave
Aquaponics
This holistic method combines fish and veg farming through a highly efficient chem-free indoor system that recycles nutrient-rich fish poop to feed hydroponic veggies.
This wave
Reverse osmosis water
We shun $2 bottled tap water, but it’s the same reverse osmosis stuff alt-healthers buy it in bulk from health stores. Too bad it wastes 3 to 9 litres of water for every litre it spits out.
Next wave
Tap water
With 1.5 milion barrels of oil going to make plastic H2O bottles, peak oil woes might mandate the official return to tap. Expect a revival in water fountains. We won’t have the clear water we want, though, until we clean up the planet.
This wave
Hybrid cars
Knowing your wheels are up to 90 per cent less polluting than a Land Rover is enough to fuel us with steady source of self-satisfaction. We’ll worry about the battery’s toxins later.
Next wave
Air cars
While we hold our breath waiting for a car-free world, we’d be happy to see the battery-free air car take off (it actually runs on compressed air) and/or electric cars that get their charge from wind-powered refill stations, à la Denmark.
This wave
Solar panels
Strap those babies to your roof and show grid-locked neighbours just how green a house can be – well, at least when the sun’s hitting your panels and snow’s not blocking them.
Next wave
Passive solar
Smart building codes will force new super-insulated homes to maximize south-facing windows so the sun strikes floors and walls that store solar heat like a warm sponge. Even furnace-free “Passivhauses” stay a comfy 21.4°C in cold German winters. Das ist gut.
This wave
Boycott Brazilian beef to save the rainforest
Anyone alive in the 80s is careful to stay away from Amazon-raised beef. Even McDonald’s knows clearing the rainforest for burger patties ain’t good PR.
Next wave
Boycott processed foods to save the climate
They’re bloating our enviro footprint with H20- and energy-intensive processing, landfill-bound packaging, and by jamming the freezer aisle, not to mention the horror show that comes with mammoth monoculture farms spawning the likes of high-fructose corn syrup. Watch for the growth of the low-carbon diet.
This wave
FSC-certified wood
Wiping our butts and printing lingerie ads on old-growth boreal forest has grown horribly passé. If you’re going to cut down trees, we’d better see a Forest Stewardship Council seal on those forest-products, honey.
Next wave
Tree-free paper and urban salvage
Actually, do we really need to be axing any of our grand old carbon-storing trees when we could be getting paper from hemp and flooring from urban salvage (i.e., city trees struck by lightning, disease or contruction)?
This wave
Bioplastic from corn
Wow, plastic that biodegrades. Or degrades under some conditions (fine print not included). Nice to see petroleum take a back seat, but there’s something fishy about an “eco” compound by Cargill Dow that’s made from GE crops and driving a costly global food crisis.
Next wave
Green plastic from garbage
Want to see plastic trashed forever? How ’bout making plastic from trash instead? New-school styrofoam’s already being concocted from orange peels and chicken feathers to make circuit boards. They’re even transforming climate-changing CO2 into high-grade polymers. Keep your eyes peeled.
