Q: My roommate uses an electric toothbrush and her teeth sparkle. Is there a green version out there?
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A: I always thought electric toothbrushes were for lazy people – until I tried one and my teeth seemed as smooth as a freshly zambonied ice rink. Now, serious environmentalists will wag their fingers and tell you there is never an excuse for using a plug-in gadget where a manual option exists, and I completely agree.
But if your dentist insists on it, or your dead set on trying it, you can make the whole experience greener.
For one, pick a brush that actually works. Turns out most cheaper electrics do the same job as good old fashioned muscle power. In fact, nonprofit oral health care org Cochrane Oral Health Group has long said there is no real advantage to a powered brush if you’re manually brushing and flossing properly (as in, brushing for longer than the typical 30 to 60 seconds most North Americans do).
The only power brush that beats manual, according to the COHG, is the rotating oscillating brush (which rotates and oscillates versus those that just spin one way, vibrate or have side to side action). The rotating oscillating kinds might do a better job of keeping plaque and gingivitis in check, but these are not $15 battery-operated sticks. (Top-scoring Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries brushes cost over $100).
The biggest problem with the rechargeable systems is that once the battery in your base finally dies (three to five years in, according to manufacturers), the whole base has to be tossed (and the battery recycled). You can’t just pop a new rechargeable battery in there like you can (and should) in the cheapies, and that’s a crying shame.
Make a point of complaining to the manufacturers about that one.
Now, if you do already have a plug-in charger, you can extend the overall life of your battery and reduce your energy sucking time (aka phantom power) by unplugging it between charges and letting your toothbrush drain before plugging it back in. Who needs to be continuously sucking power from the wall when you’re off at work or school?
Keeping an electric toothbrush powered up generates 48 grams of climate-cooking CO2 a day (or 17 kilograms a year), according to the UN. By the way, pricier models can hold a charge for two weeks, so you could feasibly get your brushing-related CO2 output down to 1 kilogram a year.
You should also consider, gasp, sharing a unit. Sounds icky, but you don’t actually share bristles, just the base. Some companies even make multicoloured heads to help you keep it straight. (Speaking of heads, note that some replacement heads cost more than a pair of pants – two replacement Sonicare Essence heads can go for $40!)
But no matter how you floss it, hand-powered brushing (preferably with a toothbrush made of recycled materials and a replaceable head) will always leave your conscience feeling squeaky clean.
Q: How do I prevent the grass from dying whenever my dog pees on it?
A: I thought all dogs left neon yellow burn marks when they peed, but turns out not every dog owner is as blessed as you and my fam. Drowning the area with a pail of water is a common tip for reducing the burnage factor, but not only is that a pain in the ass, it’s a fair waste of water if your dog is peeing a lot.
And stay away from supplements that purport to save your lawn by altering your pets PH – vets like Dr. Ronnie Pusong at Banks Animal Hospital will tell you PH has nothing to do with grass burning (it’s the concentrated nitrogen in the pee that causes burns) and that altering your pug’s PH can lead to painful health problems like crystals in its urine.
Instead you might want to try diluting the potency of your pet’s stream by adding water to its food. You could also try hunting down a bag or three of EcoTraction de-icer. Spread on your lawn, this volcanic mineral is supposed to help neutralize the ammonia nitrogen in your dog’s pee.
Better yet, retrain your pooch to do his business in one gravelly patch instead of spreading the love everywhere by moving his poop over to the preferred area for a few weeks.
For any existing dog burns, throw down some compost and reseed it come spring. Actually, reseeding your whole yard with a drought-resistant native rye and/or fescue grass like Wildflower Farm’s Eco-Lawn will make your lawn much less susceptible to those bright yellow mini crop circles without ever having to pull out the hose.
Got a question?
Send your green queries to ecoholic@nowtoronto.com
