Help Wanted

This year during Toronto's Earth Week (April 19th - April 25th), you can give a tip to the environment through selected Toronto retailers. The new program, named GREENtuity and launched new this year, lets you give $1 to the environment when you buy something in a store.

Give a gift with No wrapping paper, no tape, almost nothing to throw out or recycle, while at the same time pro-actively helping the environment!

These last minute gift ideas could be a great save for that person who can be difficult to buy for. Yes, that person who likes unwrapped, practical, locally-made gifts from renewable materials made by fairly-paid employees. ;-)

Since this information is for last-minute gifts, we have chosen to include only organizations that will let you send an E-card or where you can email the details of your gift to the recipient.

Today TVO launched a new social network, specifically for connecting people and organizations who are working to change and improve our world.

Getinvolved.ca lists itself as "a social network matching like-minded individuals and organizations to make change possible". Individual people, as well as non-profit organizations and NGO's can list areas they need help with, and areas they can help others with. So if you are a photographer and want to do something to help out the environment, you could list yourself as a volunteer offering your unique skills.

Thanks to the folks over at EcoLocalizer for bringing a recent ad campaign by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council to our attention.

Palm oil is a common ingredient in food and cosmetics, and is sometimes used as a substitute for hydrogenated oil. Using Palm oil makes food trans fat-free, however palm oil is still a saturated fat, which is bad for you. In fact, last April some Girl Guides in Michigan refused to sell Girl Guide cookies because they contained palm oil.

Unfortunately, according to many sources, palm oil can be extremely destructive to rain forests, as the diverse forest is cut down or burned for palm tree plantations. Palm Oil is also considered to be "the greatest current threat to Orangutans" according to the Australian Orangutan Project, since palm oil plantations are replacing their rainforest habitat.

If you are thinking about getting involved and volunteering to do something for the environment (or if you need to fulfill that all-important highschool requirement), check out the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Job Board.