Parent Time

Making eco-friendly consumer choices benefits the planet — and your family. But have you actually considered how much of an impact your lifestyle has on Canada’s natural resources? Take our quiz and test your family’s green savvy.

1. Do you prefer a hot shower or relaxing soak in the tub?
I start my mornings and unwind after stressful days in the office by taking long steamy showers. It helps clear my mind
I usually take a 10-minute shower but once in a while I treat myself to a bath
I take a five-minute room-temperature shower each day. My two children take a bath together in the evening

2. Do you leave the tap water running while you brush your teeth or shave?
Yes, why not? It’s silly turning the tap off and on
I normally turn it off but sometimes I forget if I’ve overslept and I’m rushing to get to work on time
I don’t shave in the shower because it wastes H2O. I’m adamant that my kids shut off the faucet while they brush their teeth

3. How often do you run the dishwasher?
Everyday, sometimes twice a day. My family is large so the dishes pile up
Three to four times per week. But I hand-wash pots and pans. Should I put them in the dishwasher instead?
I wait until the machine is full, which is usually twice a week. I don’t rinse the dishes, I scrape off the food

4. What water temperature do you wash you clothes at? How often do you use the dryer?
I wash each load in hot water. It’s the only way to guarantee they come out of the machine clean. In our house, the dryer is used as routinely as the washer
It depends what the detergent calls for. I use the dyer regularly but hang delicate articles to drip-dry
I wash every item in cold water and hang it on a clothesline in the basement. Our washing machine and dryer are Energy Star qualified products

5. Do you recycle?
Our community doesn’t offer a Green Bin Program to residents. I recycle newspapers and plastic bottles when I can find the time
I consistently recycle but sometimes I get lazy and toss paper in the garbage bin
Our green and blue bins are fuller than our garbage can. I don’t want plastic sitting in a landfill. We also have a composter in the backyard

6. Do you purchase bottled water on a regular basis?
Absolutely. I buy it by the case. You’re taking a chance when you drink water from the kitchen faucet
I try not to but if we’re out in public and the kids get thirsty, I pop into a convenience store
I don’t. There’s nothing like good old-fashioned tap water. Sometimes I use a disposable water filter

7. How often do you shop organic?
I find organic foods and products too expensive. I don’t buy into the hype surrounding them
I try to buy organic meats, fruits and vegetables when my budget allows
Whenever possible. Eating organically is important to my family’s health and well-being

8. What type of light bulbs do you buy?
It varies. Anywhere from 100- to 60-watt bulbs. Soft lighting is bad for your eyes, especially when my teenagers are sitting at their desk doing homework
We’re slowly transitioning to halogen and fluorescent lighting in our condo
Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). They use 75% less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs

9. When grocery shopping, do you pack your groceries in plastic, paper or cloth bags?
Plastic. There are so many plastic bags circulating in the world, a few more aren’t going to make a difference
On the rare occasion that I forget to bring my own stash of cloth bags to the store, I use plastic. At least they can be reused as garbage liners and lunch bags for my children
I don’t leave the house without my shopping list and enviro-friendly bags

10. During the summer months how do you cool your home?
Central air is a necessity for us. Some days the humidity is unbearable
Fans are cheaper to run than air conditioning units
Our semi-detached house is surrounded by trees so that helps. We use low-energy ceiling fans and keep our shades drawn during the day. We’re in the process of installing awnings over the windows

11. How often do you water your lawn during the warm-weather months?
I run the sprinkler everyday. I want my lawn to be lush
Two to three times a week, depending on how many sunny days we’ve had
Once a week. My wife waters at night, which prevents the hot sun from evaporating the water

12. When Old Man Winter arrives, what temperature do you program the thermostat to?
Canadian winters make you feel like you’re living in arctic conditions so I like it toasty warm (25°C). Our basement is not energy-efficient so we occasionally pull out a space heater
We just bought a programmable thermostat so we can be more energy-efficient
We set the temperature for 20°C when we’re at home and 17°C when we’re asleep or out of the house

13. What is your preferred mode of transportation?
My husband and I can’t live without our SUV. We drop the kids off at school and extracurricular activities and drive to work
I carpool to work and take public transit on weekends but rely on my car to grocery shop and take my boys to hockey practice. If I could afford it, I would buy a hybrid vehicle
I try to walk and bike as much as possible. My family looks forward to weekend bike trips and hiking

14. Do you decorate your house for the winter holidays?
Our home is well-lit on the inside and out. The kids want Santa to be able to see our house from the North Pole
Over the years, we’ve dramatically reduced the number of lights we hang outside and on the tree after we the tallied the cost-savings
We try to keep battery-operated or electrically-powered decorations to a minimum. We string LED lights only around the Christmas tree

Originally published in Todaysparent.com, April 2009