April is Earth Month. At first glance, it seems almost insignificant to celebrate Earth Month when the world as we know it seems to be on a path to self-destruction.
I just received my new annual monthly budget plan for home heating oil – and it has increased by almost 65% over the year ending March, 2026. This is not because we kept our home at a tropical temperature; it is not because our usage substantially exceeded the previous annual budget. In fact, our oil usage was below budget. This is 100% on Trump and his reckless “excursion” (yes, his words) – his illegal war that has closed the Strait of Hormuz, creating a bottleneck to the delivery of approximately 20% of the world’s oil supplies.
The bombing of oil and military sites has also caused substantial and long-term environmental impacts including the release of toxic pollutants, heavy metals and carcinogenic materials into the air, water and soil.
And how does the incompetent Trump administration deal with this? By quashing the Endangered Species Act regulations in the Gulf of Mexico (its rightful name) and allowing for oil and gas drilling in this area which could doom the very existence of the critically endangered Rice whale.
Leaving the political landscape aside, how do we as individual human beings inhabiting this precious planet fight back?
Firstly, we need to take some serious steps towards eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels. We need to move away from gasoline powered vehicles, homes heated by oil and natural gas. Wind and solar power cannot be constrained through the military machinations of one or two narcissistic leaders. I recognise that this is not an immediate solution – this is something that requires a great deal of investment in infrastructure. But it is certainly something that we need to embrace in the long term.
So – let’s look at what we can do immediately.
Let’s move away from our reliance on plastic, another petroleum product. Yes, it is oftentimes a quick and easy solution to an immediate need, but it is not healthy for us or for the environment. Do you bake bread? Don’t store it in an old plastic bread bag. Use a cloth bag or a beeswax wrap. The bread can “breathe” and won’t get all stale and dried out or mouldy. Have leftovers? Don’t store them in plastic containers. Chemicals like phalates, BPA and PFAS can leach into food, especially when heated or if the container is old or has been washed with harsh detergents. These chemicals are a known cause of infertility, diabetes, cancer and neurodevelopmental issues. Instead, reuse glass containers – perhaps from a tasty spaghetti sauce or jam you purchased (or made) – or stainless steel containers. Cleaning agents like laundry soap, fabric softener, dish detergent, shampoo that come in large plastic containers can contain up to 90% water! These purchases impact our environment in two ways: the increased shipping costs and the plastic containers. Instead, look to products that are concentrates – perhaps you reconstitute a concentrated cleaner by adding water at home and mixing it in a glass or stainless steel container. There are laundry strips or powdered laundry detergents, and shampoo bars that do not rely on plastic packaging.
Then, of course, there is our clothing. We are a civilisation that loves the ease of polyester clothing. What is polyester? A petroleum by-product. Yupper – when you wear polyester, you are wrapping yourself up in crude oil. Same with “vegan leather” – which is most often a fancy name for plastic. Choose natural fibres like wool, cotton, linen, hemp. These fibres are breathable and compostable. Did you know that, when you wash your polyester garments, up to 700,000 microplastic fibres are released into our waterways from a single laundry load. Synthetic clothing is responsible for approximately 35% of the microplastics in our oceans. And what do manufacturers of polyester clothes recommend? Washing these items less often. That’s great. Polyester clothing doesn’t breathe, providing a lovely environment for bacteria to grow. That delightful aroma of dirty socks? From sweaty feet in nylon socks – not an issue with wool socks! Another recommendation from the polyester manufacturers is to use liquid detergent rather than powdered detergent. I’d only agree with this if you were using a liquid detergent that you reconstituted yourself, rather than those big plastic jugs.
One final option is to shop and support local. I realize that the Trump administration is saying that the grassroots “buy Canadian” movement is a “trade irritant”, but what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. By shopping locally, we aren’t shipping goods great distances. Eat seasonally. If possible, have a small garden plot, participate in a community garden, or even balcony garden for fresh veggies that can be frozen to help see you through the lean winter months. Don’t use chemical fertilizers in your garden. Look into using wool pellets, which can be used as a fertilizer or a mulch. They reduce your need to water by an average of 25%. If you mix some pellets into potting soil, you can create a seed starter mix. Small businesses across Canada are setting up wool pellet mills, like Knit Pickers PEI has already done. You can now find pellet makers in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and of course PEI, with more in the works. Our pellets will once again be available in our studio and through Veseys Seeds – in their store, and through their website or catalogue.
Each step we take, no matter how small, will create a better and healthier world for generations to come. Each step will make us less reliant on and less hostage to the powerful oil industry. So, yes – let’s celebrate Earth Month knowing that, collectively, we can and we do make a difference.
I just received my new annual monthly budget plan for home heating oil – and it has increased by almost 65% over the year ending March, 2026. This is not because we kept our home at a tropical temperature; it is not because our usage substantially exceeded the previous annual budget. In fact, our oil usage was below budget. This is 100% on Trump and his reckless “excursion” (yes, his words) – his illegal war that has closed the Strait of Hormuz, creating a bottleneck to the delivery of approximately 20% of the world’s oil supplies.
The bombing of oil and military sites has also caused substantial and long-term environmental impacts including the release of toxic pollutants, heavy metals and carcinogenic materials into the air, water and soil.
And how does the incompetent Trump administration deal with this? By quashing the Endangered Species Act regulations in the Gulf of Mexico (its rightful name) and allowing for oil and gas drilling in this area which could doom the very existence of the critically endangered Rice whale.
Leaving the political landscape aside, how do we as individual human beings inhabiting this precious planet fight back?
Firstly, we need to take some serious steps towards eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels. We need to move away from gasoline powered vehicles, homes heated by oil and natural gas. Wind and solar power cannot be constrained through the military machinations of one or two narcissistic leaders. I recognise that this is not an immediate solution – this is something that requires a great deal of investment in infrastructure. But it is certainly something that we need to embrace in the long term.
So – let’s look at what we can do immediately.
Let’s move away from our reliance on plastic, another petroleum product. Yes, it is oftentimes a quick and easy solution to an immediate need, but it is not healthy for us or for the environment. Do you bake bread? Don’t store it in an old plastic bread bag. Use a cloth bag or a beeswax wrap. The bread can “breathe” and won’t get all stale and dried out or mouldy. Have leftovers? Don’t store them in plastic containers. Chemicals like phalates, BPA and PFAS can leach into food, especially when heated or if the container is old or has been washed with harsh detergents. These chemicals are a known cause of infertility, diabetes, cancer and neurodevelopmental issues. Instead, reuse glass containers – perhaps from a tasty spaghetti sauce or jam you purchased (or made) – or stainless steel containers. Cleaning agents like laundry soap, fabric softener, dish detergent, shampoo that come in large plastic containers can contain up to 90% water! These purchases impact our environment in two ways: the increased shipping costs and the plastic containers. Instead, look to products that are concentrates – perhaps you reconstitute a concentrated cleaner by adding water at home and mixing it in a glass or stainless steel container. There are laundry strips or powdered laundry detergents, and shampoo bars that do not rely on plastic packaging.
Then, of course, there is our clothing. We are a civilisation that loves the ease of polyester clothing. What is polyester? A petroleum by-product. Yupper – when you wear polyester, you are wrapping yourself up in crude oil. Same with “vegan leather” – which is most often a fancy name for plastic. Choose natural fibres like wool, cotton, linen, hemp. These fibres are breathable and compostable. Did you know that, when you wash your polyester garments, up to 700,000 microplastic fibres are released into our waterways from a single laundry load. Synthetic clothing is responsible for approximately 35% of the microplastics in our oceans. And what do manufacturers of polyester clothes recommend? Washing these items less often. That’s great. Polyester clothing doesn’t breathe, providing a lovely environment for bacteria to grow. That delightful aroma of dirty socks? From sweaty feet in nylon socks – not an issue with wool socks! Another recommendation from the polyester manufacturers is to use liquid detergent rather than powdered detergent. I’d only agree with this if you were using a liquid detergent that you reconstituted yourself, rather than those big plastic jugs.
One final option is to shop and support local. I realize that the Trump administration is saying that the grassroots “buy Canadian” movement is a “trade irritant”, but what’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. By shopping locally, we aren’t shipping goods great distances. Eat seasonally. If possible, have a small garden plot, participate in a community garden, or even balcony garden for fresh veggies that can be frozen to help see you through the lean winter months. Don’t use chemical fertilizers in your garden. Look into using wool pellets, which can be used as a fertilizer or a mulch. They reduce your need to water by an average of 25%. If you mix some pellets into potting soil, you can create a seed starter mix. Small businesses across Canada are setting up wool pellet mills, like Knit Pickers PEI has already done. You can now find pellet makers in BC, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and of course PEI, with more in the works. Our pellets will once again be available in our studio and through Veseys Seeds – in their store, and through their website or catalogue.
Each step we take, no matter how small, will create a better and healthier world for generations to come. Each step will make us less reliant on and less hostage to the powerful oil industry. So, yes – let’s celebrate Earth Month knowing that, collectively, we can and we do make a difference.
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