Dr. David Suzuki speaks at the ROM

On October 16, 2009, I had the very great privilege to listen to Dr. David Suzuki lecture at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. His message was very compelling.

I have been writing and speaking to urge people to make a difference in choosing 'green' interior design. I believe that our small actions do make a difference and we should continue look for more opportunities to make our actions count. David told me to "do what you can do" when I briefly met him as he signed my copy of his autobiography.

Dr. Suzuki's message was that individual actions only buy us some limited time. We need to tackle these issues on a global scale and we need to act now! He urged the audience to demand that our political leaders take action on the crucial climate change summit in Copenhagen this December. Only our leaders can create the climate so that both "economy" and "ecology" can thrive!

Take a moment of your time to send a message that is already spelled out in this link from the David Suzuki Foundation website. All you need to do is click in the blue box, add your name and press 'send'.

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/Projects/Climate_Summit/default.asp

This is a simple way we can impact the 'big picture'. Thank you!
Dayle

Glossary of Green Interior Design Terms

This alphabetical listing of sustainable interior design definitions contains most of the important terms you will want to access for your resource library.  Look up the major seals and logos you see on products to find out if they are independent third party certified, if they are an industry association or if they are simply a logo made up for 'greenwashing' claims.

Dayle has spent over one hundred hours compiling this list for your simple pdf download, which you will find in the resources section of this website:

http://www.daylelaing.com/environmental-green-resources.html

Glossary of Green Rug & Carpeting Terms

This alphabetical listing of sustainable rug & carpeting definitions is invaluable for those wanting to know the difference between 'silk' and 'art silk', and between 'closed loop recycling' and 'downcycling'.

Dayle compiled this list from years of college teaching interior design material finishes, and her countless hours of researching the literature and websites.  This is available to you from the resource section of this website. Glossary_of_Green_Rug_&_Carpeting_Terms - Click for link to the downloadable pdf.

For more information on rugs, you can order Dayle's educational dvd: 
Rugs_101_-_Using_Beautiful_Rugs_for_Sustainable_Design Click for details and a preview.

Glossary of Green Textile Terms

This alphabetical listing of sustainable fabric definitions is a must for anyone wanting to look up the difference between a third-party certified green fabric and one that has been merely 'washed green', ie. 'greenwashed'.

Dayle compiled this list from her 19 years experience teaching textiles at college, and her hours of research into various textile websites. This is available to you in a downloadable pdf from the resource section of this website.

http://www.daylelaing.com/environmental-green-resources.html

Flame Retardant Finishes are ending up in Killer Whales and Us

“What do killer whales and Canadian women have in common? Scientific evidence reveals that the bodies of killer whales and Canadian women share the dubious distinction of being among the world’s leaders as receptacles for a group of toxic industrial chemicals known as brominated flame-retardants.”  ₁

Interior designers and decorators know we need to use flame retardant fabrics in commercial (contract) interior projects, even though the standards vary slightly in different locations. They are a good idea for residential projects if clients smoke in the home.

One of the highlights of my recent sailing trip was a stop in Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island, Canada, where I met Jaime, an Australian marine biologist in the Whale Interpretive Centre www.killerwhalecentre.org . Amidst amazingly huge skeletons of whales, she explained the declining Killer (Orca) whale population and their susceptibility to environmental toxins such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Females can live to 60-80 years since they are thought to transfer toxins out of their bodies to their offspring when they nurse. Male Orcas live on average 40–60 years because they have no way of eliminating the toxins. The decline in the male and therefore overall population is of particular concern.

(To see more whale photos and read the rest of the story, click on 'read more'.)

Kitchen Countertop of beauty, sustainability and practicality

Dayle's 26 year old Kitchen

Time to select a ‘green’ kitchen countertop, after 26 years my builder-supplied kitchen countertop was worn out, to say nothing of being very dated. I have designed many kitchens over the years and this was the first time I had the thrill of tackling my own! This was “finally -- about time” according to several of my more candid designer friends!

The surface of the plastic laminate counter was in remarkably good shape for a family that likes to cook, but the particle board underneath was disintegrating around the faucet and under the front edge. So, what would be the ‘coolest shade of green’ for my family’s requirements?

There are many considerations when going ‘green’. Lifestyle and practicality have to feature prominently because if the client is unhappy with the results, rapid replacement is even worse than not considering ‘green’ to start with! I really like the easy care and zero maintenance of the engineered quartz products and started to research which one to choose. I prefer the appearance of granite but rejected it on the basis of 40 – 50% waste of the stone from quarry to finished slab and the quantity of water needed to cut the slabs, and what happens to that water afterward. The worry about stains from red wine and the annual resealing also influenced my decision. What other factors should I consider?

Green Upholstery Fabrics - Beautiful & Sustainable

A Green Upholstery Fabrics seminar was presented by Dayle Laing to a packed audience of interior decorators and interior designers in the showroom of Brentwood Classics of Vaughan, Ontario on April 29, 2009.

Dayle delivered the straight answers about how to select the best choices for beautiful and sustainable upholstery fabrics, while focusing on Brentwood’s in-house collection. She answered why ‘green foam' is an advantage and whether you should you select natural or synthetic fibres to make upholstery choices sustainable.

The audience responded with excellent and thought-provoking questions resulting in a rousing dialogue. Dayle thanks Brentwood for inviting her to speak in their beautiful showroom.

Lynne Wainberg, Guy Sisto, Diana Sisto with Dayle

Dayle delivered the seminar with enthusiasm, passion and charm!  Dayle made sure that all of my objectives were met in her presentation. Nothing but positive feedback from our clients was sent our way and we acquired new customers as a direct result of the seminar. Thanks again to Dayle for her advocacy on green products; her on-going research is a true benefit to our industry!”

Diana Sisto, Marketing Manager, Brentwood Classics  

Here is what seminar attendees had to say about the event: