You have watched the proliferation of “green” products hit the market in the past few years. However what does green mean? And who is making sure they really are green? To start with so many products really are greener than they ever were before but most of them are guilty of “greenwashing” which means they are fudging the truth to make them sound more environmentally friendly.

In order to not be led astray by false claims, you can look for certain logos on the products:

– Third party organizations that certify green: Ecologo, Green Seal, Fair Trade Certified, GREENGUARD, Rainforest Alliance

– we have a Montreal company, Ethiquette which checks out sustainable companies and covers over 1,000 products. You can see what they recommend at www.ethiquette.ca

– the city of Montreal has published a guide to reducing, reusing and recycling. It includes how to compost at home. Copies are available at Acces Montreal offices, libraries, and Eco-quartiers. There is an online version and you can look at it on the Gazette’s Green Life blog: montrealgazette.com/greenlife

Q1: These days, some salons charge as much as $50 for a haircut, but you have a way to get your hair snipped for a  lot less.

Yes, you can go over to a hairdressing  school and get a cut for as low as $5, $7, $ 8 or a cut and shampoo for as  low as $7.

Q2:  Isn’t getting your hair cut at a hairdressing school a bit risky?

You have to remember that these students have been learning how to do this through the semester. The administrators do not just go out onto the street and yell, “Hey does anyone want to cut hair today?”. The people who study there want to get a good mark and graduate. They go slowly as they as are less sure, and cut little by little so they don’t make errors.

Q3:  Besides haircuts what else can you get done at these schools?

Prices vary from school to school, here’s an idea of services:

Coloring: $12, $17, $21
Streaks:  $20, $30
Perms $15,30
Manicures $5, $7
Pedicures $5, $13
Waxing $5
Electrolysis $6
And don’t forget that men can go to these places, too.

Q4:  What negatives might there be to getting your hair done here?

It takes a bit longer as they aren’t as quick and they have to wait for teacher approval. There may be conversations between them while you wait. The hours may only be during the week. Biggest drawback is that you can’t keep the same hairdresser for years.

Q5:  Where do you find these schools?

Ecole des Metiers des Faubourg:  2185 Ontario est, Phone:  514-596-4600 x 5718
Ecole de Beaute Inter-Dec:  2120 Ste-Catherine ouest Phone: 514-939-4444  x 4201
International School of Hairdressing: 4755 Van Horne, Suite 104 & 107 Phone: 514-737-5200
Laurie McDonald Career Center: 5025 Jean-Talon est Phone:  514-374-0245 or 514-374-4735
Gordon Robertson Career Center: 240 ch. Beaurepaire, Beaconsfield  Phone:  514-426-3949

Whoopi Goldberg wore her John Fluevog shoes for her first day on “The View”. Madonna wore his hot pink platforms in her movie “Truth or Dare”. The porters in posh Opus hotels in Montreal and Vancouver sport his wild two-tone red and black oxfords. Other followers are Woody Harrelson, Robin Williams and Scarlett Johansson – and he’s ours – a Canadian Vancouver-based shoe designer.

For 40 years,  his styles have been both iconic and quirky, yet are known for their comfort and wearability.  His big start came in 1981 in Seattle. After importing Doc Martens, he developed an environmentally sound sole for his own shoe designs, one of which -the Angel – is still around.

With only four stores in Canada and six in the US (plus other independent retail outlets), his one-of-a-kind appeal is to be able to create for both the counterculture and the mainstream markets and be able to stay relevant all these years in a very competitive business arena.

Location: 3857 St-Denis
corner: Mont-Royal
Tel: 514-509-1627
www.fluevog.com

One of the favorite places in town to scoop up deals on name brand jeans is the aptly named Jeans, Jeans, Jeans  (look on this site, under Clothing, Jeans for all the brands) has moved – but not too far away. They were on de Gaspe where St-Viateur est ended but are now one block west on Casgrain.  Some day, the city says they are putting St-Viateur through and Jeans Jeans Jeans was right in that path.

What you’ll find when you get there is jeans, jeans and more jeans. In this outlet they just love to help you find a pair that fits and that you like. In sizes up to 58, they have all the premium denims in brand names you’ve come to know along with tops, jackets and even some for kids. If you need them, there are $10 and $25 racks. As a special service, they will hem or alter them on the spot for free. Parking is also free in the #5455 underground lot.

New Location: 5575 Casgrain
corner: St-Viateur
Phone: 514-279-3303
Hours: Mon-Wed 9:30-5, Thurs 9:30-9, Fri 9:30-6, Sat 9-4

Q 1:  We’re stuck in a lot in January so it’s a good time to spend time cleaning out and organizing our closets, garages, basements. A lot of people avoid these activities but it does have to get done eventually and you say you have some help for us.

People (usually women) who have a knack for this kind of work are available and they do have special niches. You may be moving,  or just need to get the kids’ rooms organized to make them easier to take care of. Garages and basements can have special storage to avoid piling your  junk.

Q 2:  If you are thinking of moving this year (maybe divorce or downsizing) or you might have to help clean out your parent’s home, tell us about how these women can help.

Here’s a two for one deal Susan Hertzberg. Is a real estate agent who will sell your house for you At no extra charge, she will help you co-ordinate the downsizing of  your belongings that you no longer need or want. Her service is especially good for absentee relatives or children have to liquidate their parents’ estates, do not live here or are too busy.

Phone:  514- 481-8986

Q 3 : Okay, some of us aren’t going anywhere, but we are overcome with clutter or we can’t part with cherished items, how can we get help?

Organized Success is one professional organizing company who can set up your home or office to save you time (or money). For mounds of papers, new color-coded files are created and your old stuff is seamlessly weeded into the new ones. For other rooms, they can weed out what to keep, throw away or sell (and help get it sold and moved).

For those of you with piles of photos, they can get them organized by year, occasion or albums. Your computers or finances can even get sorted out. Financially they can promise you to save you money (phones, banking, mortgage, food, car) or they don’t charge for the visit.

It takes about 30 days to form new habits and they do follow-ups to keep you on track.

Phone: 514-733-1533
e-mail: susan@organizedsuccess.com
www.organizedsuccess.com

Q4:  So who else is out there to whisk away our messes?

Janice Greenberg – As much as you hate putting things away, loves teaching you how to do it easily.  She can help the elderly discard a lifetime of things efficiently but with sensitivity to their needs. She loves organizing wardrobe, closets, kids’ rooms are  specialties and offers help for unearthing paper mounds in  home office or personal shopping for clothing.

She goes through belongings determine what are cherished or not and helps you make decisions about what should be given to charity, what should be sold and what possibly donate in return for a tax receipt.

One especially nice touche are the “memory boxes” she creates. Greenberg can put them together by gathering special photos of kids or trips. When downsizing to a condo or retirement home, she can help choose what take with them or what might sent storage ( many not ready to give away their things – to the children or anyone else). If a spouse has died, she can also help with the painful chore of what to sell or give away.

Phone: (514) 935-2394.

Q 5: Sometimes people have clutter is beyond the average, and are hoarders, is there anyone out there to help them?

Kathleen Murphy  trained prof organizer National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, specializes in hoarding situations and the hiring of a cleaning crew. For elderly making a move, she can start with getting your paperwork in order (notary, will, finances), staging your home sale, making arrangements for shipping of their furnishings to far flung relatives and even finding painters and carpet layers for the new place. A 3-step plan is laid out for the sorting and distribution of  your clothing, appliances, cars and the move.

Phone:  (514) 402-0709
www.organizingoptions.com

Bummis has been the go to place for Montreal Moms who wanted to learn how to use cotton diapers and their made-in-Montreal diaper covers. Bummis has moved this month to a nice new home – with more walk in traffic possible.

In their store they have always cheerfully given demonstrations of how to diaper and care for diapers. Starter kits, beginning at $175, are really popular, and would include 2 doz. organic cotton prefold diapers, 6 covers, Biosoft liners, fleece liners, Dimpleskins Naturals Bum Bum Balm and a wet bag. They manufacture diaper covers and swim diapers (and have 2nds too).

You can expect to find products made of recycled plastic, locally made skincare products and an array of baby carriers from the Ergo Baby to Sakura bloom, as well as the Arms Reach co-sleeper bed and Bummis breastfeeding pillows, Bravado bras and pads, Lilla P origami tops and Medela breastfeeding products.

New location: 4302 boul. St-Laurent
Hours: Mon-Wed 10-6, Thurs & Fri 10-8, Sat 10-5, Sun 12-5
www.boutiquebummis.com

Q 1: What is home exchange?

It’s when 2 families from different parts of the country or different corners of the world schedule their vacations same time  and decide to swap living quarters. This could be a house, apt, or condo and could be for as short as a weekend or as long as a few months.

You could afford your dream vacation this way and attend big events like Wimbledon, the Rose Bowl or a Grand Prix. The whole family could go, you may not have been  able to afford trip if you had to stay in a hotel.

Q 2: What is included in the swap?

It can include cars, maybe even boats, live-in maids who do cooking and cleaning, private pools or beaches. Someone in a small town might be worried that their place is in a less desirable home or location, but homes do not have to be equal – it’s the  experience living in faraway neighborhood that counts.

Q 3:  Shouldn’t I worry about the expensive things I have in my house?

All first timers fear loss china, silver, jewelry, electronic equipment or other expensive items but theft home swappers is unheard of.  When I spoke to the owner of HomeLink, he said that if you are worried, then you can put these items away at a friend’s house.

uncomfortable strangers sleeping in their bed. hotel or motel, you sleep in a bed recently slept in by many different strangers.

Q 4: How do I find out about people who want to do this?

The two oldest organizations that do this have been around since 1953:

www.homelink.ca or www.intervac.ca, used to put out catalogues a couple of times a year but nowadays you find the info online. The listing will have dates, locations, kind of home, nearness to cities and sites. Databases all over world Cost is about $129 to join to look through 13,000-30,000 possibilities.

Q 5: What do you have to do to get your house ready to do this?

You would have to leave some room in a cupboard, drawers, freezer, fridge and medicine cabinet. It is best to leave a “Home Info” kit: how to work the vacuum cleaner, repairmen, how to use all appliances, local doctors, where are the water shut offs, police #, fire #, how to find community activities, contact info for neighbours and relatives.

Don’t be surprised find wine, flowers casserole when you arrive. The key is trust and a renewal in the faith of mankind.

Other details to remember to discuss: telephone, utilities,  liability insurance,  are other overnight guests allowed, pets, house cleaning, cooking utensils, linens and use of sporting equipment.

Homelink International
1707 Platt Crescent, N. Vancouver, BC  V7J 1X9.
Phone: (604) 987-3262
www.homelink.ca

Intervac Canada
606 Alexander Cr. NW, Calgary, AB
Phone: (403) 210-262
www.intervac.ca

Jan 5th Returning Holiday gifts

Q1 – Can I just expect to be able to just return a gift?

A purchase is like a contract you have made with a store. If they choose to change the terms, it is solely up to each business and not a consumer law. Don’t assume when you buy something you can just return it.

Q2- So they don’t have to take it back?

They can choose to offer an exchange policy, a store refund, a one week or one month return allowance or none at all, a final sale

Q3 – How can the customer know this? Are there any rules that a store must follow for returns policies?

– Posting near the cash register or stamp on receipt itself
– Ask at the store what the policy is. Often after Christmas, there’s more leniency and some stores even have a stamp they can allow you to return months later if you are an early shopper.

Q4 – What if it’s broken?
A defective product has to be returned to the manufacturer and it depends on the retailer’s policy and it is up to you to find out if you or they have to do this.

Q5 – Any other important suggestions?
Don’t be rude or super aggressive and make sure you are talking to the person that has the authority to remedy the situation