It's Easy Being Green...
Future Generations Will Thank You For It
Check out the free publication "greening your home" and here's 20 ways to green your home today:
Buy a Built Green™ Home or Renovate the Green Way
Home buyers who purchase a Built Green™ Alberta home benefit in many ways including: the assurance that their home is energy efficient; reduced energy costs on an on-going basis; improved indoor air quality and knowing that their home has a reduced impact on the environment. Homes receiving certification receive a Built Green™ Seal and an EnerGuide for Houses Label that can stay with the home and add to the resale value. Check out more on the Built Green™ Program in Central Alberta. If a new home is a little out of your price range then you can still renovate your current home to be as green as possible!
Apply for NRCan's "ecoENERGY Retrofit" Grant
With ever-increasing utility rates, check out Natural Resource Canada's (NRCan) rebate program to improve the energy-efficiency of your home. Additional rebates and incentives can be viewed here.
Recycle & "Freecycle" just about anything!
It costs less money and uses far fewer resources to recycle than it does to make products from virgin materials. Learn about and use the City of Red Deer's curbside Blue Box Program to recycle glass, cardboard, paper and #2 (HDPE) plastics. Ever wonder what those triangle recycling symbols mean?? You can save your food scraps for garden composting and take your empty juice, water, alcohol and pop containers in for money at your local bottle depot! You can also recycle old tires and electronics, used motor oil, and even take in old building materials from your home renovations to the local Habitat for Humanity Re-Store. For bits and pieces or unusable construction materials try Why Waste It? If you have something that just can't be recycled (unlikely!) try and pass it along through your local Freecycle Communtiy!
Switch to Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) can be a huge energy saver. Replace all of your incandescent
bulbs with fluorescents and enjoy reductions in heat production, energy use, and electric bills!
Savings: Changing five of the most frequently used lightbulbs in your home can save you $100 per year on electric bills!
Program Your Thermostat
When you are at home, keep the thermostat at 26°C or higher in the summer and 17°C or lower in the winter. Programmable thermostats allow you to program the systems to reduce output when they are not needed (e.g., when no one is home during the day, or in the evening when everyone is sleeping).
Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!
Plug Air Leaks
This simple step can go a long way toward keeping your home at the temperature you desire, saving money on heating and air conditioning bills and more. Common leaks occur around windows, doors, and other wall penetrations. Plugging those leaks with weather stripping and caulk can be a simple task for anyone!
Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!
Tune Up Your Heating and Cooling (HVAC) System
Have a checkup for your HVAC system every 2 years to make sure it is running efficiently. Be sure
to clean the filter monthly during times of peak usage; a dirty filter can significantly reduce efficiency.
Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $100 per year or more!
Buy Local
Buying local reduces consumption of valuable natural resources. Buying local produce reduces the amount of fossil fuels required for the transportation of products from other parts of the country or the world. It also reduces the amount of plastic and paper products consumed in the packaging of such far-traveling products. Support local economies and buy more from smaller retail stores that reflect the true cost of the goods we consume.
Choose ENERGY STAR® Appliances
ENERGY STAR® qualified products meet a high level of energy efficiency, which can translate into savings on electric bills. When considering the price of a new appliance, take into account not only the purchase price, but also the long-term savings associated with an energy-efficient appliance.
Savings: Reduce your energy bill by $50 per appliance per year or more!
Reduce Water Use
• Indoor: Use less water by adding aerators (available for a few dollars at your local home supply store) to your sink faucets and changing to low-flow showerheads.
• Outdoor: Incorporate native plants in your landscape plan and minimize high-maintenance landscaping such as turf grass to conserve water, while still maintaining a beautiful lawn.
Savings: Reduce your water bill by as much as $100 per year!
Switch to Green Power
Green Power is an optional utility service for customers who want to help expand the production and distribution of renewable energy technologies. With green power, you do not have to change your electricity provider. Instead, customers choose to pay a premium on their electricity bill to cover the extra cost of purchasing clean, sustainable energy.
More info on green power: ENMAX's Greenmax Program
Use Low-VOC Products
Improve your indoor air quality by switching to products that don’t give off “volatile organic compounds” (VOCs). Some common low-VOC or no-VOC products include:
• Paint: A low-VOC paint is available from most major paint brands
• Cleaning products: Low-VOC cleaning alternatives are available for sale, or you can make your own VOC-free cleaning products using simple household materials like baking soda, vinegar and borax.
Check out Seventh Generation for some great environmentally-friendly products (available at Save-On Foods).
Use Wood Alternatives or FSC-certified Wood Products
The type of flooring and cabinetry materials you use can have a positive effect on your health and pocketbook while reducing your environmental impacts.
• Consider using environmentally preferable and rapidly renewable products such as linoleum, bamboo, recycled-content tile or non-VOC carpet.
• Choose wood products from sustainably managed forests, such as those certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).
• Use locally sourced products when possible to reduce carbon emissions associated with the transportation of those products.
Use Rapidly Renewable Flooring Materials
Now there are affordable, durable, and rich-looking flooring options made from grasses and trees that mature in roughly half of the time (or less!) than it takes hardwoods to reach market size. Bamboo, cork, and eucalyptus flooring products are a sustainable alternative to traditional hardwoods.
Plant Trees to Provide Shade and Wind Protection for Your House
This simple step can help you save money on heating and air conditioning bills while providing beautiful
views around your home.
Use Native Plantings
Native plants have been growing and evolving in your area for thousands of years and, as a result, have adapted to the local soils and climate. They are more likely to thrive with minimal care, unlike exotic plants. That can mean less need for water, fertilizer and pesticides.
Here's additional info on green landscaping techniques.
Use Nontoxic Gardening Techniques
Many gardeners over-apply or improperly apply pesticides, putting themselves, their families, and pets at increased health risk. Nearly half of all households have pesticides stored within reach of children. About 230,000 people each year are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries relating to various lawn and garden tools. Our clean air and drinking water are affected by pesticides and garden equipment emissions.
Grow Your Own Food Year-round
Enjoy fresh, locally produced high quality food all year round, anywhere you are, without having to leave your residence! The Omega Garden™ is a revolutionary rotary hydroponic system designed with convenience, simplicity, and maximum yield in mind.
Carpool, Use Public Transportation, Walk or Bike When Possible
Environmental responsibility does not begin and end at your doorstep; green transportation means can greatly reduce your energy expenditures and carbon emissions from your daily routine.
Buy a High-efficiency Car
See Transport Canada's ecoTRANSPORT list of the most fuel efficient cars eligible for the ecoAUTO Program and save up to $2000 on the purchase of your next vehicle. Save even more money, natural resources and peace of mind by carpooling or offsetting your driving days by using Red Deer's increasingly important public transit system!
