Tip of the Month
Remember your Cloth Bag
August 18, 2008Many Calgarians have cloth bags and want to do the right thing by bringing them to the grocery store, retail stores and the mall but many of us forget. Here are a few tips to help you remember your bag;
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Store your cloth bag where you keep your keys, purse or coat;
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Hook your cloth bag by the door;
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Have a small, foldable bag in your backpack, purse or coat;
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Stash your grocery list in your cloth bag;
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Fine yourself when you forget and;
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Store your cloth bag in your trunk.
Take your bike
July 15, 2008- Many people are nervous about taking their bikes to the grocery store or to the movies. Try taking your bike somewhere you normally wouldn't this month and see how you like it.
- Though the amount of cars in the world has grown substantially in the past twenty years, the number of bikes has risen more quickly!
- Biking can get you where you’re going faster; especially if it is less than three kilometers
- If you have a car 1995 or older, trade it in to Car Heaven for a $300 bike credit. Check out www.carheaven.ca for details
Avoid drinking bottled water
June 16, 2008- Bottled water costs more per lire than gas for our cars.
- Bottled water often travels hundreds of kilometers to be sold while tap water travels from the rivers to our taps in Calgary.
- Every year, millions of water bottles end up in landfills in Canada.
- Calgary’s drinking water is very high quality and comparable to or even better than bottled water.
Save water and money with your toilet
May 15, 2008- Toilets are the single biggest water user in our homes and account for 34% of our water use.
- 1 in 4 toilets leak so test and fix yours regularly.
- To save water each flush, place a plastic bag full of water in your toilet tank.
- To modify your toilet, install a two-flush handle to give a big-flush, little-flush option (Available at the EcoStore).
- Upgrade to a new two-flush toilet and get a $50 rebate on your water bill.
Green Spring Clean
April 19, 2008The main sources of human exposure to toxic chemicals are the areas we once thought were safest: our own homes, offices and cars (Scientific American, Feb. 1998). Try to eliminate chemical based products in you home.
Many companies offer green cleaning options which are usually non-toxic, bio-degradable and phosphate free
You need just a few simple things to make you own cleaning products; vinegar, borax, baking soda and castile soap.
Choose to Walk
March 18, 2008Transportation is Canada’s largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Calgary has the highest transportation-generated carbon dioxide emissions of any city in Canada.
Every year an estimated three million people die and an even greater number suffer serious health effects from air pollution, primarily respiratory diseases, asthma and cardiovascular disease.
This mortality figure represents about 5% of the total 55 million deaths that occur annually in the world.
Reduce water use in your bathroom
February 19, 2008Repair toilet leaks.
To test your toilet, put a few drops of food coloring in the toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl you have a leak.
Fix leaky faucets. A tap that drips one drop per second wastes about 10,000 litres per year.
Install water saving aerators on your water faucets and low flow shower heads in the shower.
Avoid running the tap while brushing your teeth, shaving, washing up and cleaning.
Save money and energy with your fridge
January 03, 2008Place a jug/container of water outside and let it freeze. Once frozen, put it in your fridge and let the ice, not your motor, do the cooling.
Set your refrigerator temperature between 1.7 and 3.3°C (35-38°F) and the freezer compartment at -18°C (0°F) for maximum efficiency and food safety.
Refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat, so allow enough space for continuous airflow around your refrigerator. If heat can not escape, the refrigerator's cooling system has to work harder and use more energy.
If you chose to have Christmas lights, make them LED
December 13, 2007
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In Alberta, the majority of our greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity generation. Any steps taken to reduce electricity use are beneficial especially during the 5pm-10pm peak hours.
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LED lights use only 0.04 watts per bulb; 1/10th the energy of mini-lights and 1/100th the energy of C-7 bulbs.
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LEDs last up to 10 times longer than incandescent lights.
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If you can’t make the switch to LEDs this year, seek exchange programs next year (i.e. Home Depot Holiday Light Exchange).
Purchase green gifts for Christmas
November 14, 2007The season of giving is upon us and though reducing the amount of gifts purchased during the season will have a great impact, so will buying green gifts.
Green gifts are generally more environmentally friendly than their traditional Christmas counterparts. Green gift can be either material items or services.
Some ideas for green gifts include:
products made from recycled materials
gift certificates or tickets to concerts, theater productions or sporting events
an annual pass to our National Parks
a carshare membership or bus passes
green energy credits for you home, computer or laptop
composters or rain barrels
seeds for flowers and trees
clothing made from organic cotton