Did you know that with a more efficient washing machine you could save 7,000 gallons of water over

the course of one year? Over eleven years, this would be enough water to fill up three backyard swimming pools, or

provide a lifetime of drinking water for six people!

Do your part to reduce energy and water consumption in your laundry room by investing in more efficient appliances

and practices, and follow the valuable tips below:

5 Energy- and Money-Saving Tips for Washing Machines

The best energy performers are ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, which use 35 to 50 percent less water and 20

to 50 percent less energy per load than other washers. These clothes washers need to have advanced design features

which provide cleaning performance using less water and energy.

Besides buying ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers, there are other things you can do to reduce your load (pun

intended!):

1. Read your appliance?s owner’s manual; it’s full of hints to help you operate your clothes washer at

   optimum efficiency.

2. Go cold! Clothes that are rinsed in cold water come out just as clean as those rinsed in warm, and

   you’ll save money on your water-heating bill.

3. Wait for a full load or use the small-load setting. Clothes washers are most energy efficient when

   they’re fully loaded but make sure you don?t overload your machine.

4. If possible, adjust the water level setting to match the load size.
5. If you’re in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer which uses

   about 40 percent less water per load and 50 percent less energy than top-loading washers. They also use less

   detergent.

5 Energy- and Money-Saving Tips for Clothes Dryers

As with your clothes washer, it?s highly recommended that you choose an ENERGY STAR qualified dryer ? partly

because many dryers now come with sensors that automatically shut off the dryer when your clothes are dry. This

will save you energy and wear and tear on your clothes.

Here are five other tips you can take to the bank:

• The wetter the clothes, the more energy your dryer uses to dry them. Wring your clothes out or spin

  them in the clothes washer first.

• Avoid drying partial loads.
• If possible, sort your clothes by thickness. Dry the thin, quick-drying items in one load and thicker

  items ? such as towels ? in another.

• Try to start your second load of drying as soon as the first is finished. That way the dryer will still

  be warm ? and you’ll save energy.

• To save money and reduce clothes shrinkage, use your dryer’s “cool down” cycle. No heat is supplied in

  the last few minutes, but drying continues as cool air is blown through tumbling clothes.

Being as efficient as possible in your laundry room will help the environment by lowering your energy and water

consumption, which produces less air pollution from power plants and less water going to waste. And it?ll help your

pocketbook to boot!

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Here?s a little-known fact: the time to reduce winter heating bills doesn?t start in winter! To reduce your heating bills, you need to prepare before winter starts.  Follow the tips below and drastically reduce your heating bills this winter!

Air Leaks and Heat Loss

Seal all gaps to prevent air leaks and heat loss.  Gaps, cracks, and small openings are present in doors, windows, electrical outlets, light switches, and lighting fixtures.  Install foam gaskets or plastic security caps for outlets and switches.  Sealing small openings will prevent heat from escaping through those gaps and will reduce heating costs.

Windows

If a house has single-pane windows, replace these with energy-efficient double-pane windows with intert argon gas fill, warm-edge spacers and low-e coating, or add storm windows to cut heat loss by up to 50%.

As preparation for winter, remove window air-conditioners or, if they can?t or shouldn?t be removed, use caulking or tape to seal them and make sure they are covered with an airtight, insulated jacket.

Heating System

Chimneys and vent systems should be clear and unobstructed.  Clean the chimney and heating vents and have the vent systems checked.  Make sure to check that pipes are properly connected and there aren?t any indications of damage or rust.  Check that heating vents are free from obstructions such furniture and drapes and that the dampers are open.

If the replacement of the furnace is an option, choose a furnace that has an efficiency rating of 90% or higher.  A new, more energy efficient furnace can save up to 30% of heating costs over the old ones.  Make sure that there is an ENERGY STAR® label.

Insulation

The insulation in the attic, basement, exterior walls, and crawlspaces can be upgraded for a minimal cost.  Insulation comes in batts or loose fill, which can be blown into place and fill hard to reach areas.

Water

If the surface of a water heater is hot or even warm, this indicates that some of the energy used to heat water is being wasted.  Wrapping the heater in an insulating blanket will prevent the loss of heat.

The constant availability of hot water may indicate that the hot water thermostat may be set too high.  Set the hot water thermostat between 43 and 49 degrees Celsius before winter arrives.

More heat is lost as it moves through longer pipes.  The closer rooms are to the water heater, the less need for longer pipes, the less heat lost, the more energy and money saved.  Place the water heater as close as possible to kitchen, laundry room, and bathrooms when constructing a new house.

The Ultimate Way to Cut Your Winter Energy Bill

Do-it-yourself energy generation is all the rage these days. If you?re a do-it-yourselfer, you should seriously consider investing in an inexpensive guide to show you how to start generating your own solar power.

Here are two popular options:

Green DIY Energy (recommended)

Home Made Energy

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In today?s world, we often hear the words ?organic?, ?eco friendly?, and ?recycle? in just about every area of our lives. At the same time, the world is seeing the biggest economic meltdown in decades.

With this concern about the economy, more and more people are returning to gardening as a supplement to the grocery store. The need for supplementing our grocery bill is high, but many still maintain the need to be environmentally friendly at the same time.

For some, hearing the term eco gardening may bring visions of expensive organic pesticides, seeds and other ?natural? gardening products.  For still others, hearing the words eco-gardening bring to mind ways of recycling and doing their part to improve their own little areas of the world.

With a little bit of investigation and attention to master eco-gardeners, anyone can have an eco friendly garden.

There are many products on the market today that are inexpensive, easy to find and sometimes can even be found in your home right now:

1. Baby shampoo is a good barrier against aphids and breaks down thatch in your lawn.
2. To use your compost in a more efficient way, create a compost tea and use a hose end sprayer to water your lawn, giving your yard and flower garden continuous feeding. This also helps the soil become more fertile for future plantings.
3. Other natural products that can be used in your garden for fertilizer include bone meal, blood meal, cottonseed and fish emulsion, to name just a few.
4. Composting products that can be found in your home include coffee grounds, banana peels, egg shells, bourbon, ammonia and regular soda. Keep in mind that what we throw into the garbage can be used to improve the quality of soil in our gardens with little or no effort.
5. Plants ties can be made from old socks (!)
6. Caterpillars can be prevented from chewing on your plants by placing old coffee tubs around your garden

Master gardeners have been eco gardening for years.  They consider it good for their gardens and soil and simply because it is easier for them in the long run.  By taking a little bit of time to research the products they use up front, those products in the long run have positive pay offs for years later.  A by-product of eco-gardening is having less garbage, and saving money in the process.

Eco-gardening has come a long way from the days of the hippie and free love era.  Using a simple common sense approach, recycling common products around your home, and using environmentally friendly gardening products, everyone benefits. 

From a reduced food bill at the grocery to the amount of waste that your family produces to the fertile ground left for the next generation, eco gardening is good for everyone!

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Eco Cleaning: What Is It, Anyway?

Eco cleaning is not only a way to clean; it?s a way of life. We?re all concerned about the environment and the impact that we have on it ? and we?re also concerned about our pocket books!

Put simply, eco cleaning is an inexpensive way of cleaning that doesn?t use lots of additives and harsh chemicals. Read on to learn how to eco-clean your home…

4 Essential Ingredients for Eco Cleaning

There are just a few things that a person needs to ensure that their entire house is eco-clean.

These products are simple and, in fact, are advertised every day on television. Have you ever heard slogans like ?Made from real lemons? and ?Baking soda is rated number one in cleaning by dentists?? Sometimes less is most definitely more!

1. Throughout history, people have been using baking soda as their number one cleaning product. It cleans grime out of bathrooms, cuts through grease, will clean pots, pans, dishes, plastic, your clothing, takes odors out of your refrigerator and gives you a cleaner brighter smile.

   What a lot of cleaning for a little box that costs less than a dollar! In addition, as allergies continue to rise, it?s important to note that baking soda has the smallest effect on allergies than any other commercial cleaner on the market.

2. Another product often over looked is white vinegar. It is alkaline and will take off hard water stains, dirt from wood without taking the finish off your dining room table. It is also very easy on your brass and silver by eating away tarnish that has built up over the years.
3. Lemon juice is one of my favorites. While similar to white vinegar in its chemical properties and ability to clean gummy substances, lemons smell great and have the same scouring potential as white vinegar does. Neither white vinegar nor lemons will leave a residue on your counter tops, fine silver or pock your brass.
4. While biodegradable soaps are not as eco-friendly as the eco-cleaning supplies above, these are a necessity in your eco-friendly home. Biodegradable soaps are made from all-natural products that are usually plant-based.

   Plant-based soaps are not harsh on skin or laundry, and don?t leave a residue. To be eco-clean, a bio-degradable soap needs to be made with plant based oil such as grape seed oil or cottonseed oil, glycerin and sometimes sea salt for added exfoliating properties.

Be Good to Yourself – and the Environment – With Eco-Cleaning

Being eco clean doesn?t mean going out and spending money on products that marketers tell you to buy. Most times it means simply looking around your home, and tossing out all those harsh chemicals. Eco cleaning is not only being friendly to the environment, it?s being friendly to ourselves as well!

Click here for an excellent resource on cleaning your home the green way!
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During the summer season, our average water consumption levels double. A lot of this water goes straight to our gardens and lawns to keep them looking nice and green. A lot of this water goes to waste.

Try out some of these water saving tips for your lawn and garden this summer to save water and money without compromising the health of your lawn.

6 Simple Ways to Save When Watering Your Lawn

• Don?t overwater your lawn! Your lawn only needs about 2.5 cm of water once per week to stay healthy. When it’s waterlogged, it may turn yellow and develop fungus and diseases.
• Leave a measuring container or empty tuna can (empty it once per week) in the yard to help you monitor the amount of rainfall and to help determine how much water you need to add. Before watering your lawn, check if there are restrictions that may apply in your municipality.
• Water in the early morning, before 9 a.m., to reduce evaporation
• Water slowly to avoid run-off and to ensure the soil absorbs the water.
• Don?t waste water! Collect rainwater from your roof in a rain barrel or other large container and use it to water your lawn and garden.
• Regularly check your hose or irrigation equipment for leaks or blockages.

And make sure to check out the Instant Landscaping Ideas website for a ton of landscaping pictures.

5 Easy Ways to Save When Watering Your Garden

• Direct water to the root system. The roots of trees and shrubs take up the most water and are generally located within the top 30 cm of the soil.
• Layer mulch about 5 to 7.5 cm deep over the soil surface of your garden to retain moisture, moderate soil temperature, control erosion and suppress weeds.
• Grass under your tree competes with the tree’s roots for water. Apply mulch instead which helps to retain water. You can remove the lawn and replace it with mulch material.
• When designing your garden, group plants with similar water needs to make watering more efficient and reduce moisture loss and competition.
• Choose plants that are well suited to your climate and site conditions. Consult your local garden centre to find plant lists.

An excellent resource for growing incredible, organic tomatoes is the Joyful Tomato website

There you go – 11 easy ways to reduce your water consumption, and reduce your water bill! Now get out there and work that green thumb!

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The summer months are always anxiously awaited as people prepare to break out their short and sandals- but with those months of heat and humidity also comes the drum of air conditioners of all shapes and sizes.

An air conditioning system can provide comfort by lowering both the air temperature and the humidity level in your home but can also be a huge consumer of energy, which can cost you money and harm the environment.

This does not mean that you have to spend you summer at home uncomfortably hot. There lots of tips that you can use to make your air conditioner and home more efficient, save money, and stay cool!

7 Tips for Saving Money With Your Air Conditioner

• Try to install your air conditioner in a shaded area. An air conditioner that is exposed to direct sunlight will consume 5% more energy than one that is shaded.
• Close blinds, shades and drapes during the hottest part of the day in the summer. You want to do as much as possible to keep your house cool in addition to using you A/C
• Raise your thermostat by 4 – 5 degrees Celsius while you’re sleeping at night and when no one is at home.
• Keep doors and windows closed when the air conditioner is on ? it is a waste of energy and you don?t want any of that precious cool air escaping!
• Use ceiling fans to supplement, or even instead of, air conditioning.
• Use a programmable thermostat for central air conditioners. This will allow you to set the timer so your home will be cool when you arrive, and while you sleep.

Stay comfortable this summer, save yourself some money, and help the environment- who thought it could be so easy?
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Refrigerators account for a large portion of household energy use because they run 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Ensuring your fridge is running efficiently can make a big difference on your power bill.

Choosing the Right Fridge

Today’s refrigerators are much better energy performers than older models because of superior design, more efficient compressors and better insulation and door seals which help improve energy efficiency.

The best energy performers are ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators which must exceed Government of Canada minimum efficiency levels by at least fifteen percent. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators are available in every category ? including all sizes of standard and compact models.

7 Energy- and Money-Saving Tips for Your Fridge

Besides purchasing a new refrigerator, there are simple changes that you can make to your old one to ensure that it is running as efficiently as possible.

• Get rid of the old, inefficient fridge in the basement. It is wasting up to $120 – $150 per year in electricity. When discarding your older refrigerator, check with your municipality about pick-up and recycling programs.
• Don?t overcool your food. Set your refrigerator temperature between 1.7 and 3.3°C and the freezer compartment at -18°C for maximum efficiency and food safety.
• Let food cool before putting it in the refrigerator. This way, the refrigerator won’t have to work as hard to keep the food cold.
• Don’t force your refrigerator to work harder than necessary. By locating it near a heat source, such as a radiator, heating vent, kitchen range or dishwasher, you are forcing it to use more energy to stay cool.
• Check if the refrigerator doors are sealing properly. To do this, close the door on a piece of paper and then try to remove the paper. If it slides out or moves easily, adjust the door or replace the seal.
• Clean the coils regularly to make sure air can circulate freely. When dust and pet hair build up on your refrigerator’s condenser coils, the motor works harder and uses more electricity.
• Make space for your fridge?s ventilation coils at the back. Refrigerator motors and compressors generate heat, so allow enough space for continuous airflow around your refrigerator.

Remember that your refrigerator is a continuously using energy, so try and make it as efficient as possible- it will help to save you some money!

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If you’re like me, summer brings out feelings of freedom and liberation – freedom to walk outside in shorts and flip

flops, and to bask in the warmth of the sun.

But did you know that your home also needs liberation – from unnecessary items such as books, clothes, toys, and even

appliances? Read on to learn how to make

your home clutter-free…

6 Quick Tips to Declutter Your Home

1. Do it in small chunks. It’s human nature to procrastinate whenever we have a huge task to do that will take a

   lot of time. Instead of planning an entire day to declutter, set aside 15-30 minutes to organize just one closet of your

   house. Sometimes baby steps are the best steps!

2. Don’t fall into “analysis-paralysis”. When going through your items, don’t take a long time to decide what to do

   with each item. Make sure you have two garbage bags handy – one for items you’re going to sell (or donate), another for items

   you’re just going to throw away.

3. Use the “one-year” rule. Even if you’re a pack-rat, if you haven’t used something in the past year, you probably

   won’t ever use it. Get rid of it, or give it to someone who can make use of it!

4. Focus on items that you accumulate the most of. Things like papers, magazines, catalogues, junk mail, and bills

   are prime candidates here – who has never had a stack of papers on their desk that they really wanted to get rid of?

5. Focus on the energy-wasters. Do you have a toaster oven that you haven’t used in six months, but is plugged into

   an electrical outlet? By selling the oven in a yard sale (or donating it to a charity), you’ll be clearing clutter from your

   counter AND saving on your energy bill. It’s a win-win!

6. Create a system to

   stop clutter from accumulating. There’s a good reason why clutter has accumulated in your home – because you don’t have a system to deal with it!

   Everyone needs a system to keep things in their place, and get rid of stuff they don?t need. If you need help developing a system of your own, consider purchasing an excellent guide such as
   DeClutter Fast.

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You’ve probably heard this cliche a thousand times: Canadians spend half their lives in the

kitchen! There’s no doubt that the kitchen is one of the most popular places in any Canadian’s home.

So have you ever thought that the kitchen is one room of the house where we use a lot of energy? It’s true – and

it’s also true that there are many easy ways to save energy there!

8 Quick & Easy Ways to Save Energy in the Kitchen

• Don’t use a small pot on a big burner. A mis-match between pot and burner can waste 40% of the burner?s heat.
  Also consider keeping your pots covered to reduce cooking time.
• Keep the door shut! Opening the oven door to look at the food lowers the oven temperature by 25°F to 75°F.
• Use the microwave! Microwave ovens are about 66% more efficient than conventional ovens, and they produce less

  heat. Also consider using your toaster oven.

• Time-shift your dishwaser. Run your dishwasher later in the evening (when demand is lower), and only run your
  dishwasher when it’s full. Use the air-dry instead of heat-dry setting to cut your dishwasher?s energy use by

  15-20%.

• Scoop up those appliance rebates! Many utilities offer rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators or

  dishwashers.

• Don’t pre-heat! Contrary to what many people think, it’s not necessary to pre-heat your oven. Save energy by

  putting your dish in right away. And turn the oven off 10-15 minutes early. Your dish will continue to cook in the

  left-over heat.

• Put some pressure on! Using a pressure cooker can reduce cooking time and energy use by 70 percent. Pressure

  cookers also help food retain natural juices and vitamins.

• Check your fridge seal. Try this test: slam a dollar bill in the fridge door. If it slides out easily, it may be

  time to replace your seal.

There you go – 8 easy ways to reduce energy use (and save money) in the kitchen!

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Replacing your old dishwasher with a new one could save you a lot of money and energy. Advanced technologies in today?s dishwashers allow them to use up to 95 percent less energy than before, and offer more energy-saving features like short, light or economy cycles, and heat or no-heat drying.

Choosing a new dishwasher?

Before choosing your new dishwasher, know that ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers are the best energy performers and must achieve energy efficiency levels that are at least 25 percent higher than the minimum regulated standard in Canada. Energy consumption levels can be affected by the size of your dishwasher.

To help determine the size and model of dishwasher which would be most efficient for your household, the EnerGuide groups dishwashers according to three categories:

1. Built-in dishwashers- This category includes all standard-size dishwashers that are permanently connected to household water and electrical supplies.
2. Portable dishwashers- This category includes all standard-size dishwashers that are not permanently connected to household water and electrical supplies like countertop and caster-mounted dishwashers that can be easily moved from one place to another.
3. Compact dishwashers- This category includes all models with capacities of less than eight place settings and six serving pieces.

7 Money-Saving Tips for Dishwashers

• Before using your new appliance, read the owner’s manual for settings to help you operate your dishwasher at optimum efficiency. Since 85% of a dishwasher’s electricity is used to heat the water, look for a short-cycle or ecowash feature.
• Don?t rinse your dishes before putting them into the dishwasher. You’ll save more water ? and energy ? by scraping all excess food off plates and cutlery. Your dishwasher will do the rest.
• Clean the filter at the bottom of your dishwasher to keep the machine running efficiently.
• Only run your dishwasher when it is full and use the setting that offers the best wash in the least amount of time.
• Use the air-dry setting or open the door to dry the dishes to save energy.
• Whenever possible to help reduce the strain on the electricity system, use your dishwasher after 8 p.m., when electricity usage is not at its peak.

Choosing the right dishwasher may seem overwhelming, but it does not have to be. Using the resources provided will help you save money, water, electricity and inevitably help the environment.

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For a lot of homeowners, the kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house and there are a lot of power guzzling appliances specific for that one room.

Dishwashers, refrigerators, ovens, electric kettles, blenders, coffee makers, and other such appliances all live in your kitchen, eating up your electricity. This is why it is important to make your kitchen as energy efficient as possible. Your savings will thank you!

Stop using unnecessary energy!

Think about buying appliances with higher or more efficient ratings. Fridges, freezers, dishwashers, and other household appliances are now rated for energy efficiency?check the EnerGuide for details.

• Your refrigerator- Today’s refrigerators are much better energy performers than older models; superior design, more efficient compressors and better insulation and door seals all help improve energy efficiency.
• Your dishwasher- Advanced technologies in today?s dishwashers enable them to use up to 95 percent less energy than before, and offer more energy-saving features like short, light or economy cycles, and heat or no-heat drying.
• Your oven- In general, the smaller the oven, the less energy used in cooking, so choose the smallest appliance suited to the task.
• Other appliances- Small appliances use less power than larger ones.
• Use an electric kettle rather than a stovetop one.
• Save money by using a microwave oven rather than a regular electric oven or stove
• Consider replacing old expensive-to-run appliances with newer, more energy efficient appliances. Also, there is no need to keep them plug in all day- they are using energy even if they aren?t turned on!
• Your kitchen sink- Repair leaky faucets and install a tap aerator on your kitchen faucet. Doing so will stop water from being wasted. Also, try cooling water in your fridge to drink instead of running water until it gets cold.

There are lots of things that you can do in your kitchen to make it more energy efficient, starting with upgrading your appliances. Ditch your old, energy devouring appliances and watch as you save on your next energy bill!
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Buying new energy efficient appliances and installing water saving devices are excellent ways to save on your energy and water bills, not to mention lower your household?s environmental impact.

Various rebate programs offered by your provincial government encourage you to do just that. Although the process of applying for rebates can seem daunting, knowing the requirements and what appliances to look for will help make receive your rebate an easier process.

5 Tips to maximize Appliance Rebates

1. Program requirements differ from area to area. Before apply for the rebate, make sure that you are eligible. In some instances, rebates on home appliances are not eligible if the appliance is bought used, or if they are not used in your primary place of residence.
2. Date restrictions may apply for your rebate. Make sure that your new appliance was bought within the allotted time period and that they coincide with the rebate?s product requirements. Most rebate sites will provide an appliance qualifying list.
3. Some rebate programs require that you provide them with a recycling receipt for your old appliances as well as receipts for your new appliances. This means that you recycle your old appliances at specific location and have an attendant sign your receipt. Keeping all your records and receipts in a specific file will help you stay organized.
4. If you are considering applying for rebates on new appliances like washing machines and new low flow shower heads and toilets, programs may require that your household is connected to the municipal water supply. If your property draws water from a private well you may not be eligible for the program.
5. Rebates may require that you replace both your household?s toilets and showerheads, and recycle your old appliances.

Knowing all the requirements needed and what steps need to be taken to be eligible for the rebate program will help make getting your rebate a much easier process. Carefully read the rebate?s requirements and instructions, get organized, save some money and help the environment!

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Once the snow melts, your lawn will be in need of some serious TLC! Springtime is the right time to start maintaining your lawn in a way that saves on both water and energy.

Spring maintenance tips

Lawn watering

• No watering required. Spring is typically remembered as being the wet season and usually provides more than enough rainfall to meet your lawn and garden needs.

Breaking out the lawn mower

• Mow High. Raising your lawn mower blades to a height of 7.5 cm (3 inches) will allow for longer grass with deeper roots to crowd out weeds and most importantly, retain the lawn soil’s moisture.
• Cut it right! You do not need to mow your lawn every week but only when needed.
• Leave the grass clippings. The clippings that you are bagging provide valuable nutrients (nitrogen), help retain moisture and make it difficult for weeds to grow. Clippings break down quickly and disappear within a day or two, so let them be!
• Choose the right mower. A mulching mower is ideal for large lawns because the grass clippings are finely chopped and returned to the soil, which helps retain moisture. For smaller lawns, think of using a reel (or push) mower. It gives a good cut which keeps the soil moist and doesn’t contribute to noise and air pollution.

Mulch for your garden

• Mulch for moisture. Apply mulch to your lawn and garden. You can use leaves, grass clippings and wood chips as mulch for your garden and lawn to retain moisture, provide valuable nutrients and reduce weeds. Mulch also reduces water loss. Talk to your local garden centre about what type of mulch works best for your plants.
• The right time to mulch. Mulching is best done in the late Spring ? before the hot weather arrives and your perennials and annuals are small enough to work around. Topping off your mulch is best down in the Fall. Always check the depth of your mulch. Place 1? to 2? layer of fine mulch or 2? to 4? layer if it’s coarse mulch and spread it evenly. Don’t pack it down and give it a good soak by using a watering can or soaker hose.

Good lawn maintenance in the Spring will help to ensure a healthy lawn for the rest of the season and after until the snow falls again. Save money, water, and energy by caring for your lawn efficiently- you will reap the benefits.

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This summer would you like your garden plants to be chemical-free, trouble-free, and taste out of this world? Then you need to feed them as nature intended, my friend?with humus! In this article, gardening expert Rod Turner shares four little-known composting secrets that will have your garden bursting with healthy plants.

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In and around your home you may be using energy that you don?t even know about- energy that you are paying for! Read below to learn what electronics are adding to your hydro bill, and what you can do to reduce your energy consumption and help out the environment.

3 Energy-Saving Tips for Computers

Computers, and especially laser printers, can really run up your power bill – even when you don?t use them. Follow these easy tips to save some bucks:

• While your computer is running, make sure the energy-saver option on. This will help to reduce your electricity bill.
• Switch off your computer when you won’t be using it for a while. Turning off your computer if you are going to be away for more than an hour will save you more power in one hour than what is needed to power one 14 watt compact fluorescent lamp for 24 hours.
• Switch off your printer when not in use. Some printers take as much power as 660 watts to run, the same as if you were to keep a small microwave oven cooking continuously.

Phantom Power – What It Is, and How You Can Eliminate It

Did you know that your electonics are costing you money even when you’re not using them? “Phantom power” is power that flows to your electronics when they?re ?off? or ?on standby?. Here’s what you can do to stop (or at least reduce) that flow:

• Purchase a power bar with a timer to turn off computers and their printers, speakers, scanners, etc. at times when you?re not likely to use your electronics. Spot the phantoms by looking for the telltale red and green lights on your equipment ? if you see one glowing, the power is still flowing!
• Many small items like clocks or telephone answering machines which you may choose never to turn off are still costing you money. A 7 watt clock or answering machine, adds up to 0.168 kWh per day.
• Electronics like TV’s, Video Cassette recorders, DVD players and Cable TV converters are, more often than not, plugged in all the time and stay in standby mode eating up power. By putting them on a power bar with a power switch you can often save in excess of 0.6 kWh per day (20 kwh/month).

Don?t let your electronics eat up energy that you will never use but definitely pay for. Switch off, unplug, and save on your next bill!
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Did you know that the average Canadian home has 30 light fixtures that consume close to $200 worth of electricity every year? There are hundreds of ways that you can lower your energy use at home, beginning with your home?s indoor and outdoor lighting.

7 Easy Indoor Lighting Tips

• First and foremost, the easiest way to save energy is to turn off the lights when leaving a room, even if it’s only for a few minutes.
• Use dimmer switches. They will help you to use only the light you need and cut back on energy.
• Install a programmable light switch to turn off lights automatically. The switch can turn lights off when no one is home during the day and lights were left on accidentally.
• Supplement low-level background lighting with high-intensity task lighting (lamps etc.) when you need it. These lights send light to where it is needed without using as much energy as background lighting.
• Place floor lamps or table lamps in a corner. Light will reflect from the two walls, making the room brighter without turning on more lamps.
• Replace incandescent lamps, (i.e. regular light bulbs) with compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). CFLs use up to 75% less energy and can last up to 7 to 10 times as long.
• Dust your lamps and light fixtures with the power off to maintain peak performance.

3 Quick Outdoor Lighting Tips

• Incandescent outdoor floodlights are cheap to buy but they are an expensive and wasteful way to light up the night. Installing motion detectors will help to minimize use. You can also select less-expensive alternatives for lights that will operate for long periods.
• Outdoor gas lamps look really great but they are very costly to operate over the course of a year.
• Consider a low-voltage outdoor lighting system. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, safe, and the fixtures are now available in a wide range of styles.

Remember, you do not have to make drastic changes the way you live your life to become more energy efficient. Replacing even one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a 20-watt compact fluorescent in every Canadian household would reduce emissions by almost 400 000 tonnes a year ? the equivalent of taking more than 66 000 cars off the road. Simply changes make huge differences.
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Did you know that heating and cooling accounts for as much as 50% of a home?s energy use?. It’s true! So being as energy efficient as possible is important to lower your home energy bills, and also to help protect the environment.

Living in a country with hot summers and cold winters (and everything in between!), it’s important for homeowners to follow effective ways to heat and cool their home.

ENERGY STAR designated heating and cooling equipment, when properly installed, can save you 15 percent or more on your heating and cooling bills each year, depending on where you live, and how much you pay for your energy source.

Here some quick tips to help you reduce your home heating bills even more.

6 Quick Home Heating Tips

1. Set your thermostat back. For each 4oC you turn back the thermostat each night, you save up to 10% in energy costs.
2. Before each heating season, have your furnace serviced by a qualified technician.
3. Clean out and seal your heating ducts. Duct cleaning should be done every three to five years to keep your home?s heating and cooling systems working efficiently.
4. Keep your basement reasonably warm since heat rises to the rest of the house.
5. Keep window curtains open during the day to allow solar energy into your home.
6. Use heat that is already there. Plenty of household activities like showering and cooking generate warmth which you can use to help heat your home.

7 Easy Home cooling tips

1. Maintaining your air conditioner can increase its efficiency by about five percent.
2. Make sure the coils in your air conditioner are straight and kept clean. If they are clogged or dirty, you can clean them with a vacuum cleaner.
3. Raising your thermostat by 1oC can lower your electricity bill up to five per cent.
4. Use fans to cool your room. You can cool the main floor of a house by using a fan to blow cool air up from the basement.
5. Planting the right vegetation can lower your energy consumption. A tree or shrub that shades your central air conditioner can improve its efficiency by up to 10 per cent.
6. Use a programmable thermostat for central air conditioners. This will allow you to set the timer so your home will be cool when you arrive, and while you sleep.
7. Replace worn or missing caulk around outside doors to help stop cold drafts and heat loss and avoid having doors open longer than necessary when entering or exiting your home.

Using efficient methods of heating and cooling your home will not only help you to save some money, but it will help to lessen your household?s impact on the environment as well.
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Heating can account for more than half of a home?s hydro bill, and up to one-third of heat from a home escapes through windows. What a waste! If you are thinking about replacing your old windows with new, more efficient ones, many provinces offer rebates or other incentives to households which buy qualified windows. But you need to follow the regulations and procedures of each province in order to get the most benefit from the incentives.

5 Tips for Window Rebates

Some programs offer homeowners loans or grants to upgrade their windows with more efficient, qualified, windows. However, they may require that you have an energy assessment of your home completed before and after your upgrades.

• Keep your assessment records and files in order and together as some programs require that you send in a copy of your pre-upgrade assessment outlining recommended upgrades, a provincial checklist for the work completed and a copy of the post-upgrade assessment before qualifying for a rebate.
• Make sure that your property is eligible for the upgrade. If you are planning to upgrade your windows in a vacations home or cottage, you might not be eligible for the rebate.
• Keep all your original receipts and product information as some grants require that you provide the original receipt and product model number of your windows. Keep your retailer invoice which had the information you need like the installation address, the number of windows installed, the brand of window bought, the name of the manufacturer, the type of windows bought, and the date of installation.
• Each province, hydro companies and other retailers who offer rebates on new windows may have different requirements. Make sure that your new windows meet the specific minimum requirements set out by each individual program. Most programs will provide a list of eligible windows for you to choose from.

Why not look into upgrading your windows? It will help to lower your heating and cooling costs, increase your homes comfort, and reduce your emissions output. Check out the rebates in your area and start along a greener, more energy efficient path!

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Did you know that solar power is one of the fastest growing alternative energy sources in the world today? In fact, the David Suzuki Foundation estimates that more than 29 million homes around the world currently use solar power.

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One of the first steps to becoming more energy efficient at home and do your part for the environment is through testing how energy efficient your home actually is. One such way is to have a home energy audit or assessment done on your household.

What is a Home Energy Audit?

The Government of Canada’s EcoENERGY Home Retrofit grant is available to owners of single family homes including detached, semi-detached and low rise multi-unit residential buildings.

Property owners can qualify for a maximum of $5,000 in federal grants by improving the energy efficiency of their homes, and reducing their home’s impact on the environment.

Natural Resources Canada will ensure that only licensed and independent energy advisors will perform a residential energy assessment to identify how your home uses energy, where it is being wasted, how you can improve the comfort of your home and cut heating and cooling costs, while ensuring adequate ventilation for a healthy indoor environment for your family.

Why You Should Get a Home Energy Audit

• Peace of mind- NRCan-licensed energy advisors provide unbiased advice on how to improve your home’s energy use.
• Understanding your options- The residential energy assessment service provides a thorough assessment of your entire home?s energy use from basement to attic to help you plan retrofits that will improve the energy efficiency of your home or multi-unit residential building.
• Proof of upgrades- Once you have completed energy upgrades for your household, you will be provided with a second (post-retrofit) evaluation and a new energy efficiency rating label that indicates your home’s improved energy use.
• Grants toward your retrofit expenses- To be eligible for grants, your home needs to have had pre- and post-retrofit evaluations from an NRCan-licensed energy advisor. The grant amount is based on each of the recommended retrofits you have completed and the relative impact the retrofits have on the energy efficiency of your home.
• Taking action to alleviate climate change- Burning fossil fuels as a source of energy is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change. Make your contribution to help protect our environment by using the residential energy assessment service.

How to Get A Home Energy Audit

1. The fist step is to hire an auditor licensed by Natural Resources Canada for a first or pre-retrofit audit which typically costs about $300. Advisors will show you how to improve the comfort of your home and cut heating and cooling costs, while ensuring adequate ventilation for a healthy indoor environment for your family.
   Contact an energy advisor here: http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/residential/personal/new-home improvement/contact-advisors.cfm?attr=4
2. The auditor carries out the pre-retrofit audit and provides the homeowner with a report that contains recommendations on energy efficiency improvements.
3. Once the pre-audit is complete the auditor notifies the federal ecoEnergy program and the federal government notifies the provincial Home Energy Audit Program. (Ontario only)
4. In Ontario, the provincial Home Energy Audit Program will issue a $150 rebate cheque to the homeowner for the pre-audit. A homeowner is not required to carry out a retrofit to receive the rebate.
5. If the homeowner chooses to pursue the recommendations in the audit, they could be eligible for the federal government?s ecoENERGY retrofit grant program.

Ever wonder what an energy meter actually does and how it can help you?

An Electronic Energy Meter is a device that can help you save energy, save money and save the environment.

How a Home Energy Meter Can Save You Money and Help the Environment

Energy Meters allow you to plug in individual appliances and calculate the amount of electricity being used during a specific time period.

This will help you to make informed decisions about appliances and products used throughout your own home. For example, it could be used to calculate the cost of running an old, second refrigerator in the basement, or calculate how much energy is being used to keep your home computer running instead of switching it off.

It may surprise you to know that some devices such as TVs, DVD players and stereos continue to use energy even while turned off (known as phantom loads).

Understanding how electricity is used is an important part in taking steps to reduce overall electricity use, which results in lower energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.Meters can help you estimate the cost of using appliances so you can take measures, like unplugging or switching off your appliances, to reduce your electricity bill.

Where to Get a Home Energy Meter

Home energy meters can be borrowed from some local libraries:

• Nova Scotia
• Kingston
• Thunder Bay
• Ottawa
• Hamilton/St. Catherine?s
• Sudbury
• Newmarket, Ontario

Home energy meters can also be purchased online from

Greengadgets.ca and EScience.ca

Good luck with your energy detective work!

Being able to heat your home is essential during the colder months. On average, a space-heating system uses from 40% to 60% of your home’s energy depending on the type of system and choosing the right system and using it efficiently will save you wasting energy and money.

ENERGY STAR designated heating and cooling equipment, when properly designed and installed, can save consumers from 15 percent or more on heating and cooling bills each year, depending on where you live, and how much you pay for your energy source. Either way, energy savings, will often pay for themselves over the life of the equipment.

Maintenance Tips -If you are not in the market for a new home heating system, there are a lot of ways to keep your current system running efficiently.

• Before each heating season, have your furnace serviced by a qualified technician. Keeping your filters and ducts clean and free of dirt and debris will help your furnace run more efficiently, resulting in cost-savings on your energy bill. An annual tune-up could save you three to 10 per cent in heating costs each month.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Ensure your home is properly insulated. A properly insulated home will keep the temperature in your home regulated.
• Check your windows and doors. Up to 30 percent of the heating in your home can be lost through poorly fitted windows and doors.

Heating tips- When it comes to actually using your heater, there are ways to minimize the amount of energy used while still keeping your home warm.

• Set your thermostat to as low a temperature as is comfortable in the winter. If you are cold, try putting on a sweater.
• During the winter, keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
• Install a programmable thermostat on your furnace to automatically adjust the temperature setting. Lowering your thermostat by 1 degree during the winter months, can save as much as 3% of the energy your furnace uses.
• Lower it at night and when you go to work.

Become fully aware of the different heating options open to you and how to use them efficiently. Doing so will help to lower your energy bill and help the environment!

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It’s a comment we hear so often these days: home energy bills are through the roof. And the brutal Canadian winters, heating bills are sure to be a source of pain for many Canadian households for years to come.

At the same time, many Canadians are looking for ways to reduce their impact on the environment – so we leave the world a better place for our children.

But with the price of natural resources so high these days, how can we take control of our energy bills, and lessen our eco-footprint at the same time?

How about by using the one natural resource that is FREE: the sun!

The Benefits of Solar Energy in the Home

Solar energy has become a big trend lately, for good reason:

• Using solar energy in your home can reduce energy bills by 80%
• Solar energy is clean and renewable
• Solar energy systems require little maintenance
• Solar energy gets you ?off the grid?, and out of the clutches of the utility companies

Maybe this is why do-it-yourself solar kits have become so popular of late. With many of the supplies required to build a home solar unit readily available, and the price of electricity and natural gas climbing every month, many Canadians are jumping on board the solar bandwagon.

Who Is Using Solar Power In Their Home?

Solar power has moved beyond “tree huggers”. Now solar is being used by people from all walks of life. People who want to:

• Take control of their energy bills
• Lessen their dependence on the utility companies
• Tread more lightly on the earth

In other words, solar power at home has reached the mainstream!

Take the Next Step in Getting Your Home on Solar Power

We’ve taken a pretty quick look at the benefits of solar power in the article. If you’d like to learn more about how solar power works, we recommend the free sources of information on the web, such as this government website.

If you’d like to get started today, or simply want a more straightforward explanation of solar power in the home, we recommend this handy guide by Earth4Energy.

With today’s focus on the environment, everyone wants to be as environmentally friendly as possible – including being energy efficient in your home.

ENERGY STAR helps you make the most energy efficient choice suitable to your needs when purchasing new appliances or other household items. Energy efficient choices can save families 33% on their energy bill – with similar savings in greenhouse gas emissions – without sacrificing features, style or comfort.

The ENERGY STAR symbol helps you quickly and easily identify home appliances and energy-using equipment that save energy without compromising your standard of living. It does this by identifying products as high efficiency performers in their category.

ENERGY STAR requirements

In order to display the ENERGY STAR symbol, products must meet or exceed technical specifications designed to ensure that they are among the most energy efficient in the marketplace. Requirements vary from one category to another, but typically an ENERGY STAR model must be from 10 to 50 percent more efficient than a conventional model.

ENERGY STAR products

ENERGY STAR labelled products which will be labelled and promoted in Canada are:

• Appliances (refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers and bottled-water coolers);
• Residential heating and cooling equipment (residential boilers, gas furnaces, air-to-air heat pumps, central air-conditioning units, louvered room air conditioners with no reverse cycle, programmable thermostats and dehumidifiers);
• Office equipment (computers, monitors, printers and fax machines, copiers, scanners and multi-function devices, bottled water coolers);
• Consumer electronics (TVs, VCRs, TV-VCR combinations, audio equipment and DVD products);
• Windows and sliding glass doors sold in Canada;
• Lighting equipment (compact fluorescent light bulbs, exit signs and traffic signals)
• Commercial and industrial products (refrigerated beverage vending machines and commercial solid door refrigerators, refrigerator-freezers and freezers)
• New homes built in Ontario and Saskatchewan under the ENERGY STAR for New Homes initiative.

For an energy-efficient household appliance, home heating or office equipment, consumer electronics or other products, look for the ENERGY STAR symbols.

And check out these government websites for more information:

U.S. Government’s ENERGY STAR website

Natural Resource Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency

Are you planning a home improvement but don’t know which renovations will give you the biggest return? As mentioned in Four Home Improvements with the Highest Payback, some renovations increase the value of your home much more than others. But what about the home improvements that reduce the operating cost of your home?

In other words, which renovations will give you the maximum savings in energy (without breaking your bank account)?

In this article we cover the six most cost-effective home improvements for reducing your energy costs. But first, a quick look at where your money is going.

Which Areas of Your Home Use The Most Energy?

As you can see below, the biggest uses of energy in your home are for:

• Space heating (i.e. your furnace)
• Space cooling (air conditioner)
• Small electronic devices (such as small appliances)
• Water heating
• Lighting

Combined, these five areas account for over three-quarters of your home’s energy use.

Source: http://www.aceee.org/

As they say, knowledge is power. Now that you know where your energy is going, you can work on how to improve your home to maximize energy conservation.

In the remainder of this article, we present the best home improvements for increasing your
energy savings – starting with the improvements that get the quickest payback.

Six Cost-Effective Home Improvements to Save Energy

1. Have an Energy Audit Done on Your Home

An energy audit might be the single best energy-saving investment you make in your home. An energy audit (performed by a qualified energy advisor) will pinpoint where the energy “leaks” are in your home, and will recommend the home improvements that will have the biggest impact on your home’s energy efficiency. They’ll provide you with a detailed report including suggestions for specific changes that you can make to your home.

Find a qualified energy advisor in your area through Natural Resource Canada’s website.

2. Install a programmable thermostat

You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing a programmable thermostat.

Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the heating or air-conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.

Learn more about programmable thermostats on this Natural Resource Canada web page.

3. Seal your windows and doors with weather stripping and caulking

Warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of your home during the winter wastes a great deal of energy. One of the quickest dollar-saving tasks you can do is caulk, seal, and weather strip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside of your home. You can save 10% or more on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home.

There are good tutorials on how to weather strip windows and doors at This Old House and the Lowe’s website.

4. Replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)

CFLs use 25% of the energy of regular light bulbs. The ENERGY STAR website has an excellent, brief tutorial on compact fluorescent light bulbs.

5. Insulate your hot-water pipes

Insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can increase water temperature to a level hotter than with un-insulated pipes. You also won’t have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or showerhead, which helps conserve water.

If you’d like to insulate your hot-water pipes yourself (and it’s really not very difficult), check out this DIY Network web page.

6. Insulate your hot-water tank
   • Natural Resource Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency
   • Energy Ideas Clearinghouse
   • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy
   • Alliance to Save Energy
     

Insulating your hot-water tank can reduce standby heat loss by up to 45%, and save up to 9% on your water-heating costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. To learn how to insulate an electric water heater, visit the Department of Energy’s website.

And there you have it! By doing these six simple fixes to your home, you’ll use less energy and save money on your heating bill. And as a bonus, your home will be treading more lightly on the environment!




Related Articles and Rebates
• Get a Healthier, Greener Garden: 4 Top-Secret Composting Tips
• Save Energy, Save Money: Six Cost-Effective Home Improvements
• Your 2-Minute Guide to ENERGY STAR
• 10 Guaranteed Ways to Cut Your Lighting Bill
• Ontario Home Energy Audit Program
• ecoENERGY Home Retrofit Program
• RST Exemption for EnergyStar Household Appliances