Reading the Energyguide label

These are the yellow and black labels you see posted on major appliances such as fridges, washers, dryers, and heating/cooling equipment. This is required by law and provides info on:

1) How much energy it uses

2) How its energy use compares to other models in its category

3) What it costs, on average, to operate the appliance per year

 

The bar scale in the centre of the label provides a graphical comparison of the energy efficiency compared to other models. The further the arrow is located to the left, the more efficient the appliance is.

 

The Benefits for the environment of Organic Farming

 Today I would like to examine the many benefits on our environment from the impacts of organic farming. We have all heard of the benefits for OUR health- but what about the health of the earth? Does mother nature reap as many benefits as we do

Sustainability
Organic agriculture looks at the long term effects of decisions and try’s to find solutions to problems in a proactive fashion versus a reactive fashion

Soil

Organic fertilizers, minimum tillage, crop rotation and crop covers encourage soil fauna and flora, and improve soil formation and structure.

Water

We all know that many of our water systems are polluted- largely with fertilizers and pesticides. Because organic farming methods do not permit these pollutants, they do not add to the water pollution problem like other more conventional methods do.

GMO’s

The four main ways Genetically modified organism  effect our environment are:

1. Increased weediness from crop to wild relative genetic exchange
2. Creation of insect resistant pests
3. Impacts to non-target beneficial organisms
4. Gene exchange from crop to wild resulting in extinction of rare plants and weedy relatives

Energy

The main reason organic farming uses less energy is due to the fact they do not use nitrogen fertilizer. According to the Rodale Institute, organic farming methods use 30% less fossil fuels then conventional farming. Also, organic soil holds more carbon which reduces carbon dioxide emissions which helps with climate change.

Do you think Organic produce is worth the extra money?

Reducing Energy Bills could mean extra money come sale time!

Everyone is becoming more concerned with saving money on their utility bills each month. We all have different reasons for doing so- some of us simply like the extra money every month, while others like the positive environmental impact energy saving measures provide.

Whatever our reasons are, I am so pleased to see that more and more people are finally waking up and seeing that a change is necessary.

An interesting take on the idea is how much extra you could afford every month on a mortgage when you reduce your bills. For every $100 you save on energy bills, you can spend $20,000 more dollars on your mortgage (pending bank approval of course!). When I sell an energy efficient home I highlight the low energy costs and the annual savings a potential buyer will see by buying your eco-friendly home. Does this mean that for every $100 you reduce your bills you will increase your selling cost? I would imagine if your home is marketed appropriately and the savings are properly highlighted then the answer to that is an absolute yes.

Contact me for a personal assessment of your home if you are interested in things you can do to reduce your utility bills and increase your selling costs.

Vlog- Ways to save on your hydro usage

Planting the correct Trees and/or Shrubs in your Yard

When adding to your landscaping, there are many things you should consider such as correct placement of your trees and/or shrubs as well as the type you should be planting.

Coniferous trees (such as pines, spruces, cedars and fir’s) keep their needles all year long and are great for privacy and wind breaks. Consider planting them to the north or northwest of your home to provide shelter from cold, winter winds. You should never plant them to the south as they will block warm winter sun which can help reduce heating bills.


Deciduous trees (such as elms, walnut, maple and beach) drop their leaves in the winter however provide lots of shade in the summertime to help reduce cooling costs. Plant these types of trees to the east and west of your home for the most amount of shade in the summer.


Another consideration when planting shrubs and flowers is using native plants. Native plants are hardy because they have adapted to the local conditions and once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs. Visit : http://www.toronto.ca/trees/pdfs/Fact_2_How_to_Select_and_Buy_Native_Plants.pdf for a list of some examples of native plants and trees in our area.

CFL's

Compact Fluorescent lamps (or CFL for short) are gaining popularity , and for good reason. They use aprox 75% less energy then a regular incandescent light bulb and can save $40 over the lifetime of the bulb. Because they last up to 10x longer then traditional bulbs, the savings over an entire house can really add up. The average Canadian home has 30 fixtures which runs the home over  $200 a year to run. If you switched just 5 of these to CFL’s you would save upwards of $30 per year. This would pay for the bulbs in 2 years, yet they last for around 5 years. 

Now- consider the savings if you switched every bulb in your home to CFL’s. A lot of people think of the spiral bulbs when they picture CFL’s , however they now come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well as multiple colours. 

It is important to note that CFL’s do contain mercury so they require careful handling and disposal- They should not be put out in the regular trash. Your local Home Depot has recycling programs for your convenience.

THE HOME ENERGY AUDIT EXPLAINED

The Provincial government removed their funding for the Home Energy Audit program on March 31st, 2012 however there are still many good reasons to have this audit performed on your home. The main benefits to the energy audit program are that it could:

• reduce your annual energy bill by up to 30 per cent
• improve your home’s resale value
• make your home more comfortable year round
• do your part to make Ontario’s environment cleaner

The auditor will visit your home and do a top to bottom assessment of your heating system, water heating system, insulation, windows & doors, and toilets. He or she will do a blower test to detect any leaks you may have within the home and then follow up their visit with their recommendations on how you can make your home more energy efficient. They will provide you with a number (energuide)- which is a ranking between 0-100 showing how energy efficient your home is. Once you have completed the work they suggest, the energy auditor will return and do another blower test to assess the change in your home since their first visit. You will get a new energuide number and can guage how much more energy efficient your home now is. Keep in mind that even though the government may not be handing out the large rebates like they once were, there are still many rebates available from other organizations. Visit http://www.ecorealtor.ca/rebates.htm for a list of some of the rebates currently available.