Compiled List of Tips
Tip List Contents
The following is a list of compiled tips that you can use to reduce your energy consumption and the amount of air pollution that you emit at home, on the road, at work, and at play. Have a look through the list and see where you could make improvements. You can make a difference!
Print the list off and use it to check off areas where you are already living in an environmental efficient and sustainable manner or when you have made improvements. Encourage others to make an effort too! There are over 200 tips that you can put into action.
To understand how the tips can help you to reduce your pollution, click on the Fact link when it appears beside a tip.
Home
Electric and Gas Heating, Wood Heating, Water Heating, Major Appliances, Electronic and Home Office Equipment, Air Conditioning, Lighting, Yard Equipment, Consumer Products
Electric and Gas Heating
Temperature setting
•Lower the temperature at night (to 17ºC), when you are away for several days, and in rooms that are unused and where heat is not needed. Quick Fact: 1
•Set the temperature when you are awake at 21ºC in the winter and 26ºC in the summer. Quick Fact: 1
•Use a programmable thermostat with an ENERGY STAR symbol to turn your heating system on an off as required. Quick Fact:1
Maintenance
•Clean furnace air filters, registers, vents, and electric baseboards to make sure your heating system does not have to work harder and use more energy than necessary. Quick Fact:1
•Change furnace filters regularly.
•Make sure that your heating system is tuned up and cleaned every 1-2 years to ensure that it is running at optimal energy efficiency. Quick Fact:1
Limit heat losses
•Seal joints and seams around ducts to reduce heat lost through air leaks. Quick Fact:1,2
•Draft proof your house or apartment by sealing all leaks around doors, windows, cracks, and exterior wall outlets with weather stripping and caulking. Quick Fact: 1
•Upgrade insulation in walls, basement, attic, crawl spaces, and heating ducts. Quick Fact: 1
•Install energy efficient windows (double glazed, low-E coating, argon gas filled). Quick Fact: 1
•Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house: they will provide shade in the summer and allow sun to warm your house during the winter when after they have lost their leaves in the fall. Quick Fact:1
•Plant a line of evergreen trees on the north side of your home to shelter it against cold winter winds and reduce your home's heat demand. Quick Fact:1
•Plant low-growing evergreen shrubs beside basement walls to help keep warmth in and winter winds out. Quick Fact:1
New heating system
•Consider replacing your furnace or boiler if it is old, inefficient or oversized, with a new one that is ENERGY STARqualified. Quick Fact: 1,2,3,4
•Make sure not to invest in an oversized heating system that will waste energy. Before making a purchase decision, ask a certified heating contractor to determine the right size of furnace for your home, taking into account recent technology developments, the heat loss and heat gain characteristics of your house, and other factors. Quick Fact: 1
•Ask your installer for a condensing furnace. Quick Fact:1
Gas or Electric Fireplaces
•Ensure that the damper of your wood fireplace is not left open when there is no fire.
•Install a ceiling fan near your fireplace to push valuable hot air down into the whole living area.
•Seal air leaks at the joint between the chimney of your fireplace and the wall of your home.
•Consider installing a high efficiency gas or propane fireplace instead of a conventional open wood burning fire place that is very inefficient and releases large quantities of pollutants that can negatively impact local air quality.
•Turn off the gas to the pilot light in your gas fireplace during the summer or when you are away for a long time.
Renewable Sources of Energy
•Ask your local energy supplier about switching to or buying some from of renewable energy, such as solar or wind.
Wood Heating
Do's
- Burn only small pieces of, clean dry wood.
- Use a mix of different hardwoods and softwoods where possible.
- Cut, split and stack your wood in the spring, cover it and let it dry over the summer for at least six months.
- Make a small fire of crisscross pieces of wood in your firebox allowing maximum contact with the combustion air.
- Burn the fire hot and refuel more often with smaller loads. Keep the flame lively and bright.
- Keep your chimney clean. Frequently remove the ashes from your appliance. Dispose of them in a safe and environmentally friendly manner.
- Stay informed about winter air quality forecast in your area.
- Keep your home well insulated to prevent heat loss and to increase energy efficiency.
- Consider replacing old inefficient wood burning appliances that don't comply with pollution standards. Buy heating appliances for your home that are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or by the Canadian Standards Association (CSA).
Don'ts
- Don't burn garbage, plastics or glossy magazines.
- Don't burn painted, treated, green or wet wood.
- Don't store your wood where there is water or moisture.
- Don't fill a stove to more than half of its capacity.
- Don't let a fire smoulder overnight and don't dampen down your fire.
- If possible, avoid using wood combustion as your main source of home heating.
- Don't allow creosote to build up in your chimney.
- Don't use a classic fireplace to heat your home.
- Don't use your burning appliance when a Smog Warning is in effect in your area.
Water Heating
Temperature setting
•Lower the temperature of your hot water heater to 50ºC. Quick Fact: 1
Limit heat loss
•Wrap your water heater tank with an insulation blanket to reduce energy losses anywhere from 25% to 40%. Quick Fact: 1
•Insulate the first 2 metres of hot water pipes and the first metre of cold water pipes.
Reduce heating needs
•Reduce water heating needs by using less water: install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators, and buy energy- and water-efficient appliances. Quick Fact: 1
•Ask your boiler contractor for a quote on a “tankless coil” set up for your new boiler so that it can also be used to heat water: most boilers can heat water at a much higher efficiency than average gas hot water tanks.
New water heater
•If buying a new water heater, consider a demand (tankless) water heater to reduce energy consumption and make sure it is EnerGuide qualified. Quick Fact: 1, 2
•Consider installing a solar water heater for your home. Quick Fact: 1
•When installing a new hot water tank or designing a new home make sure that you place the unit as close as possible to the kitchen, laundry and bathrooms to reduce heat loss from long pipes. Thin pipes are also more energy efficient than thicker pipes, since they trap less water. Quick Fact: 1
Major Appliances
Refrigerators and Freezers (Quick Fact: 1)
Temperature setting
•Save energy by lowering the temperature of your fridge and freezer: set the refrigerator no lower than between 1.7ºC and 3.3ºC, and the freezer at -18ºC. Quick Fact: 1
•Install a thermometer in your refrigerator and freezer to monitor the temperature. Quick Fact: 1
Good fridge and freezer use
•Locate your refrigerator and freezer in you kitchen away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
•Try to limit the use of liquid dispensers and ice cube makers.
•Avoid putting hot food directly into the refrigerator and freezer.
•Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator to keep the fridge cool.
•Fill you freezer with plastic containers of water: a full freezer performs better than an empty one.
•Defrost your freezer regularly if it is not self-defrosting so that it does not have to work as long and hard to maintain cold temperatures.
Maintenance
•Clean dust from fridge and freezer coils. If you do not have any condensation forming around the door of your fridge, turn off the “energy saver” switch to the small heaters that stop condensation (if you have one).
•Check seals around your fridge or freezer to make sure they are tight.
New fridge and freezer
•If buying a new fridge, make sure it is EnerGuide and ENERGY STAR qualified, choose the smallest size that matches your needs, and consider models with the freezer on top since they use less energy. Quick Fact: 1
•If buying a new freezer, consider an ENERGY STAR chest freezer as opposed to a less efficient upright model. Quick Fact: 1,2
Stoves
Energy-efficient use
•Use the convection oven option on your stove whenever possible to reduce cooking times. Quick Fact: 1
•Use your microwave to reheat food or to cook small portions; it uses less energy.
•Use smaller appliances when possible: kettles and toaster ovens use less energy than your stove.
•When use the self-cleaning feature, do so right after cooking a meal while the oven is still hot.
Good cooking habits
•Try not to preheat your oven: it wastes energy that could be used to cook your food.
•Turn off the oven before your food is completely ready and let the heat in the oven finish the rest of the cooking.
•Use the oven light to check on food; opening the door wastes energy.
•Make sure that lids fit tightly on pots and, when possible, keep lids on when cooking to trap heat in the pots so you can lower the temperature of the cooking element. Quick Fact: 1
•Turn the heat down once water is boiling. A higher setting will not cook your food any faster.
•Turn off the heat two or three minutes before the end of the proper cooking time.
•Make sure metals pans under burners are kept clean and shiny so that they reflect heat onto cookware.
•Cook more than one meal at a time and refrigerate or freeze extra food: reheating food takes less energy than cooking it.
New stove
•If buying a new electric stove, make sure it has the lowest EnerGuide rating and remember that conventional coil burners require more energy than high-tech halogen or induction elements.
•If purchasing a new gas stove: 1) make sure it has been certified by the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) or Underwriters Laboratories; 2) choose a stove that has no pilot light since this can waste 50% of the energy used by an oven; and 3) make sure the oven has a self-cleaning feature that provide more insulation.
Dishwashers (Quick Fact:1)
Good Habits
•Let your dishes air dry by selecting the “no heat drying” option or just open the door to dry them.
•Run your dishwasher only when full, and use the setting that offers the best wash in the least amount of time. Quick Fact: 1
•Avoid using the “warm your plat” option if your dishwasher provides this feature.
Maintenance
•Regularly clean the filter at the bottom of your dishwasher to keep the machine running efficiently.
New dishwasher
•If buying a new dishwasher, look for the ENERGY STAR symbol and choose a model low on water consumption and with a built-in electric heater, so you can lower the temperature at which you hot water heater needs to be set. Quick Fact: 1,2, 3
Washing machines
Good habits
•Wash clothes in warm water and rinse in cold water to save energy needed to heat water. Quick Fact: 1
•Select the right size setting for the amount of clothes you are washing to reduce water use and heating. Quick Fact:1
New washing machine
•If buying a new washer, purchase one that is a front-loading or horizontal axis machine; they use less water and energy. Quick Fact: 1
Dryers
Good habits
•Hang clothes outside to dry naturally when possible.
•Try not to over dry clothes by using a timer.
•Remove clothes from dryer when slightly damp and hang up to reduce need for ironing.
•Group clothes according to fabric type to speed drying.
•Try to combine two washer loads in one dryer load, but do not overload the dryer, or air flow will be reduced and clothes will end up wrinkled.
Maintenance
•Clean the lint filter after each use to ensure high performance of your dryer.
•Make sure the outdoor dryer vent is clean and able to open freely, but that it also seals tightly.
New dryer
•If buying a new dryer, buy one with an automatic shut-off humidistatic feature that can detect when clothes are dry.
Electronic and Home Office Equipment
Conserve energy
•Turn off stereos, videos, DVDs, televisions, computers and other home office equipment when they are not being used. Quick Fact:1
•Consider unplugging electronic devices when not in use, since they continue to use electricity (“leaking electricity”) when in standby mode (e.g. unplug your cell phone charger when it is not in use). Quick Fact:1
•Use power bars for home entertainment systems and offices so that you can turn off power more easily when equipment is not in use. Quick Fact:1
•Activate the energy saving features on your computer, so that the computer goes into sleep or powers down if inactive. Quick Fact:1
New electronics
•If buying new electronics, make sure that they are ENERGY STAR and EnerGuide qualified. Quick Fact:1
•Consider buying an energy-efficient LCD monitor if you are purchasing a new computer. Quick Fact:1
•When buying new home office equipment, consider buying a multi-purpose machine, rather than several machines.
Air Conditioning
Temperature setting
•Set you air conditioner at 24ºC to 27ºC. Raise the temperature when you go out and lower it at night for sleeping. If you go away for more than a day, turn off your air conditioning system. A programmable thermostat can help you to regulate your air conditioner use. Quick Fact: 1
Limit sources of heat
•Seal air leaks in windows with weather stripping. Check insulation in attic and exterior walls.
•Keep windows and doors tightly closed when air conditioning is on.
•Prevent direct sunlight from entering your home by using blinds, drapes or awnings.
•Use a gas barbecue as much as possible during hot weather to avoid heating up your home from indoor cooking and increasing your air conditioning needs.
•Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house to provide shade and reduce your air conditioning bill in the summer. Quick Fact: 1
•Plant a tree near your air conditioner to provide shade so that it does not have to work as hard and uses less energy.
•Reduce the use of heat-generating items such as lights and appliances.
•Use natural window ventilation when the outside temperature is cooler.
Maintenance
•Clean your air conditioner air filter at least once each year and have your central air conditioning unit inspected every two to three years to make sure it is running efficiently.
•Have your air conditioner inspected to see if the refrigerant needs to be recharged soon and ensure that it not leaking ozone-depleting substances into the environment.
New air conditioner or ceiling fan
•Perform an EnerGuide house evaluation before buying a new air conditioner to first understand how to lower your cooling requirements. Then buy a properly sized unit that matches your needs.
•When buying a new air conditioner, decide whether you need to air condition your whole house. Consider ceiling fans or room air conditioners before investing in a central air conditioning unit.
•Install ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans and change the direction of the fan so that it pushes warm air down in the winter and pulls warm air up in the summer.
•When buying an air conditioner, ensure that it is ENERGY STAR qualified. Quick Fact: 1
Lighting
Good habits
•Turn lights off when you leave the room. If you forget, install occupancy or motion sensors that will automatically turn lights off/on when you leave/enter a room.
•Try to take greater advantage of natural light by opening curtains or installing skylights.
•Concentrate light where you need it and reduce background light levels.
Light-saving devices
•Install motion/daylight sensors or simple timers on outdoor lights to reduce the time they are in use.
•Replace lights you use the most with compact fluorescent bulbs. Quick Fact:1,2,3
•Install halogen lighting outdoors to replace less energy-efficient incandescent lights. Quick Fact: 1
Renewable sources
•Use renewable sources of energy, such as solar power, for your lighting needs.
Yard Equipment
•Refrain from using outdoor power equipment during hot, hazy summer days when smog is a problem.
•Avoid spilling gasoline when refuelling gas cans and equipment tanks.
•Use small gas-powered machines less often or for shorter periods of time (e.g., mowers, snowblowers, chainsaws and leaf blowers).
•Follow the manufacturer's recommended gasoline to oil blending ratio when using a two-stroke engine.
•Drain extra gasoline before putting your outdoor machines away for winter. Use the excess gas in your car.
•Store power equipment out of the heat and sunlight to prevent evaporation.
•Consider a four-stroke engine for gas-powered machines. Quick Fact:1
Lawn mowers (Quick Fact:1)
Landscaping
•Consider changing the landscaping (plant more trees, native grasses, flower beds, and rock gardens) in your garden to limit the amount of grass you need to maintain with gas-powered machines.
•Reduce mowing time by planting low-maintenance turf grasses or grass and flower seed mixtures that grow more slowly.
Good habits
•Try not to run gas-powered lawn mowers at full throttle/full engine speed, unless the grass is long and thick.
•Leaving your gas-powered lawn machinery to idle is not only hard on the engine, which must be kept moving since it is air cooled, but also wastes gasoline and can be a danger to children and pets.
•Plan an efficient mowing route that will reduce the amount of time your lawnmower is running.
•Mow your lawn late in the evening, after 7 p.m. This gives ozone-forming chemicals a chance to dissipate overnight.
Maintenance
•Electric lawn mowers should be cleaned and lubricated in the spring. Remove grass clippings from under motor hoods; this small precaution will help keep motors running smoothly and efficiently.
•Perform maintenance on gas-powered lawn machines regularly so they operate at their optimum efficiency and reduce mowing time (e.g., keep lawnmower blades sharp, clean spark plugs, adjust carburetors and chokes, and replace transmission oil).
New yard equipment
•When you are ready to buy a new lawn mower or other gas-powered yard equipment, consider manual options, or an electric or new generation low-emissions machine. Quick Fact:1
Snowblowers
•Tune gas-powered snowblowers as you would lawnmowers. Clean spark plugs, adjust carburetors and chokes, and replace transmission oil to help snowblowers run smoothly and use less energy.
•Use snowblowers only for moderate to heavy snowfalls. Clear away light snowfalls with shovels.
Consumer Products
•Follow label directions when using pesticides and fertilizers on your lawn and garden. Practice methods to prevent pest infestations, apply products only when necessary, and if you need to use a pesticide, use a registered product and carefully follow the label directions.
•Use less-toxic paints, paint removers, stains and varnishes, waxes, glues and adhesives, and cleaners. Limit their use on poor air quality days.
•Try to buy cleaners that have been labelled with the EcoLogoM under the Environmental Choice ProgramM. They are certified to emit less pollution and are better for your health
•If renovating your house, use EcoLogoM low-polluting paint.
•Close paint cans when not in use and dispose of them at a hazardous waste facility
•If you must use products containing hazardous chemicals follow manufacturer directions and wear rubber gloves, eye goggles and, if appropriate, a respirator while doing so.
•Driveway sealers release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere that can contribute to the formation of smog. This can be reduced by using EcoLogoM-approved sealers, which contain lower levels of VOCs.
On the Road
Driving Habits, Driving Time, Car Maintenance, Purchasing a Car, Cleaner Fuels, Alternatives to Driving
Driving Habits
•Drive at the posted speed limit. Quick Fact:1
•Avoid abrupt stops and starts. The more smoothly you drive, the less gas you will use. Quick Fact: 1
•Use cruise control on the highway to maintain a steady speed and reduce fuel consumption as well as speeding tickets.
•If you drive a car with standard/manual transmission, avoid driving in lower gears, since this uses more fuel. Change into your highest gear as soon as possible.
•If stopping for 10 seconds or more, except in traffic, turn your engine off to avoid idling. This is particularly important if you drive a diesel-powered vehicle, since diesel engines stay warmer when turned off than when idling. Quick Fact: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7
• In winter, avoid idling a cold engine for more than 30 seconds. Quick Fact: 1,2,3
•Avoid using a remote starter, since it will increase the amount of time your car sits idling.
•Use a block heater to warm your car's engine when the temperature drops below zero degrees Celsius. Quick Fact: 1
•Install a timer to switch on your car's block heater one or two hours before you plan to drive.
•Remove roof racks and roof storage units when not in use to reduce aerodynamic drag and fuel consumption.
•Remove unnecessary items from your trunk. The lighter your car, the higher your fuel efficiency.
•Use your vehicle's air conditioner sparingly, especially in stop-and-go traffic. Try opening the windows or using fresh air vents to cool your vehicle. Quick Fact: 1
•Try to use fresh air vents on the highway. Air conditioning uses around the same amount of fuel as having the windows open. Open windows are the worst option, since they create drag and force your engine to work harder.
•Shut off any power-consuming gadgets in your car before turning off the engine to lessen the power load when you restart your vehicle.
Driving Time
•Consider moving closer to your workplace to cut down on time you need to commute. Moving closer may also provide you with more options in terms of public transport.
•Leave you car at home and use public transit, or bike and walk, more often.
•Install a pay-per-view cable box so you can select a movie any time and avoid driving to make car trips to the video store to rent and return movies.
•Shop at businesses and stores near you to cut down on your driving time and support the local economy. Buying local products also cuts down on the amount of freight transport needed to get products to a location near you.
•Try online banking to save unnecessary trips to the bank.
•Plan your trips for the most efficient routes to lessen your time on the road and the amount of pollution you are emitting.
•When you have to use your car to run errands, combine your trips and make every one count.
•Find out what your workplace's policy is on telecommuting (working from home). Quick Fact: 1
•Try to work from home more often - one day a week if possible. Quick Fact:1
•Avoid using your car on poor air quality days.
Car Maintenance
•Service your vehicle regularly, making sure to get an oil change and a tune-up. Familiarize yourself with your owner's manual so that you are aware of your car's specific maintenance requirements. Quick Fact: 1,2,3,4
•Keep your car tires correctly inflated to the manufacturer recommended pressure. Make sure tires are cold (stationary for 3 hours or driven less than 2 km) when checking. Quick Fact: 1,2,3
•Check tire pressure regularly, especially after there has been a sharp drop in temperature. During winter, cold temperatures decrease the air pressure in tires, adding to the resistance caused by snow and slush.
•Make sure your radiator, coolant, transmission fluids, brake fluids, and power steering fluids are not leaking. Check that your battery terminals and air filters are clean and the drive belts are tight. Quick Fact:1,2
•Check your brakes and wheel alignment to see if they need adjusting. You can do this by resting your hands slightly on the steering wheel on a flat stretch of road and watching to see whether the vehicle pulls to one side. Make adjustments if necessary to improve the smoothness of your car's ride and save fuel.
•Monitor your car's fuel efficiency. If you are going to the gas station more frequently, something might be wrong with your car.
•Purchase motor oil rated as “energy conserving." Using the lowest multigrade of oil recommended in your owner's manual could improve the fuel efficiency of your car, particularly when starting it when it is cold.
•Ask your mechanic to inspect your air conditioning system in the spring to fix any CFC leaks that might be contributing to the depletion of the ozone layer.
•Participate in Environment Canada's LET'S DRIVE GREEN free vehicle emissions inspection clinics held every summer in communities nationwide.
Purchasing a Car
Do you need a car?
•Consider the option of car sharing before purchasing a vehicle. When you need a car, simply reserve one for a few hours or several days and pick it up at a convenient location in your city. You will only pay a small monthly fee and for the gas that you use. Quick Fact: 1, 2
•Before buying a new car, consider carefully what you will need the car for and how much you will be driving. Consider whether you can meet your transportation needs by using other forms of transport such as public transit, biking, walking, car pooling, car sharing, or renting.
Buying a fuel-efficient vehicle
•If you decide to buy a new car, make fuel efficiency an important factor in your choice.
•When buying a new vehicle, check Natural Resources Canada's EnerGuide for Vehicles label on the car window for the fuel consumption rating. EnerGuide awards are given annually for the most fuel-efficient vehicles in nine different classes for that model year.
•Consult Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency's annual Fuel Consumption Guide for fuel-efficiency ratings for all new cars, light-duty trucks, special purpose vehicles and vans sold in Canada.
•Try to buy a fuel-efficient car and avoid cars that are more powerful than you need. Four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive, engine size, vehicle weight, and tire size all influence the amount of fuel your vehicle uses. Options such as power windows and power seats add weight to cars, making engines work harder and burn more fuel. Quick Fact: 1, 2
•Consider buying a manual transmission vehicle. If driven properly, it is more fuel efficient than automatic transmission. If you choose automatic, the more gears the car has, the more fuel efficient it will be.
•Consider purchasing a hybrid vehicle to obtain superior fuel efficiency relative to a comparable car with a regular gasoline engine. Quick Fact: 1
Disposing of older vehicles
•When disposing of your old car, do so responsibly. See if there is a vehicle scrappage program in your area to help you retire old high-polluting vehicles. Before scrappage, vehicles are drained of fluids such as CFCs from air conditioners and mercury found in hood and trunk lighting. Tires and batteries are recycled, and the body is recycled for scrap metal. Financial incentives may also be offered through these scrappage programs, including free transit passes, car-sharing opportunities, rebates toward the purchase of a new or newer vehicle, or a rebate toward the purchase of a new bicycle. Quick Fact: 1
Cleaner Fuels
•Fill your car up with ethanol blended fuel, which emits fewer pollutants when burned. Quick Fact 1, 2, 3, 4
•Look for Environment Canada's EcoLogoM Environmental Choice ProgramM symbol, which indicates that fuel contains at least 5% ethanol derived from plant sources.
•If practical, consider installing an alternative fuel system in your car, such as propane or natural gas. The Government offers tools and financial incentives through alternative fuels programs to help you move towards cleaner fuels.
•Ask at your gas station whether they sell low-sulphur gasoline. Low-sulphur gas will optimize the performance of your vehicle.
•Avoid spilling gasoline on the ground at the filling station. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from the gas into the air contribute to smog.
Alternatives to Driving
•When commuting to work and to other places, consider taking public transit, using a carpool, walking, biking or line-line skating. Quick Fact 1, 2, 3, 4
•Car pool to get to work, school, activities, or a night out. It's a great way to meet new people and reduce emissions, traffic, and noise on the road. Quick Fact 1
•Find out if your company gives rebates or incentives for commuting by public transit or car pooling. If not, ask them to consider introducing a program.
•Ask your municipality to build bike lanes or sidewalks in your area.
•Ask your employer to install showers and lockers at work, so you can clean up after biking to work.
•Consider purchasing an electric bike to make it easier to get up steep hills.
•If you are not comfortable riding your bike in the city, see if there is a CAN-BIKE program, or something similar within your area, which may offer courses on cycling safety.
•If you are travelling long distances and you are not pressed for time, consider travelling by train or bus instead of by car. Travel by plane as a last resort.
•Consider taking the Commuter Challenge, a friendly competition between Canadian communities to encourage as many people as possible to use sustainable and active modes of transportation.
Work
Office Equipment and Lighting, Heating and Cooling, Transportation
Office Equipment and Lighting
Equipment
•Turn all equipment off when not in use, including photocopiers, scanners, printers, and computers.
•Delegate the task of turning off shared equipment to the last person who leaves the office.
•Try to remember to turn off (as opposed to logging off) your computer when you are not in the office. Computers draw a lot of energy and do not need to be running all the time. Turning a computer on and off is not bad for the machine.
•Activate the “sleep” mode on your computer to save power. Set the amount of time (usually 10 minutes) you want to leave your computer inactive before it goes into sleep mode. Quick Fact:1
•If you are an employer or office manager, make sure to buy ENERGY STAR qualified office equipment when replacing old machines.
•Turn off your monitor when at a meeting or out for lunch. You will save more than half the energy used by your computer and there will be no start-up time when you turn the monitor back on. Quick Fact:1
•Set your computer to turn off your monitor after a period of inactivity. Your screensaver does not save energy. Quick Fact:1
•If your office has appliances, make sure to buy new ENERGY STAR qualified models when upgrading.
•Use the stairs at work whenever possible. This will save energy and increase your level of physical activity.
Lighting
•Turn off lights before leaving the office at night and on the weekend.
•Make a habit of turning lights off in unused offices and meeting rooms.
•Talk to your manager about installing timers and motion sensors to switch off office lights automatically at night, on the weekends, during holidays, and in offices where no one is working.
•Use compact fluorescent lights in the office, like at home. Quick Fact:1
•Try to reduce the need for light bulbs in the office by taking advantage of natural lighting as much as possible.
Heating and Cooling
•If possible, adjust the temperature settings for the heating or air conditioning system to ensure a comfortable environment at work.
•If you do not have control over your own temperature, find out who manages your building and discuss ways of saving energy with them.
•Use a programmable thermostat at work to turn your heating and cooling system on and off as required. Lower/raise the temperature at night and program the heating or cooling system to turn on half an hour before you arrive at the office in the morning. Program the thermostat so there is no heating/cooling on the weekend.
•Avoid drastically turning up or down the heating or cooling. The space will not warm up/cool any faster, and you might forget to turn down/up the thermostat again, which will waste energy.
•Make sure rooms that are unused or that are used for storage are not being heated or cooled.
Transportation
•Increase your use of public transit to get to work. Quick Fact:1,2
•Try walking, biking or in-line skating to work. You will get exercise and improve your health.
•Join a car pool to reduce single occupancy travel to work. Quick Fact:1
•Try an online ride-matching service to help you find someone to car pool with in your area. Quick Fact:1
•Talk to your manager about setting up a car pooling schedule at your workplace. Quick Fact:1
•Find out if your workplace offers any rebates or incentives for carpooling, such as free parking. Quick Fact:1
•Find out what you workplace's policy is on telecommuting (working from home). Try to work from home one day a week. Quick Fact:1
•If you are an employer or manager, promote the option of telecommuting for employees. E-mail and video conferencing technology now make it possible to communicate with co-workers and clients from home. Quick Fact:1
•Encourage your workplace to install bike racks and a changing room with showers so that you can clean up after walking or biking to work.
•Ask you manager about the possibility of setting up a “guaranteed ride back home” program (such as paid taxi rides) in case of an emergency.
•Find out if your company can register for subsidized passes for public transit.
•If your company has a fleet of vehicles, research ways to introduce greener operation and maintenance practices, such as greater use of biodiesel fuel or ethanol blended gasoline, the introduction of an anti-idling policy, and the installation of engine idling limiting devices to shut off engines automatically after a certain amount of time.
At Play
Cottages, Travel, Swimming Pools, Recreational Vehicles
Cottages
• Turn off the water heater at your cottage when you leave. Leaving it on while you are away wastes energy.
•Switch off your heating unit at your cottage. Electrical units can be turned off at the unit, but others that use a thermostat can turn on automatically even in the summer if the weather turns cool. This is a waste in summer if the cottage is empty. Find out how to turn your unit off completely. You may have to switch it off at the fuse box.
•Turn the temperature down in your cottage after the weekend. Keep some heat on to prevent your pipes from freezing.
•If you use your cottage year-round, improve the insulation and caulk/weather strip doors, windows and cracks.
•If you do not use your cottage in winter drain the water from all taps, defrost and unplug the refrigerator, and turn off the main electric power switch.
Travel
•If alternatives exist, avoid travelling by plane, since it consumes more energy than any other form of transport.
•Try to travel by train and bus as much as possible, since they are the least expensive in terms of both economic cost and pollution.
•Try using an energy calculator to figure out how much energy you will use on your trip.
•Consider planting some trees to offset the carbon you released into the air during your travels.
Swimming Pools
•Use pump timers to regulate energy and the length of time your pool is heated.
•Cover your pool and hot tub with a thermal blanket to warm water using energy from the sun during the day, prevent heat from escaping at night, and reduce water evaporation. Quick Fact: 1, 2, 3, 4
•Use solar panels to heat your pool.
•Reduce pool filter operating times to no more than four to five hours per day. This will reduce annual electricity consumption by 40 to 50%. If water is not clear, operate the filter longer until acceptable water clarity has again been established.
•Help reduce the demand for electricity by operating your pool pump during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening).
•Turn off or reduce the use of decorative lighting in and around pool areas when you are not using the pool.
•If you can heat your pool, maintain a 26°C or lower temperature. If you only use your pool on the weekend, reduce the water temperature to around 20°C during the week.
•Shelter the pool where possible from the prevailing winds by using well-trimmed hedges or other landscaping, cabanas, or fencing as windbreaks.
Recreational Vehicles
All vehicles
•Eliminate unnecessary idling.
•Limit engine operation at full throttle.
•Avoid spilling gasoline. Use a gasoline container you can handle easily and hold securely, and pour slowly and smoothly.
•Transport and store gasoline out of direct sunlight in a cool, dry place.
•Follow the manufacturer's recommended maintenance schedule and prepare engines properly for winter storage.
Boats
•Invest in two different sized motors for your boat, a smaller one for fishing and sightseeing, and a larger one for when you want to water-ski. Use the larger motor sparingly, since it uses more fuel and produces more emissions.
•Consider replacing the two-stroke outboard motor on your boat with cleaner four-stroke technology. Quick Fact: 1, 2, 3
Snowmobiles
•When purchasing a new snowmobile, consider buying one that has a cleaner, more fuel-efficient engine, or that takes advantage of four-stroke technology.
•If your goal is just to relax and get back to nature, consider using cross-country skis or snowshoes instead of a snowmobile. You will get exercise and see more wildlife because you are quieter.
