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There are many easy and cost-effective things we can all do in and around our homes to help improve the quality of air, water and ecosystems, including:
- Caulk all windows and make sure your home is properly insulated. By preventing your home from losing heat through under-insulated walls and roofs you may save money on heating bills.
- Keep faucets in good repair. One drop of water per second adds up to 40 litres of wasted water each week.
- Install low-flow faucets and showerheads to reduce water usage and reduce the cost of heating water by up to 50%.
- Use ceiling fans year round to help circulate warm and cool air evenly around a room*.
- Use your air conditioner sparingly on hot days. Set your thermostat warmer in summer. You'll still be comfortable and you'll use less energy.
- Use solar lighting in your outdoor environment. By harnessing the sun you'll add beauty and save money and energy.
- Use natural cleaning products.
- Choose products with less packaging. Help keep plastic containers and bags from spending years in landfills by avoiding over-packaged goods.
- Choose products that are biodegradable or recyclable.
- Protect the water supply by safely disposing of products containing chemicals and toxins, such as paint, instead of dumping them down the drain*.
- Purchase appliances that save power and money. Replacing an old refrigerator with an energy efficient one can save enough electricity to light the average home for more than four and a half months.
- Select carpeting, rugs, window treatments, flooring products, furniture and cabinetry made from natural, non-toxic fibres such as cotton, renewable resources such as bamboo, and wood from sustainable forests*.
- Trade in aerosol for pump sprays. Aerosol is non-recyclable and has a negative impact on the atmosphere.
- Use Online Banking to review and pay bills and manage your accounts without creating more paper products. We've purchased carbon offsets for our Online Banking, making it an even better environmental choice than ever before.
- Switch from paper statements to electronic ones to cut down on paper usage. Find out more about our eStatement offer to see how you can enhance your impact even further.
* Tips courtesy of www.treehugger.com, Environment Canada's National Office of Pollution Prevention: www.ec.gc.ca/nopp and DavidSuzuki.org.
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