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Go Solar

We got solar panels installed on our roof over the summer and are loving them! As you can see from the screenshots above, we have already earned 986.19$ and prevented 1,344.85 kg of CO2 from being emitted into the atmosphere… not too shabby.

If you think you might be interested in getting some for your home, ACT NOW as Ontario’s microFIT program will stop accepting applications at the end of 2017.

What is the microFIT program?

The microFIT Program was launched in 2009 as part of the Ontario government’s efforts to increase renewable energy in the province. The program provides Ontarians with the opportunity to develop a “micro” renewable electricity generation project (10 kilowatts or less in size) such as a solar panel installation. Participants are paid a guaranteed price over a 20-year term (we are getting 28.8 cents per kWh) for the electricity they produce and deliver to the province’s electricity grid.

If you prefer to use the energy generated by your panels to power your own home, this is also an option; however, current hydro rates are much lower than 28.8 cents per kWh so you’ll make your money back quicker by selling the energy generated by your solar panels to the province and just continuing to pay your hydro bill as usual. Only when the price of hydro rises above 28.8 cents per kWh does it make economic sense to switch to using your solar energy to power your our own home. The way we see it, the positive environmental impact is the same whether we use the solar power ourselves or sell it to the grid for others to use… so for now we are going with the option that will result in us recouping the cost of our panels the quickest.

What is the cost and expected rate of return?

We went with a largish system (9.6 killowatts), which covers the entire back of our roof and one of the sides. We paid a little over 30,000$ for it and can expect to be paid somewhere between 3000$ and 3500$ per year for the energy it produces. For tax purposes, microFIT projects are treated like a small business. To keep things simple, we opened up a homeowner’s line of credit and are using this to pay for all expenses related to the project and plan to immediately deposit all the money we are paid for the energy produced back into this account. Assuming an average interest rate of 3.5%, we expect it to take roughly 10 years to fully pay off the panels and all the associated costs of getting our microFIT project up and running (inspections, hydro connection fee, etc). So, in summary: for the first 10 years all the money earned will go towards paying off the line of credit we took out to finance the project, and from then on any money earned will essentially be pure profit!

What if we’re planning on selling our home in less than 10 years?

For anyone planning on remaining in their home for 10+ years, enrolling in the microFIT program seems to be a pretty safe investment. If you think you might move in less than 10 years time, it’s a bit of a toss-up… on the one hand it’s unlikely that you will have earned back enough money to cover the cost of the panels, but on the other hand potential buyers are likely to pay more for a house with solar panels so you may end up getting your money back via higher resale value of your home.

If you have any questions about the microFIT program application process or purchasing/installing solar panels, please don’t hesitate to send me a message or post your questions on the go greenish facebook page.

Here is the link for the microFIT program website:

http://www.ieso.ca/en/get-involved/microfit/news-overview

If you live in the London region I highly recommend Lyle Lemon at Solcan for the installation:

http://solcan.ca/

There are a lot of steps involved in the process and he was fantastic at guiding us through each of them.

And finally,

Go Solar

If you think you might be interested in getting some for your home, ACT NOW as Ontario’s microFIT program will stop accepting applications at the end of 2017.

What is the microFIT program?

What is the cost and expected rate of return?

What if we’re planning on selling our home in less than 10 years?

Here is the link for the microFIT program website:

http://www.ieso.ca/en/get-involved/microfit/news-overview

If you live in the London region I highly recommend Lyle Lemon at Solcan for the installation:

http://solcan.ca/

There are a lot of steps involved in the process and he was fantastic at guiding us through each of them.

And finally,

#solar #Environment #solcan #microfit #solar panels

June - Gift giving and receiving

1. Let people know you welcome second-hand gifts

I have no qualms about buying second-hand stuff for my own family but would never give someone a second hand gift… that it unless they instructed me to. I wish I had thought to tell people that I welcome second-hand gifts a little over a year ago when I was gearing up for my five (yes five) separate baby showers. I was extremely grateful for all the support, but also felt a bit uneasy about the excess baby gear I was accumulating in the process. If I could do it over again, I’d ask the hosts to write something along the following lines in the invites in order to mitigate the environmental impact of my showers to some extent:

“Jacqueline is registered at babies r us. For toys, clothes, and books, she welcomes hand-me-downs and items from second-hand stores such as Once Upon a Child”

I hope some of you environmentally conscious future mommies out there will consider including something to this effect in the invites for your own baby showers. If you’re using a website like babylist for your registry, another option could be to make a note in the comments beside each item specifying if you would welcome a second-hand version of this particular item.

2. Choose less wasteful wrapping methods

For instance:

- Use one part of the gift to wrap the rest of the gift (e.g. using tea towels to wrap another kitchen-themed gift)

- Use items heading for the recycling bin as wrapping paper (e.g. newspaper, posters, magazines, calendars)

- Save and reuse gift bags, bows, and tissue paper from the gifts you receive

3. Give food, booze, or experience-based gifts

These types of gifts are generally better for the environment as unlike toys, gadgets, etc, they are not destined for the landfill. When buying someone food or alcohol, choose local products when possible as the further the item had to travel to get here, the greater its carbon footprint. Some examples of experience-based gifts would be things like tickets to the theatre or a sporting event, cooking or exercise classes, gift certificates for movies, restaurants, spa treatments, etc.

4. Give items that lead to waste-reduction in the recipient’s day-to-day life

Reusable nylon bags make a great little gift. They are so compact that you can keep one in your purse at all times so that when making purchases you’re always ready to turn down the plastic bag.

Other ideas:

- A traditional single use coffee maker or french press - anything that uses coffee grounds rather than plastic pods or K-cups. Not so fun fact: Every year enough K-Cups are sold to circle the planet more than 10 times. Because they are made up of a mix of plastic, foil and organic matter which are not easily separated, the vast majority of recycling programs do not accept them. Consequently, every year billions upon billions of them end up in landfills.

- A rain barrel (for gardeners)

- Solar powered outdoor lighting

- Drying rack

- Rechargeable batteries and charger

- Kitchen accessories and gadgets designed to reduce food waste (e.g. air tight storage containers, preserving bags, spaghetti measurer, composter).

And finally...

#reducereuserecycle #environment #ecofriendlygifts #festivus #seinfeld #killthekcup #greenbaby

May - Environmental Activism

1. So Easy: Post or share an environmental blog post or article

Preferably one of mine #shamelessselfpromotion

2. Still Pretty Easy: Sign some petitions

This website provides brief descriptions of a variety of environmental issues complete with petitions requesting specific actions from the Canadian government.

http://environmentaldefence.ca/

For instance, this petition requests that the government stop providing subsidies to fossil fuel companies:

http://action.environmentaldefence.ca/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=20108

3. A Little Less Easy: Contact your elected official(s)

I’m not all that knowledgeable when it comes to this kind of thing and so called on my good friend Stefanie to help with this section. She worked as a writer and communications advisor for the provincial government for many years and had some great advice on how to help persuade politicians to act on the issues that matter to you.

i. Start by looking into who has jurisdiction over the issue. If you’re having trouble figuring this out, don’t hesitate to contact one of your local representatives (e.g. MP, MPP, City Councillor) to ask for guidance. Elected officials have e-mail addresses that are accessible to the public for just this purpose. Your representative or one of his/her aides should be able to tell you which level of government is responsible for making decisions regarding the issue you are concerned about and who would be the appropriate person to contact.

ii. If you have noticed a problem in your community that doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar, writing a letter or e-mail to your local representative is an effective way of raising awareness about the issue. So for instance if you’ve noticed garbage or bio waste washing up on the shores of your local beach you could contact all your representatives to make sure they are aware and doing something about it. If you are unsatisfied with their response, threatening to go to the media can be a very effective way of getting a politician to take your concern seriously!

iii. If it is a known issue (e.g. an environmental protection bill that elected representatives will soon be voting on), it is still a good idea to send a letter or e-mail making your position known, but you’ll be more likely to influence their vote if you can show that a large number of people in their riding feel the same way you do. Letter writing campaigns and petitions are some examples of how you can go about doing this.

iv. Use your vote wisely. Come election time local environmental organizations will often publish articles comparing each candidate’s stances on environmental issues. If environmental protection is a top priority for you, be sure to read up on how each candidate fares in this area before casting your vote. If there is a particular issue that you are concerned with and can’t find information regarding each candidate’s stance on it, send them each an e-mail asking what they each plan to do about it.

4. Not So Easy: Donate money or time to an environmental organization

If you would like to volunteer for or donate to an environmental organization but aren’t sure which one to go with, this article might help narrow your search. It describes the top 7 charities in Canada dealing with environment, conservation, and sustainability issues:

http://blog.chimp.net/top-environmental-charities-in-canada

The rankings in the above article are based on an analysis conducted by Charity Intelligence Canada. Click here for the full report:

https://www.charityintelligence.ca/images/environmental_charities_in_canada.pdf

And finally...

#climate change #environmental activism #ifyoucare #davidcross #environmentaldefence #shamelessselfpromotion

April - Bathroom

1. So easy: Place a little recycling pail in each bathroom

I often notice recyclable items in household bathroom wastebaskets. I would be willing to bet that most of you are good about properly separating your garbage and recycling when you’re in the kitchen and the recycling bin is right there… but not so much in other areas of the house. It’s understandable to not want to walk up or down a flight of stairs just for one little piece of paper or empty toilet paper roll. I used to be guilty of this too... but not anymore! We now have a little recycling pail beside every wastebasket in our home, which allows me to be a near perfect recycler without adding any unnecessary steps to my fitbit count.

2. Still pretty easy: Try the diva cup

Or for those of you who happen to be men or post-menopausal women, the diva cup makes a great gift for all those hard to shop for menstruating-aged women in your life! Just kidding… don’t buy anyone a diva cup. If you don’t menstruate you can skip this tip.

Not sure what a diva cup is? Click here for a description: http://divacup.com/products/the-divacup/

This was my initial reaction upon learning about the diva cup:

However, more and more of my gal pals seem to be making the switch and so I have decided to follow suit and give the diva cup a try myself. Given that the average woman uses about 10,000 sanitary products over the course of her lifetime, making this relatively small lifestyle change can amount to a huge reduction in landfill waste. As an added bonus, unlike with pads and tampons, you don’t have worry about carcinogenic chemicals coming into contact with your delicate flower.

Side note: Does it strike anyone else as weird that they chose to name this product the diva cup? Cleaning out your own menstrual blood catcher sounds to me like possibly the least diva-ish thing anyone could ever do. I think it’s doubtful anyone has ever uttered the phrase: “Really? You use an eco-friendly reusable menstrual cup? Oh my God you are such a diva!!!”

3. A little less easy: Replace old toilets

Of all household fixtures, toilets use the most water, accounting for about 30% of indoor water use. Before 1980, most toilets used 20 litres of water per flush. In the early 90s they came out with 13-L toilets, followed by 6-L ones a few years later. Many of the toilets sold today use as little as 4.8L per flush.

Not sure how many litres per flush your toilet is using? You should be able to find this information somewhere in the tank or on the bowl.

Some of the first low-flow toilets did not perform all that well but the ones sold today have been redesigned with a more powerful flush. We recently purchased two 4.8L toilets from Rona for around 150$ each and find they flush at least as well as the old 13L ones did. Switching out your old toilets is really a no brainer because in addition to helping the environment, it’ll save you money in the long run. In Ontario, switching out a 13L toilet for a 4.8L one should amount to around 60$ in savings per year in water use and waste charges (assuming an average of 5 flushes per day). If you are a renter, consider passing along this information to your landlord.

4. Not so easy: Take fewer baths and shorter showers

Straight up I am probably not going to do this one but all the power to you if you are up for the challenge.

Thanks to @azizansari for a great read. Couldn’t put it down even during the cucumber on eyes portion of my buble bath!

And finally...

#environment #aziz ansari #treatyoself #divacup #recycle

March - Reduce Reuse Recycle

1. Recycle your take-out coffee cups

For years I have been unsure about whether I should be putting my empty Tim Horton’s cups in the garbage or recycling bin and feel like a bit of a dope for not having taken the 2 seconds to look it up before now. Turns out both the paper cups and plastic lids are recyclable! Ideally, you should remove the lid from the cup and give them both a rinse before putting them in the containers bin. Other things that I did not realize can go in the recycling bin:

Cardboard cans (e.g. Pringles, frozen juice)

Empty paint cans

Rigid plastic packaging

Aluminum foil (but not if it has food stuck to it)

Milk cartons

The last time I put a milk carton in the recycling bin (about 10 years ago) it was thrown back onto my lawn and so I have been putting these in the trash ever since. It would appear that sometime in the last 10 years they have added milk cartons to the list of accepted materials. Important lesson learned: review list of currently accepted materials at least once per year to keep self updated on changes.

Want to improve your knowledge of what can/can’t go in the recycling bin? This quiz takes just a few minutes and is very informative:

http://recyclecoach.com/quiz.html

2. Download “My Waste” App

In addition to notifying you of collection days, this app includes a “What Goes Where?” database of detailed disposal instructions specific to your area. You simply type in the item you are wondering about and it tells you where to put it.

For Android users:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.mywaste.worldster.pack&hl=en

For Apple users:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/app/my-waste/id493621739?mt=8

3. Buy (or sell) something second-hand

When you shop at second hand stores and from websites like kijiji, you prevent perfectly good furniture, clothing…etc. from ending up in a landfill. I have been amazed at the top notch stuff I’ve managed to find on kijiji. Last summer I looked into the cost of getting a custom made solid wood bedframe and end tables and was disappointed to find out how expensive these were. Out of curiosity I checked kijiji and found essentially the exact set I was looking to get made at a fraction of the price! Other items I’ve bought from kijiji include a dining table and hutch, three ikea pax armoires, Rosetta Stone language learning software, and even my wedding dress!

I have also sold and given away a ton of stuff via kijiji. I have been shocked more than once to find that somebody out there actually wanted the junk I had posted. Items I have managed to sell or give away on kijiji include:

couch with a huge rip in one of the cushions

fake plants

bathroom mirror

old and rusty washer/dryer

broken stove (advertised as such)

So please, before sending your old junk to the dump, post an ad on kijiji or similar website to see if anyone else can use it. Or donate it to charity, although donating it does not guarantee that it won’t end up in the garbage. The way I see it, if someone goes through the trouble to contact you about your ad on kijiji and come pick up an item themselves, they are likely going to be putting that item to good use. Stores such as goodwill on the other hand get a lot of inventory and so if it’s not in good shape or sits on the shelf too long it may end up in the trash anyway. If you feel bad selling stuff that you would normally donate to a good cause, you can always pass along the money you make to your charity of choice. Most charities would prefer getting money than your old furniture and Rosetta Stone software anyway ;p

1. Take on a DIY repurposing project

I have been inspired many a times by others who have transformed an old piece of furniture into something super functional and/or charming. More than once I have held onto an old piece of furniture for years with the intention of one day painting it a bright super fun colour... but alas I have yet to follow through on such plans. Perhaps March 2017 will be the month that I finally get around to doing something from my pinterest DIY repurposing board (probably not if I’m being honest).

AND NOW THIS...

#recycle #repurpose #Environment #drinkmorebeer

February - Kitchen

1.Boil water for no more than one minute when cooking hard boiled eggs

Up until recently I was letting my eggs boil for 10-15 minutes, which as it turns out is way longer than necessary! Upon asking google how long it takes to make a hard boiled egg, I learned that for best results you should actually turn the burner off no more than a minute after the water begins boiling and then simply leave the egg sitting in the hot water for 10 minutes or so with the burner turned off. The same is true for corn on the cob.

2. Unplug small appliances between use

When left plugged in, electronic devices continue to use a significant amount of energy even when turned off. It is estimated that this “phantom power” accounts for about 10% of energy use in an average home. So get in the habit of unplugging your coffee maker, blender…etc. between uses.

3. Choose stove top, microwave, or slow cooker over your oven

It takes a lot more energy to cook something in your oven compared to most other cooking methods. Aim to use your oven less, opting instead for your stove top, microwave, or slow cooker. Side note: When cooking on your stove top, be mindful of matching your pots and pans to the appropriate burner size and also use lids when possible. This will minimize heat loss and reduce cooking time.

4. Ditch the beef

I was surprised to learn that animal agriculture is arguably the most significant contributor to deforestation and global warming. That’s right… those burgers you’re eating cause more damage to the environment than the car you drive. Beef is a particularly inefficient food source. The amount of energy, land, and water it takes to produce a pound beef relative to other types of food is ASTOUNDING. Here is a graph that gives you an idea of how energy inefficient beef is compared to other common foods:

Source:

http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/energy-required-to-produce-a-pound-of-food.html

Another big problem with beef is the associated methane gas production (i.e. cow farts!). Methane is a greenhouse gas like CO2, only worse because it is 21 times better at trapping heat, and thus a primary cause of global warming.

See this article for more on this topic:

http://www.ibtimes.com/cow-farts-have-larger-greenhouse-gas-impact-previously-thought-methane-pushes-climate-change-1487502

If you’re like me and aren’t ready to give up meat altogether, you can make a huge difference simply by cutting down on beef specifically.

A few ideas for easy/yummy beef substitutes:

a) At your next barbecue offer a chicken and/or veggie burger option on top of or instead of beef. I like these Gardein ones:

b) For taco night, choose fish or ground chicken rather than ground beef. Or better yet, go meatless. I’ve tried this vegan taco meat and it’s not bad once you’ve added all your fixings to it:

c) Eat more soup. Who doesn’t love soup? There are a million amazing soup recipes out there that call for zero meat or dairy. If you’re worried about not getting enough protein, choose recipes that incorporate beans, lentils, or quinoa. I’ve gotten in the habit of making a big pot of soup about once a week. Most soups freeze well so I always stash a few single portions in Ziploc bags in the freezer for later. These are great to bring to work for lunches or to pull out for dinner on nights where you don’t have the time or energy to cook.

d) For stir fries, try substituting half (or all) the meat you would usually use with... please hear me out on this one.... Extra Firm Tofu. When done right, tofu is actually quite tasty. I will admit that the first time I used tofu in a stir fry it was beyond gross, but this is because I just opened up the package, chopped it up into cubes and tossed it into the pan with my veggies and sauce. I have since learned a way of preparing tofu that drastically improves the taste and texture. My husband Brian is a notoriously picky eater and even he will eat tofu when prepared this way:

1. Start by freezing it. This step is essential. I can’t tell you why but freezing tofu before cooking it makes it more chewy and less slimy. If you’re likely to be cooking for just one or two people, cut your slab of tofu into a few smaller chunks and place in a Ziploc bag before putting it in the freezer. This way when you’re ready to cook it you can just pull out what you will need for that meal.

2. A few hours before meal time, bring a pot of water to a boil, take however much tofu you want to use out of the freezer and submerge it in the boiling water for 15 minutes or so.

3. Remove it from the boiling water and wrap it in a dish towel for a few minutes to sop up some of the excess water. Once it’s cool enough to handle cut it into slices or cubes.

4. Marinate it as you would any meat. A little garlic, oil, and soy sauce works well. Or simply toss it in whatever sauce you’ll be using for the stir fry (butter chicken or thai peanut sauces are yummy choices).

5. Heat some oil in a frying pan or wok. Place your tofu in a single layer on the pan for about 5 minutes then flip onto other side for another 5 minutes or so. You can cook your veggies simultaneously in the same pan around the tofu, just be careful not to flip the tofu around too much because you want to make sure it cooks equally on each side.

6. Add your sauce and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

7. Snap a photo of your meal and post to your various social media accounts, inspiring others to try vegetarian or vegan recipes! #veganbrag

If you have any vegetarian/vegan cooking tips or recipes that don’t require the use of an oven, please share here or post them to the go greenish facebook page :)

DISCLAIMER: I still plan on eating beef once in a while, so if you catch me at the Keg please spare me the snarky comments insinuating that I’m a hypocrite. In addition to the occasional steak, in all honesty there are a few cow-based meals that I may never give up. Specifically, my mom’s beef barley soup and THE FLANK (i.e. my mother-in-law’s marinated flank steak).

One of the things I am trying to do with this post is offer an alternative to the all or nothing mentality when it comes to meat/dairy consumption. If you’re not interested in going vegan… I totally get it. I don’t want to do it either! I am on the other hand very much up for working on cutting down on the amount of meat I eat (especially beef) and hope that this blog will inspire those of you who would never dream of going vegan to at least consider cutting down on meat a wee bit and incorporating more non-animal derived foods into your diet.

Last but not least…

#Environment #climate change #ditchthebeef #veganish

January - Laundry

Here are some easy ways you can go greener with your laundry:

1. Use mainly cold water setting

When researching this topic, I learned that heating up the water accounts for almost 90% of the energy used by your washing machine. Click here for more information on switching to cold water washing:

https://www.ase.org/resources/efficient-laundry-wash-clothes-cold-water-save-energy

2. Only do laundry during off-peak hours

In Ontario, off peak hours are between 7pm and 7am Monday-Friday and any time on Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to saving you money, doing laundry during off-peak hours will reduce your carbon footprint as the proportion of energy drawn from green (e.g. hydroelectric) as opposed to non-green (e.g. natural gas) sources is better during off-peak hours.

3. Hang at least 50% of your laundry to dry

I bought this big contraption for about 40$ at Canadian tire:

I initially experimented with hanging 100% of a few loads but personally found this practice far too tedious to keep up. While I don’t realistically see myself hanging up every last sock and pair of underwear for each load of laundry that I do, I am finding it very doable to hang 50-75% of most loads.

4. Clean out your dryer vent

No, I’m not talking about the lint trap... though obviously you should clean that out too! I’m talking about the big silver tube that comes out the back. Clearing this out once a year or so will increase the efficiency of your dryer. Follow this link for instructions on how to do it:

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Clothes-Dryer-Vent

Looking to purchase a washer and/or dryer in the near future?

If so, keep an eye out for models with the ENERGY STAR label. Want to know how energy efficient a particular washer or dryer is relative to similar models? The website below provides energy efficiency information for a wide range of household appliances, heating/cooling equipment, electronics...etc.

http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/pml-lmp/index.cfm?action=app.welcome-bienvenue

And finally...

#Environment #climate change #reducereuserecycle #laundry

Welcome Fellow Planeteers!

Like many of you I have been growing increasingly worried about the future of our planet... and yet I frequently find myself making not so green choices in my day to day life because, well, the greener option is either less convenient, more expensive, not quite as tasty..etc. While I have the utmost respect and admiration for people who bike to work, people who have given up eating meat, people who choose to go with cloth diapers… to be perfectly honest I don’t see myself doing any of these things in 2017. Maybe in a few years I’ll be ready to make these sorts of bigger sacrifices, but for now I’m going to start with the easy stuff.

This blog is aimed mainly at people who like me want to do their part to leave a habitable planet for future generations, but aren’t so keen on making big lifestyle changes or spending a lot of money. In this vein, the majority of the suggestions I will make will be relatively easy to implement and require minimal personal sacrifice.

For each month in 2017, I will be challenging myself to pick a topic, do a wee bit of research, and implement at least one green change in that area in my own life. I will then post a brief summary of what I learned and provide some suggestions for how you too can make an easy improvement or two in this area. I will be using the following system to rate how difficult I personally find each suggestion to be:

Lastly, I will also be posting a “dubsey’s green tip of the month” based on annoying and gross things I would prefer my husband NOT do... even though they may technically result in less energy and/or water wastage :p

I hope you’ll join me in going greenish in 2017!

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