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(NC)—Installing a new patio this year? A driveway or walkway? Now is the time to consider how this can be an upgrade and an environmentally sound improvement. One pavement that meets both requirements is permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs). They look like popular concrete paving stones but work in a different manner. PICPs have a small space between the pavers. This space is filled with small stones that allow runoff to filter down between the pavers. The water filters down further to stone layers beneath that store the water. Finally the water will filter into the soil, reducing stormwater runoff and pollution.
Every Canadian homeowner can have a positive impact on the home environment through improvements that lower pollution. PICPs offer an environmentally-friendly solution and they are aesthetically pleasing. They are available in many shapes, sizes, textures and colours. Homeowners can even select a lighter more reflective colour and reduce the heat island effect created by existing asphalt pavements. Read the rest of this entry »
Spring is in the air – the geese are coming back, and with more than 3 hours of sunlight a day, you’re ready to don your beloved flip flops and hop in the hammock! But do you secretly dread confronting your household ‘to do’ list? This Spring, avoid those stressful jobs with a green helping hand! Visit www.GreenPros.ca – A fresh online directory where you can connect with leading green home professionals like Ecological Homes, Geo-Flo Energy Services and Shelterbelt Architecture!
Andrea Jones, founder of eco home resource Raising Spaces shares that, “home building and renovation projects can easily elevate household stress levels and lead to burnout. This is especially true for eco and health conscious do-it-yourselfers, since the extra challenge of researching more sustainable products and building methods is time-consuming and challenging.” With Green Pros, you can now skip the stress, avoid expensive mistakes and find the right professional for your home and values, inside and out.Read the rest of this entry »
(NC)—Run a search on dirty dishes on the internet and you will find that not only is this a topic of much discussion and debate, it is a highly personal and emotional issue.
Forums offer advice, suggestions and tips for how to hide those dirty dishes when company comes—in the oven, under the sink, in the laundry basket—to name just a few. Some write to vent their frustrations—“how can so many dirty dishes pile up so fast when there are just two of us?” one woman asks. A highly-rated video shows three young men dealing with their angst when the kitchen is overrun by an unsightly pile of dishes and cookware. The problem is solved when one waves his hand and the dishes magically disappear, no doubt accounting for the popularity of the movie. Read the rest of this entry »
(NC)—Water heaters quietly function in basement corners across the country, providing hot water to millions of families on a daily basis. Most take hot water for granted, but when a water heater stops providing hot water, one wonders what they really know about their water tank. Dave Walton, director home ideas with Direct Energy talks about the most common myths and questions he’s heard around water heaters recently:
Myth: You have dirty water if you have an older water heater.
Truth: Water heaters work for years without accumulating any significant buildup of rust – that’s how they are designed. Small amounts of sediment or lime can accumulate at the bottom of the tank over the life of a water heater, but since hot water is pulled from the top of the tank, your water is largely unaffected by the small deposits of sediment.
Good news for apartment-dwelling gardener wannabes: You can build your own window gardens and grow veggies in your bachelor pad! Hydroponic gardening has always been around for those comfortable tinkering with the components. But with Window Farms’ handy DIY instructions, you can assemble this simple system called the ‘air lift’ in an hour with less than $30!
We continue to be inspired and disturbed, optimistic and pessimistic, excited and depressed. Seems that we are also not alone in these oscillating waves of emotion. But what is clear is that it’s emotion in the form of love, passion, and fulfillment that is driving us towards a sustainable future and giving meaning to our lives. We feel driven to do what it is we do. Check out the end of this post to see our latest ideas…
So here’s a quick snapshot for the goings on here at Eco-Sense.
A busy summer building the cob bathroom (with composting toilet) at the local lake. So far we have about 150 hours of volunteer time invested.
Donations are being accepted to the “Highland Park and Recreation Association”. Tax receipts issued for amounts over $50.
There has been a great deal of publicity on this project (and composting toilets) including the Goldstream Gazette, CBC radio, Monday Magazine, and Chek TV. It’s been busy around here!Read the rest of this entry »
Fear not. If you didn’t get a chance to catch our first Eco Reno Demo Day on July 18th, 2009 you can still get an earful of the action!
Rebecca Rooney from local radio station CJSR’s Terra Informa program stopped in to capture some sound bytes and interview some of the folks who were there. Tune in to this pod cast to hear from Raising Spaces founder Andrea Jones, as well as Deborah Merriam of ecoDomestica reDesign, Clint Moar of Tailored Woodworking, and James McLeod of Panel Source International.
School’s out, and summer vacation is upon us. If you’re like me, you’re trying to think of good ways to keep your kids entertained. How about these summer eco-activities?
1. Enrol your kids in summer camps and classes for budding naturalists, like those offered at Edmonton’s Devonian Botanic Garden or John Janzen Nature Centre. My daughter was at camp at the DBG in the rain this week and LOVED it.
2. Plant a fruit tree or vegetable garden together: you’ll be growing memories and your own food. Yes, many garden centres and some farmers’ markets still have transplants available if you didn’t get it together to start from seed. This year, we’ve planted corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a pumpkin plant in the sunny back corner of our yard. Read the rest of this entry »
Bullfrog Power, together with Enbridge Gas Distribution, EnerWorks, and the Government of Canada today announced the launch of a new Solar Water Heating Program.
Solar water heating allows homeowners to reduce their energy costs and environmental impact by harnessing the sun’s energy through the installation of their own solar water heating systems.
At the time of purchase, qualifying homeowners will receive a substantial savings on the purchase and installation of their own solar water heating systems. These savings are made possible through the Government of Canada’s ecoENERGY for Renewable Heat program and volume discounts from EnerWorks. Interested homeowners may also qualify for further rebates and credits through the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program, provincial rebates and the new Home Renovation Tax Credit.
This limited-time offer will give homeowners in the Enbridge Gas Distribution franchise area the opportunity to save up to 50 per cent on their own solar water heating systems. They may also reduce their ongoing water heating energy costs by up to 60 per cent and financing for the installation is available from as little as $56 dollars a month. Read the rest of this entry »
Ashlie Ferguson appreciates poo. One Monday night in February, the UVic student hosted a poo party in her James Bay home, complete with turd cookies (okay, macaroons) and chunky chocolate-dipped bananas. The celebration was for Ferguson’s new self-built composting toilet, so the treats had the secondary function of, uh, fuelling the endeavour.
The guests’ reaction was a mix of fascination and disgust. “The initial concept was a little off-putting, but all aspects of queasiness have been subdued,” says fellow student Brendan Anderson. Since he lives close by, Anderson jokes that he now comes over just to contribute to the project.
But for Ferguson , recycling her refuse is the next step in living an environmentally conscious life. “It’s a whole new way to walk the talk,” she says. She is simply extending green eating to the follow-up; that is, what to do with food ex post facto. Read the rest of this entry »
(NC)—Installing a new patio this year? A driveway or walkway? Now is the time to consider how this can be an upgrade and an environmentally sound improvement. One pavement that meets both requirements is permeable interlocking concrete pavements (PICPs). They look like popular concrete paving stones but work in a different manner. PICPs have a small space between the pavers. This space is filled with small stones that allow runoff to filter down between the pavers. The water filters down further to stone layers beneath that store the water. Finally the water will filter into the soil, reducing stormwater runoff and pollution.
(NC)—Run a search on dirty dishes on the internet and you will find that not only is this a topic of much discussion and debate, it is a highly personal and emotional issue.
(NC)—Water heaters quietly function in basement corners across the country, providing hot water to millions of families on a daily basis. Most take hot water for granted, but when a water heater stops providing hot water, one wonders what they really know about their water tank. Dave Walton, director home ideas with Direct Energy talks about the most common myths and questions he’s heard around water heaters recently:
Good news for apartment-dwelling gardener wannabes: You can build your own window gardens and grow veggies in your bachelor pad! Hydroponic gardening has always been around for those comfortable tinkering with the components. But with 
2. Plant a fruit tree or vegetable garden together: you’ll be growing memories and your own food. Yes, many garden centres and some farmers’ markets still have transplants available if you didn’t get it together to start from seed. This year, we’ve planted corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, and a pumpkin plant in the sunny back corner of our yard. 
Bullfrog Power, together with Enbridge Gas Distribution, EnerWorks, and the Government of Canada today announced the launch of a new Solar Water Heating Program.