By Cathy Mitchell Huels

Imagine a carbon neutral fleet of taxi cabsortransport trucks.  Have you seen carbon neutral books or ice cream on the market?  Would you choose a businessorservice because they are contributing to carbon reduction projects?  Being carbon neutral can set a business apart from the competition. A business can offset emissions from its entire operation, partial operations like air travel, or a specific product.

In speaking to some local small business owners in Peterborough I learned that we all have our own opinions about what carbon offsets are and if they indeed serve as a vehicle to reduce carbon in the atmosphere or if they are a permit to pollute.  It is true that in a voluntary carbon market purchasing offsets has been referred to as the ‘wild west’.  No watchdogorgovernment regulations means consumers of carbon offsets must research and think critically about what a seller is offering and how their products are verified.

In order to ensure the projects you invest in are legitimate and that you mitigate the risks from your own carbon management strategy there is a great resource from the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute that helps with the entire process and identifies verification standards.  Doing Business in a New Climate: A Guide to Measuring, Reducing and Offsetting Green House Gas Emissions is a guide put together to help consumers make smart decisions when purchasing carbon offsets.

The guide, which can be found on the Suzuki Foundation website, is very clear that offsetting is only a part of a successful green house gas (GHG) or carbon management strategy and action plan. It illustrates that offsetting is a three part process: measuring GHG emissions, reducing GHG emissions and then offsetting remaining emissions to become carbon neutral.  Over time, the lead principle should be to reduce the number of offsets that need to be purchased, by finding more ways to reduce emissions.

Vancity, Canada’s largest credit union, is known as an innovator in the financial sector and has implemented many social and environmental programs in the course of its business. Great examples include the credit union’s Clean Air Auto Loan, and low-interest loans for energy efficiency retrofits for homes and businesses.

In 2005, Vancity made a commitment to make its entire operations carbon neutral by 2010. However, in 2008, Vancity announced it had already achieved this goal, making the company the first North American based financial institution to do so. The credit union is serving as an example to Canada’s thousands of businesses, large and small.

Currently in Ontario carbon offsets are voluntary, but in other provinces and countries going carbon neutral is policy and industry standard.  Businesses are investigating carbon neutralization as a voluntary method to stay ahead of regulation and to gain a responsible reputation.  Consumers are continually looking forthe eco-vacation, the airline that has an offset option, and locally grown and made products.   Large corporations are spending big money being good corporate citizens and to ensure that their consumers and their competition know about it.

Currently if you want to invest in a carbon offset to balance your carbon footprint you could invest in renewable energy projects outside ofOntario, tire recyclingorenergy efficiency projects inQuebec, agricultural carbon sequestering in the western provinces, forestation and protection projects inBritish Columbiaora methane capture projectNiagara Falls.

What if the carbon offset projects were even closer to home and we could protect our wetlands and forests?  Every purchase could contribute to planting more trees and making our community more liveable in Peterborough.  We could create local gardens, food programs, urban green space or energy efficiency projects right in our own backyard.

Carbon offsetting is not the stand alone solution to our changing climate but a necessary part of Peterborough’s reduction strategy. Without sincere investments from business, governments and individuals looking to balance their carbon footprint local projects that reduce green house gas emissions will not be created.

At Peterborough Green-Up we are always looking forways to assist businesses andorganizations to adopt sustainable practices and take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in reducing waste and enhancing efficiency.  Our business program is collaborating with Kawartha Heritage Conservancy to look at offsetting carbon as a part of our community reduction strategy.  Join the conversation at www.localcarbonoffsets.com.

Cathy Mitchell Huels is Peterborough Green-Up’s business programs coordinator. Cathy works with local businesses to help them achieve their goals of going green. 

Green-Up Certified Energy Advisor David Hobson inspects a homeowner's furnace during her pre-retrofit home energy evaluation.

An easy step you can take to reduce your energy costs is by making your home more energy efficient.

Each year, Canadians lose millions of dollars in heating costs through air leakage around doors, windows, electrical outlets and more. These same homes may be heated with outdated and inefficient heating appliances like gas and oil furnaces manufactured decades ago. With money tight for many of us, there may not necessarily be enough to go around to make improvements to the home.

For a very limited time, there may be a solution to that problem. The federal government brought back the ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes program earlier this year, earmarking funds for homeowners who want to make their homes more efficient.

Running only until March of next year, ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes, gives grants to homeowners who want to make upgrades to their home such as installing high-efficiency heating/cooling systems, adding insulation, installing new windows or weatherproofing. There’s no better time to green your home and cut back on heating and cooling costs. In today’s tough economic climate, saving every penny really does count.

Before you can perform any upgrades or retrofits you must register with Natural Resources Canada. This can be done online at www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/register or by calling 1-800-622-6232 if you don’t have internet access.

The next step is to have a pre-retrofit energy evaluation completed at your home by one of Green-Up’s Certified Energy Advisors. To schedule an evaluation you can call Cobi at 745-3238 ext 202 and she’ll book an appointment for you and advise you of the fees associated with the evaluation.

The energy advisor will come to your home, and complete numerous tests, including a blower door test, which will determine where air leaks are happening. After the evaluation is complete, you will receive a detailed report that shows where your energy money is being spent and what you can do to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

After the initial energy evaluation is complete, time is of the essence. You only have until March 31, 2012 to choose which of the recommended upgrades you’re going to go ahead with and have the work completed. Following completion of the upgrades, you must book a second evaluation with one of our energy advisors to come and reassess your home. They’ll let you know of the improvements in energy efficiency. Essentially, the more upgrades you undertake, the more money you can receive and the more energy you can save.

The second evaluation is crucial, since the energy advisor completes the grant application on your behalf, based on the upgrades you have undertaken. A complete grant table is available which lists the dollar amount of grants depending on what work you have done. The maximum amount you can get back is $5000. Most homeowners will receive a cheque from the Government of Canada within 90 days of having their second evaluation.

With this being the final kick at the can for this program, I highly encourage you to take part while you still can. With the deadline just around the corner and the busy holiday season fast approaching there’s not a lot of time left to save energy and save money by making our homes more energy efficient.

Since some of us are already hanging lights, and there’s been reports of a fully decorated Christmas tree spotted in a local home, there’s no better time than the present to offer eco-friendly Christmas decorating tips.

Energy Efficient Lights

Take advantage of light exchanges. In past years, some utility companies and retailers gave customers the opportunity to bring their old and inefficient incandescent Christmas lights to exchange for a new string of LED lights or a discount coupon to go towards the purchase of string.

Despite there being some incandescent varieties still on store shelves, moving towards LED is the way to go. While they cost a bit more upfront, the energy savings really add up over the course of the holiday season. In addition to the energy and cost savings, LED lights last much longer with some going as long as 25,000 hours which is equivalent to12 holiday seasons.

Buy Recycled

Search out green-themed Christmas decorations in local stores. These can include recycled items such as eco-friendly Christmas crackers and fabric gift bags to reusable boxes made from sustainable bamboo. Other green items include fair-trade stockings, recycled wrapping paper, recycled glass or metal ornaments, or recycled party supplies. 

Go Natural

How about decking the halls with real holly this year? Rather than spending money on artificial Christmas decorations that won’t bio-degrade, nature offers lots of beautiful mediums to decorate your home.

Other all natural ideas include using organic popcorn, cinnamon sticks, bows, gingerbread, seasonal berries, organic fruit and vegetables, ivy and evergreen branches, pine cones and painted eggshells. The great part about this is that many of these items can go right into your compost after the Christmas season is done. 

Beeswax Candles

Did you know that beeswax candles are better for the environment than all other types of commercially produced candles you find in stores today? Traditional candles are made from paraffin wax, which is a petroleum product. In addition to being made from a non-renewable resource they also release soot when they burn, which contains a number of known or suspected carcinogens and can blacken walls and ceilings over time. Beeswax candles are completely renewable, there are no harsh chemicals in them, and they can be obtained locally.

Buy Homemade

They might cost a little more than a plastic Santa that was shipped in from China, but check out the holiday craft fairs for handmade ornaments and other pieces that are created from natural materials. We have many wonderful events in the coming weeks that feature locally made crafts and decorations, and you can also find these items at local famers markets. Locally produced crafts come in little or no packaging which is another bonus in this season of excess.

Greetings Valued Customers,

The holiday season is soon upon us.  We’re running with the retail herd and promoting extra early to let you know that we have some great gift ideas for the holiday season.  Please take a look below to see some of our new products and gift ideas.

Also, we’ll have select items on sale in November ranging from 20-30% off. Swing by our store location at 378 Aylmer Street North to see our sale and full line of products.

Plantable Greeting Cards and Gift Tags!

Friendly and approachable, with an eco-conscious message you can’t miss, these plantable Christmas cards will be a welcome gift to anyone. A portion of each sale from these eco-friendly greeting cards will go to Community Forests International, to plant trees for food and timber sustainability. Each card is printed on eco-friendly plantable paper that grows wildflowers when planted.

Our popular plantable flat card gift tags are styled for the Christmas season, with plantable seed paper trees that grow spruce trees when planted. These Christmas gift tags are an eco-friendly way to creatively present a gift.
Botanical Paperworks

Reusable Cotton Gift Bags!

Wrapping gifts with conventional gift wrap is an unexamined ritual that needlessly wastes resources and contributes to pollution and swelling landfills.

Be a conscious consumer and give gifts in this reusable cotton gift bag. The environmental cycle continues when the recipient of your gift gets to reuse the gift bag when they give gifts and so on and so on.
Enviro Threads – Organic and Recycled Bags

Green Toys!

Green Toys Inc. makes an awesome line of classic children’s toys constructed from recycled plastic and other environmentally friendly materials. This helps reduce fossil fuel use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improving the overall health and happiness of the planet.

Green Toys Inc. use recycled milk containers as the main ingredient in creating their toys. Yes, the exact plastic milk jugs that you and your family drink from every day.

Check out the recycling truck, pizza parlour, sandwich shop and ecosaucer.

Green Toys

Daddy Van’s – A Whole Lotta Love in Every Tin!

Daddy Van’s All Natural Beeswax Furniture Polish is naturally chemical free, nontoxic, and safe for your home and your family; and it leaves furniture and cabinetry nourished, healthy and glowing!

Only pure unrefined beeswax and the finest natural emollients go into Daddy Van’s All Natural Beeswax Furniture Polish.  No petroleum byproducts. No solvents. No artificial fragrances.  It’s ture – Daddy Van’s is absolutely chemical free!  Every ingredient is renewable and Earth-friendly.

Daddy Van’s Website

Products from Recycled Bicycle Parts!

Resource Revivial – create fun, functional products from recycled bicycle parts. Every year, bike shops all over the United States send  tons of tons of greasy used bicycle parts to them. Then their team of artists tinkers with them until new products are born. They call this Rebicycling!

Bottle openers – flexible recycled bike chain handle and colorful anodized aluminum head. So fun to play with you’ll wish twist-offs had never been invented.

Recycled bike chain earrings – So cool and light you won’t believe they are made from recycled bike chain. They break old chains down into their component parts and then super-clean the chain plates to make these great looking earrings.

Resource Revival

People Towels – the newest concept in sustainability

PeopleTowels, an on-the-go alternative to paper towels, are reusable personal hand towels that make going green as easy as drying your hands. Made only of 100% organic Fair Trade Cotton.  B.Y.O.Towel™ to save trees, reduce landfill waste, cut CO2 emissions and conserve water.

People Towels

Buncha Farmers – Makers of 100% Natural Products!

Manuka Honey Soap – These all natural soaps are perfect for people with sensitive skin or if you want a more moisturizing feel from your soap, Manuka Honey and Lavender is calming and soothing the Manuka Honey and Lemongrass deodorizes and refreshes the Manuka Honey and Oatmeal is non scented with the goodness of oatmeal and honey.

Their soaps are all handmade here in Ontario using only the finest of ingredients.

 Stain Remover Stick – Buncha Farmers All Natural Stain Remover works on grass, red wine, ketchup, blood, grease, underarm stains, and so much more. Even the most stubborn stains are washed away. Your favourite blouse, your grandmother’s lace tablecloth, your child’s car seat, even your walls and carpets – all of them can be treated with All Natural Stain Remover. Mechanic’s Soap – When you get “GOOD and GREASY” from working on your car or some other messy job then their MECHANICS SOAP is the one you want to get your hands nice and clean again with the refreshing scent of mint. Do it the All Natural Way without worrying about burning or dryness.

Buncha Farmers

Cooperative Games, Playing Together – Not Against Each Other!

 This game draws the most fan mail!

First, gardens are planted. Then everyone rolls the special die. to do the harvesting. The job is to harvest the gardens before Winter comes. Will we get them all? Maybe, if we remember to help each other out.

We are shepherds and farmers keeping sheep. We put as many sheep and lambs to pasture as we safely can … but from time to time the Coyotes come round.  They are tricky, but not always as clever as we are. We have barn space and the help of our trusty Sheep Dog and Amazing LLama to protect our flock. As night approaches we will have to be especially alert and ready to work as a team.

An exciting co-operative game that will be played over and over again.

 An ecology game for children! Planet Earth can be a beautiful place, shared by all. Sadly, it has been harmed and made ugly in lots of ways. Players work together to restore the beauty. Can they do it before the dark pollution clouds encircle the beautiful place? They have a much better chance if they work together.

Environmental concepts are presented in a simple way. Or, just play it as an exciting nature game.

Games in stock are Let’s Make Pizza, Granny’s House, Snowstorm, Round Up, Yard Sale, Walk in the Woods, Skunk and MANY MORE!

Family Pastimes Cooperative Games

Trees offer us everything from food, to shelter, to shade on a hot day, but having so many of them around often leaves us taking them for granted.  It’s hoped this will change as we approach the end of 2011, named International Year of Forests (IYF) by the United Nations.

The year-long celebration presents an opportunity for Canadians to join the international community in raising awareness of how forests contribute to a healthy environment and to the quality of life enjoyed by people everyday. IYF is an occasion for us to showcase forest-related events and activities, as well as to demonstrate Canada’s leadership in sustainable forest management.

The United Nations declared 2011 Year of the Forest. People around the world are celebrating the importance of trees and forests and the roles they play in our daily lives.

The theme of the IYF celebration is “Forests for People,” highlighting the value of forests and their economic and social relationship with humankind. Working towards a sustainable future requires passion, innovation and strategy, but more importantly it requires the effort of each and every one of us.

Only recently have we begun to appreciate the environmental services that trees and forests provide. In most cases trees aren’t valued enough, and remain uncounted in economic statistics. It’s estimated that over a 50 year lifespan of an average mature tree, we can reap more than $162,000 in ecological goods and services.  These include oxygen generation, air pollution control, soil erosion and water recycling.

While we think of forests and trees mainly being in rural and remote areas, we also have an important urban forest here in the city. Urban trees play equally important roles as their rural counterparts, while facing many more challenges on a daily basis.

Studies are starting to show just how valuable our urban trees really are. A recent study undertaken in Toronto has determined the value of that city’s forest space. Results show this particular urban forest absorbs $31.6 million worth of carbon and would cost approximately $7 billion to replace. The immense value of the urban forest is not unique to Toronto, but shared with municipalities across Canada.

Trees really are a resource that are highly valued and under appreciated. If it weren’t for trees, we’d be living very different lives. As we push further into autumn, get out and enjoy some our local trees, or better yet plant one of your own.  Forests are a precious resource that we need to do more to protect for future generations.

GLOBAL FOREST FACTS

• 30% of forests are used for production of wood and non-wood 
  products.

• Forests cover 31% of total land area.
• The livelihoods of over 1.6 billion people depend on forests.
• Primary forests account for 36% of forest area.
• Trade in forest products was estimated at $327 billion in 2004.

The Environmental Farm Plan program helps farmers perform a variety of projects on their land that improve our environment. A classic example is fencing livestock out of waterways to ensure the water stays as clean as possible.

Here in the Kawarthas farming is one of the main industries that keep our local economy going strong. Our farmers not only provide jobs, but also supply us with delicious local food. The family farm has been an important part of our province for decades and while farming is never easy, these hard working people continue to persevere.

Farmers face a long list of challenges on a daily basis. Weather conditions, wild predators, and of course ensuring their farm operation has as little environmental impact as possible. One local program is helping with the later concern by offering financial incentives and professional advice to owners of farmland.  The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) program allows farmers to assess the environmental risks on their farms and learn what types of action they can take to alleviate these risks.

In the Kawartha region, a variety of organizations have collaborated and are building on the success of the Environmental Farm Plan, including Stewardship Councils from Peterborough, Victoria and Northumberland Counties, the Community Stream Stewards Program, Ducks Unlimited Canada, Kawartha Conservation and Otonabee Conservation as well as the Lakeland Alliance. Together, these organizations provide funding, technical support and physical resources to farmland owners looking to reduce on-farm risks to the environment.

Funding from these partners provides additional money for farmers making certain kinds of improvements to their farms. Appropriate technical assistance is also provided, which aids farmers by giving them advice on how to carry these environmental projects through to completion.

It’s because of this important work that the Kawartha Farm Stewardship Collaborative recently won a 2011 Minister’s Award for Environmental Excellence from Ontario Environment Minister John Wilkinson. The award is one of only six across the province, recognizing “leadership and innovation in environmental protection”.

In 2010, thirty-four projects were funded by the collaborative with a total value of $240,000. The farmland owners contributed to the projects, either financially, through physical labour or using on-farm materials or equipment to carry out the project.

Projects focus on water quality and habitat protection on farmland, as well as areas downstream. The most common activity undertaken was installing fencing to prevent livestock from entering streams, wetlands and lakes where they go to drink.

As part of these projects, alternative sources of water are provided, which include solar systems. These systems are extremely important due to electricity generally isn’t available in most pastures. Other projects include construction of proper stream crossings, restoring wetlands and controlling erosion.

These types of projects are often thought of by farmers as “nice to have”. They don’t enhance the day-to-day business of the farm and they cost money, which, given today’s economic conditions, might be tight. Another barrier is that many projects require permitting, engineered solutions or technical knowledge that many famers don’t have the time or resources to obtain. By offering support in getting through these barriers, the collaborative is able to accomplish projects that otherwise would not have been tackled at all, and providing a huge environmental benefit.

Those who own farmland and are curious about the program or want to participate can attend a free Environmental Farm Plan workshop and complete a self-assessment of potential environmental risks on their property.  They are then invited to submit project ideas to the collaborative to proceed with identified improvements.

The members of the collaborative then work together to commit the level of funding, expertise and support required to bring the project within the means of the farm owner. The collaborative is on track to complete projects valued over $500,000 in 2011.

Those interested in learning more about the EFP program can contact Pat Learmonth at 705-295-1590.

This is a fantastic opportunity for local farms to reduce their impact on the environment by taking part in the Environmental Farm Plan program. Farmers not only have the opportunity improve the quality of water on their farms, but also help preserve our  lakes, rivers and streams for generations to come. That’s something we all will benefit from.

School buses are said to be among the safest vehicles on the road– a fact I’m willing to attest to. I have a lot of first-hand experience, considering I spent two hours on a bus every day for 12 years of my elementary, middle and high school education.

Some of the worst times to be on the bus were between the months of March and May. Huge frost heaves would develop in the road, pot holes would open up and the ride would be almost unbearable.  I’m not sure why it occurs, but the force of going over a bump seems to be multiplied tenfold when you’re in the rear of the bus. I’ll never forget the time the driver forget to slow down for a particular rough patch of road—I literally got bounced out of my seat and into the centre aisle.

While not always comfortable, the school bus is an affordable, eco-friendly way to get to school. I could have driven my car, arrived 30 minutes sooner and without being bumped around nearly as much, but chose to ride out the rough roads on the big yellow bus.

The school yard is a great place to start when educating our children on living an active and physical life. Starting early leads to a long and healthy future. Next Wednesday we celebrate International Walk to School Day, a day which sees thousands of kids around the world walking, biking, rollerblading or taking any other form of active transportation to school for the day.

Last year, students at Monsignor O'Donoghue Elementary School hosted International Walk to School Day and were greeted by Cool Captain Climate, Elmer the Safety Elephant and members of the Peterborough Lakefield Community Police Service.

International Walk to School Day is more than just getting together with students and going for a walk to school as a special event. While this important, the larger goal is to bring permanent change in communities worldwide. Some of many goals include:

• Encouraging physical activity by teaching our children the skills to walk safely, how to identify safe routes to school, and the benefits of walking, biking, rollerblading etc.
• Show  how walkable communities are and draw attention to areas where improvements can be made
• Raise concern for the environment and the positive effects sustainable transportation can have
• Reduce crime and take back neighbourhoods for people on foot
• Cut down on traffic congestion, pollution, and speeding cars in school zones
• Educate local community leaders, parents, and children on the benefits of sustainable transportation

The goal of the walk varies from place to place. Some walks rally for street improvements and safer routes to destinations, some to promote healthier habits and physical activity and others to promote environmental awareness.

Here in the Peterborough area, partners of Active and Safe Routes to School and students from Queen Elizabeth Public School will host the event on Wednesday, October 5th. They’ll arrive at school using sustainable modes of transportation such as taking the bus, walking, biking, rollerblading, skateboarding and be greeted by Cool Captain Climate with musical entertainment and Elmer the Safety Elephant.

In the last few years International Walk to School Day has continued to grow and it can be hoped the message behind walking to school for a day will get out to students and their families.

For more information about active transportation and commuting or local International Walk to School Day efforts check out www.peterboroughmoves.com.

-Matt

The story of the intense Texas drought caught my attention this weekend. The state has been baking in temperatures never seen over such a long period and rain has been scarce.

Texas is in the worst stage of drought possible, this according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The state just came out of the driest 11 months on record and is in the midst of the worst single-year drought ever.

Fall is a great time to become familiar with your well, learn how it works and perform routine maintenance.

To add insult to injury, the state also had the hottest June through August period ever recorded in the U.S. Some cities have seen 40 to 50 (or more) days of temperatures above 38°C, or 100°F.

Last week authorities near the city of Forth Worth were forced to perform a fish rescue. Smalleye shiners and sharpnose shiners, rare minnows, were rescued from a river that had stopped flowing due to extremely low water levels.

Another problem the state is facing is wells going dry. The Star-Telegram, a newspaper based in Forth Worth, reports that the levels of aquifers that many depend on for drinking water are dropping fast.

Bob Patterson, president of a groundwater conservation district, told the newspaper that the drought has caused aquifer levels to dip seven, to as much as 15 meters in some places.

“I’ve got one well where we had a (nine metre) drop in one week,” Parker said.

Conditions here in Ontario are nothing like what Texas is facing, but the state is providing a good example of what can happen to those of us who depend on wells if something were to happen to our own water supply.  While drought isn’t an issue here, other problems can result in the loss of access to drinking water, the largest being contamination.

The fall season is a great time to step out into your yard and have a close look at your well before the snow flies.  There are a few tips you can follow to ensure your well is in good condition and continues to provide a reliable source of water.

For those with a drilled well, you need to ensure the well cap is in good condition. There shouldn’t be any cracks or

Sign up for a FREE Well Aware visit by calling 705-745-3238 ext 207.

damage and the cap should be tightly attached to the well casing. Under the cap are vents which should be clear of debris so the well maintains proper airflow.

After looking at the cap, inspect the well casing. Look for any signs of damage. Don’t remove the cap, as there will be little to see due to poor visibility and you risk damaging the water supply by potentially introducing contaminates.

Do you know what the annular seal is? When your well was drilled, there was a space left between the casing the drilled hole. A special sealant was used to fill that space. If you notice a depression around the casing of the well that can be an indication that the seal is collapsed, shrunk or cracked. This can allow surface water to contaminate your drinking water supply. If you suspect problems with your annular seal, call a licensed well contractor immediately.

Fall is also a time when lots of lawn and garden maintenance happens. It’s important that power equipment must be refuelled far from a well. As little as one litre of spilled gasoline can contaminate up to one million litres of groundwater.  This same advice should be followed when changing the oil in vehicles or other equipment. If possible refuel or change oil over paved or hard surfaces to reduce the risk of foreign substances entering soil.

Having gardens located next to or surrounding wells is also not a good idea. Remove any gardens and avoid using fertilizers and pesticides near the location of your well. An acceptable alternative would be a low growing ground cover.

Signing up for a Well Aware visit is something well owners should also consider. The free, confidential guided self-assessment from a certified Well Advisor will walk you through these steps and more. The Advisor can identify potential problems with your well, offer expert, independent advice, and give you a written report.  Anything discussed between you and the Well Advisor is kept strictly confidential and isn’t shared with anyone.

If you would like to sign up for a visit or more information, contact Mike Gibbs at 745-3238 ext 207. You can visit the program website at www.wellaware.ca.

As we’ve seen in Texas, groundwater is a resource we often don’t think about until it’s gone. Working to protect it is something we all need to strive towards doing.

Peterborough Green-Up, in partnership with Peterborough Distribution Inc., TD Canada Trust, Generation Solar and Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront is excited to bring filmmaker and Ottawa City Councillor David Chernushenk and his film Powerful: Energy for Everyone to Peterborough. A green economy educator, David will take a journey starting with his own electricity bill where an ongoing “nuclear debt retirement charge” appears every month. He will journey to the other side of the Atlantic to visit pioneering communities in Germany and Denmark who benefit from 100% renewable energy supply. Out in California and back in Ontario, he will lead an examination of the North America’s flirtations with renewables. Putting it all in context, he’ll take it all back to his own house and personal quest to be a part of a clean energy future and an empowered community. Leading by example, the viewer will discover with David the power to make a difference in their own life.

The screening is Thursday, September 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Peterborough Public Library Auditorium. Admission is by donation to Peterborough Green-Up. This event is sponsored by Peterborough Distribution Inc., TD Canada Trust, Generation Solar and Holiday Inn Peterborough Waterfront.

Learn more about the filmmaker and watch the trailer at powerfulthemovie.com

For years now, we’ve been preaching the message of home weatherization to not only reduce energy costs, but also reduce the amount of resources consumed.  Reducing the amount of energy we use has a positive environmental impact with cleaner air and reduced needs to look for new sources of energy.

Recently, a new program was launched for residents of Peterborough City/County and the City of Kawartha Lakes by

Weatherization measures like caulking, draft proofing and adding insulation are all measures that can make a home more energy efficient.

Enbridge Gas Distribution. If you’re an Enbridge customer in financial need you have the opportunity to participate in the company’s “Home Weatherization Program” to receive free energy efficiency improvements to your home, whether you rent or own.

Enbridge will pay for all improvements which typically include insulation upgrades and draft proofing, if you qualify for the program.

To qualify for the Home Weatherization Program you must live in the City or County of Peterborough or City of Kawartha Lakes, have your home heated by natural gas, be a customer of Enbridge Gas Distribution, and pay your own natural gas bill.

You also qualify if you receive government assistance from programs such as Ontario Works, Guaranteed Income Supplement, National Child Benefit Supplement or the Allowance for Seniors or Allowance for Survivors.

Depending on the number of people living in your home, if your income level falls at or under one of seven predefined levels set by Enbridge, you may also qualify for the program.

There are many great reasons to take part in the Home Weatherization Program, with the most important for many being the opportunity to cut energy costs. By taking part, you have the opportunity to lower your gas bill by as much as 30%, meaning more money in your pocket at the end of the month.

Having energy efficient upgrades performed on your home also make it far more comfortable by reducing drafts, and allowing you to have greater control over the home’s temperature.  At the same time, you’re also increasing the value of your home. Future buyers and tenants enjoy energy-efficient homes.

Participating in the program is easy and you can confirm your eligibility in three easy steps.

First, fill out a program application form available from Green-Up or Enbridge Gas Distribution. With the form you need to provide proof of your income.  This can be your last income tax assessment or a benefit statement. This information stays strictly confidential and is not shared with anyone else. Since the program does not require your social insurance number, feel free to black this information out.  Finally, return the form to Green-Up or Enbridge for processing.

After we receive your application, we review it to ensure your eligibility in the program and if you qualify, we call you to schedule a visit to your home by one of our certified energy advisors. The advisor typically will inspect your attic and wall insulation, tests how drafty your home is and inspects equipment like heat, water heater and ventilation.

Once this stage of the program is complete and if you still qualify, a crew of contractors will be sent to your home to make the energy efficiency and draft proofing improvements recommended by the energy advisor.

Finally, after all the work is complete, we’ll send our energy advisor back to your home to do one final test. This test will show how much the energy efficiency of your home has improved compared to before the draft sealing and insulation work was completed. Generally speaking, the greatest efficiency savings are likely in homes at least 30 years old.

The great part about this program is its cost—there is none. The program and all work completed on your home is absolutely free, and there’s no catch. You’ll see a drop in your energy bills and your energy consumption will drop. The great part about this program is that the environment wins too. Less gas consumed is less we have to worry about producing at a later date and gives us cleaner air in the near term.

For more information on the Home Weatherization Program, call Alex Mortlock at 705-745-3238 ext 200.