Nature Challenge Newsletter

Dear Nature Challenge Champion,

Our electrical appliances aren’t just connected to a socket on the wall - they're also connected to the natural world. By choosing energy-efficient homes and appliances, we can help conserve nature and reduce our energy bills.

Our political leaders can also help us help ourselves. Take a moment to send a free fax to Natural Resources Minister Herb Dhaliwal asking for new residential building standards and tax breaks for energy-saving retrofits.

Contents

1. Why is energy efficiency important?
2. Building better homes
3. Celebrity of the Month – Randy Bachman
4. Buy a star
5. Home energy $aving$
6. Unplugged
7. Nature Challenge Community

Why is energy efficiency important?

Your home is plugged into nature. Depending on the province where you live, your home electricity comes from burning fossil fuels, hydro-electric dams or nuclear power plants.

Each of these sources has environmental consequences - from air pollution and global warming to habitat loss and nuclear waste.

So wasting energy not only hurts your pocketbook but nature as well. Find out where your electricity comes from by reading our Green Guide (PDF) 

How can appliance choices help?

Choosing efficient appliances reduces electricity consumption. That means less pollution and lower energy bills.

For example, replacing a 10-year-old refrigerator with a new Energy Star-approved model would save enough energy to light your home for over three months!

Building better homes

If you’re building or buying a new home, choose one that meets R-2000 standards, the made-in-Canada guidelines that promote energy-efficient cost-effective homes.

New homes built to R-2000 standards use two-thirds the energy of conventional homes — an average 1.4 tonne reduction of annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy savings in an R-2000 home are achieved by improving home design, construction and detail. The standards also take indoor air quality and occupant health into account.

Homes designed to R-2000 standards cost two to four per cent more than standard homes, but cost less to maintain, reduce energy costs and are more comfortable and healthier to live in.

Download this document for more information.

Read an article on buying energy efficient homes.

Not building or buying a new home right now?

You can still make a difference by retrofitting your current home and save an average 25 per cent per year on home energy bills.

Just follow the EnerGuide home evaluation recommendations.

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THIS ACTION IS NOW CLOSED.

TAKE ACTION!Ask our federal leaders to mandate energy efficient R-2000 home standards and provide incentives to make energy saving retrofits to our homes.

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CELEBRITY OF THE MONTH

Randy Bachman

This legendary rocker knows first hand the benefits of an energy-efficient home. Heating his whole house uses the energy equivalent of running a refrigerator!

Check out Randy's eco-home. 

Buy a star!

Developed in the United States, the Energy Star label is quickly becoming an internationally recognized symbol for energy efficiency. Energy Star appliances are endorsed by the U.S. Government’s Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy as the most efficient appliances available.

These appliances are designed and constructed to be at least 20 per cent more efficient than minimum U.S. federal efficiency standards.

Before purchasing your next appliance check out what Energy Star has to say.

For more information on the Energy Star program, visit www.energystar.gov

Home energy $aving$

New and improved appliances use less electricity than older models. You can save energy by using your existing appliances more wisely and by investing in modern Energy Star approved appliances.

Refrigerators use the most energy of any home appliance. Here are some tips for efficient refrigerator use:

• Place refrigerators out of direct sunlight and away from the stove and other heat-producing appliances.
• Decide what features you really need and use. Through-the-door features like cold water or automatic ice dispensers can increase electricity usage by as much as 20 per cent compared to similar models without these extras.
• Buy an Energy Star approved refrigerator. A 2002 Energy Star refrigerator uses less than half the electricity of a standard 10-year-old model!
• If you buy a new refrigerator, unplug your old one. There is no energy efficiency in continuing to use your energy guzzler.
• Find cold storage spaces to store fresh foods safely without using any electricity.

Dishwashers

• Energy Star approved dishwashers use 25 per cent less energy than other new models! Here are some other energy-saving tips:
• 
  
• Always run your dishwasher with a full load. Most of the energy used by a dishwasher is spent heating water, and since you can’t decrease the amount of water used per cycle, filling your machine is more effective than running half-loads.
• 
  Use the air-dry option instead of the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features. If your dishwasher doesn’t have this option, prop the door open after the final rinse cycle to dry your dishes.

Washers and Dryers

Energy Star designated washers are a wise investment for several reasons: They clean clothes using 50 per cent less energy than standard machines; Full-sized Energy Star washers use 72-100 litres of water per load, while their standard counterparts use 160 litres; and Energy Star washers extract more water from clothes during spin cycles, reducing drying time and saving energy and wear-and-tear on your clothes.

• Clothes washers are more efficient when operated with full loads.
• Wash clothes in cold water – yes, they will still get clean!
• Use environmentally safe detergents and whiteners that are kind to aquatic life and your clothes.

Clothes dryers don’t have Energy Guide labels on them because the energy efficiency of different models are essentially the same. But not all clothes dryers are created equally. Learn more about dryers.

Look for clothes dryers with moisture sensors that automatically stop drying when they sense a load is dry enough.

More efficient appliance tips:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_index

http://www.greenhome.com/learn/energy/Guide.shtml

To view the top-rated appliances for 2002-2003 visit: http://www.aceee.org/consumerguide/mostenef.htm

For energy-smart tips on home lighting, visit:

http://homeenergy.org/hewebsite/consumerinfo/lighting/

http://homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/94/941116.html

Unplugged

You don’t need to buy new appliances to make a difference. Look around your home. Do you need all those appliances and electrical devices? Do they always need to be plugged in? Once you unplug various items, you may notice how little you actually use them.

Many electrical devices consume power even when switched off, sometimes as much power as when turned on! A large number of electrical products - from air conditioners to VCRs — can’t be completely switched off without unplugging the device. These products draw power 24 hours a day, often without our knowledge. Plug these devices into powerbars, and turn them off when not in use. You can stop the electrical leak!

Coffee Table Book Winner!

By taking the Nature Challenge your name was automatically entered in a monthly draw for an autographed Sacred Balance coffee table book! This month's winner is Ashley Fell of Sarnia, Ontario. Congratulations, Ashley!

Read about the science behind the 10 steps. (Adobe PDF document)

Read the Green Guide, a comprehensive look at the 10 steps. (Adobe PDF document)