1. At home, at work, and during leisure activities, I dispose all of my recyclables in the recycling bin. Every year, Quebecers produce almost 11 million tons of solid waste. Here's the amazing thing: 85% of these materials could be reused, recycled, composted, or in some way turned to profit.
Think of the recycling bin as a goldmine of resources, because that's really what it is. Paper and cardboard can be turned into insulation, tissues, and newsprint. Glass is used in concrete blocks, ceramic tiles, and fiberglass. Plastic can be converted into garden furniture, polar fleece clothing, etc. It takes 20 times less energy to produce a pop can from recycled aluminum than from virgin aluminum.
To find out which materials are recyclable in your municipality, learn what to do with hazardous waste, batteries, and electronics, or get more information about products made with recycled content in Québec, go to www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca.
2. I avoid buying plastic bottles and I use a reusable bottle instead. Just guess the daily consumption of half-litre bottles in Québec: it’s 250,000. That’s one billion bottles a year. Recyclable they may well be, but 80% of them go to the landfill just the same. And 25 to 40% of all the bottled water consumed is just filtered tap water! Yet the price on the bottle is 10,000 times more than the cost of the water it contains.
So the obvious choice, for both the environment and your pocketbook, is to drink tap water and only buy reusable bottles.
3. I’m cutting my paper consumption in half, with double-sided printing, e-mailing, e-billing, etc. Each one of us consumes the equivalent of four trees a year for our paper needs. Cut your paper consumption and use FSC-certified or 100% postconsumer fibre paper, and you’re helping to protect forest ecosystems, which play a big role in climate stabilization. You’re also saving the considerable amounts of energy that go into paper production.
4. I favor buying food produced locally. The average food item travels 2600 km from field to table, or the distance from Florida to Montreal. Each of these trips on a big diesel truck emits 2730 kg of CO2 into the air we breathe.
Besides reducing your greenhouse gas emissions, buying local food encourages local growers and processors. It gives a boost to the local economy.
Buying fruits and vegetables in season is another good way to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions.
5. I’m going meat-free one day a week. To produce a kilogram of beef takes a whopping 15,000 litres of water and 7 kilograms of grain. It also produces 11 tons of greenhouse gases. Reducing your red meat consumption has a positive impact on the environment, but it has another definite advantage: it’s good for you. You’re less likely to suffer from heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
6. I’m composting food waste at home. More than 40% of what goes into the garbage is compostable.
But when organic matter mixes in the landfill with other household waste, it gives off methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more powerful than CO2. Composting at home is a fine, environmentally friendly alternative that will keep your organic matter from going to the landfill or the incinerator.
Plus, you get the compost: an excellent natural fertilizer for gardens, plants, and lawns.
7. I’m using energy-efficient light bulbs, and I control my use of lighting at home. Two newer kinds of light bulbs – compact fluorescent and light-emitting diode (LED) – consume five times less energy than incandescent bulbs. Watch out, though: compact fluorescents contain mercury, so it’s important to recycle them at a designated location. Go to www.recycfluo.ca/en
And here’s a bright idea: turn off the lights when you leave a room for more than 10 minutes. Even better, put your lamps on a timer switch or use a movement detector to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms – one less thing to think about. Go to http://www.hydroquebec.com/residential/eclairage/trucs.html for more tips.
8. I’m choosing an Energy Star-certified product when I have to buy a large appliance. In the average household, big appliances are energy hogs: they account for one-fifth of the total bill. Refrigerators top the list, followed by freezers, washers (on hot water cycle), dryers, dishwashers, and stoves. You can save a lot of money by rightsizing your appliances to your specific needs.
ENERGY STAR® products cut energy costs by 30–50%. For a refrigerator, that can mean more than $80 a year.
9. I’m turning off electronic devices when not in use, and avoid putting them on standby for long periods of time. You may not realize it, but all kinds of appliances – stereos, DVD players, TVs, computers – eat up energy even when they’re “off.” Actually, they’re not off but on standby wasting 150–500 kWh a year, or the equivalent of what your refrigerator consumes during the same period.
It’s easy to do away with standbys: simply plug your devices into a switched power bar, then switch off the bar when not in use.
10. At home, I’m lowering the temperature by 3ºC at night or when I leave for the day. Lowering the temperature by 3°C over an eight-hour period saves up to 4.5% on your heating bill. Programmable thermostats have a timer that automatically sets the temperature of each room. And, you can buy them with a rebate from Hydro-Québec.
11. I’m improving the energy performance of my apartment, house, or cottage by caulking the windows and sealing air leaks. Heating is the biggest-ticket energy item in a house, accounting for 60% of your bill. It can easily amount to over $1000 a year for an average home. Better insulation (with adequate airflow) can reduce your electricity bill by 30%.
Tip: Close the shades at dusk to reduce heat loss.
12. I’m replacing my old oil heating system with a high-efficiency system using... a) electricity 5 584 kg/an
b) natural gas 1 550 kg/an
c) geothermal energy 5 610 kg/an
d) biomass 5 163 kg/an
Geothermal heating systems are win-win for you and the environment, since they are both highly efficient and carbon-neutral. With savings up to 65% over conventional heating, they represent a first-class alternative. Ultimately, what you want is an efficient heating system that suits your needs and lifestyle. But don’t forget those all-important home energy efficiency measures. After all, as they say: why throw money out the window?
13. I’m replacing my gas-powered pool heater with a solar heating system. A solar hot water heater has two great advantages: you get free energy but you produce no greenhouse gases. With a lifecycle of 15–20 years, solar collectors pay themselves off in only two years. A savvy, sustainable choice.
14. I’m using manual or electric gardening tools instead of gas-powered ones. If you use a two-stroke machine for even one hour, your carbon footprint is the equivalent of driving a recent-model car from Montreal to Québec City and back. Small gas-powered garden implements may look inoffensive, but their engines are actually a huge part of the greenhouse gas problem.
Tip: The Mow Down Pollution is a free trade-in program for these polluting machines.
15. I’m replacing 5 days of motor sports (snowmobiling, ATV, etc.) with active sports (cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, cycling, etc.). Quebecers own over 500,000 off-road vehicles. Use them less often, and you will reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Leave your ORV behind and head out for some good old exercise. It’s great for your physical health.
17. I’m walking or biking... a) a couple of days a week
b) always
Exercise: good for the body and the mind. The average walker can cover 1 kilometre in 10 minutes; the average cyclist, 1 kilometre in 3 minutes. Thirty minutes of daily exercise has a great many benefits. You’ll be more fit and trim, less illness-prone, more relaxed and energetic. You can concentrate more at work or school, so you’ll improve your productivity. Thirty minutes… that’s as little as a 1.5-km round-trip walk or a 10-km bike ride!
18. I’m carpooling... a) a couple of days a week
b) always
Carpooling is another way to save money while helping the environment. You spend less on gas and car maintenance, and you spare the atmosphere that much greenhouse gas. Nowadays there are a lot of carpooling services out there, including the ones set up by AMT and Transports Québec.
You can also register for free for the Réseau de Covoiturage, which covers the whole of Canada.
19. I’m replacing short car trips with walking or biking. About 40% of urban motorized transit trips cover a distance of 5 kilometres or less, yet a car is 10 to 15 times more polluting over the first 3 kilometres because the engine hasn’t warmed up yet. To give the environment a real boost – and get some exercise into the bargain – choose walking or biking for short distances. Think about it: no traffic jams, no parking spaces to worry about. You might be surprised to discover that biking at rush hour can be faster than driving!
20. I’m replacing long solo car trips (250 km or so) by... a) carpooling
Solo driving is nine times as polluting as taking the bus. Take two passengers with you, and basic arithmetic tells you you’ve just cut your carbon footprint by two-thirds.
With a little organization, carpooling can save time and money as well as help in the fight against climate change. Carpooling cuts the cost of gas in half or even better. Plus, some highways have reserved lanes for carpoolers. And let’s not forget that it’s more fun to travel in good company. Amigo Express and Allostop are offering carpooling services.
For long trips, the train or the bus is a great way to go. Since you’re not at the wheel, you can use the time to work, read, and relax. Skip the road stress and reduce your fuel bill at the same time.
21. If I have to use a car, I don’t let the engine idle needlessly (i.e., more than 30 seconds warming up or 10 seconds stopping). With today’s engines, 30 seconds is all it takes to heat the car in winter. Also, stopping and starting the engine is more energy-efficient than letting it idle for more than 10 seconds.
Tips:
At -20ºC, the use of an engine block heater improves your fuel efficiency by up to 10%. What’s more, the car will be blowing hot air from the get-go, instead of cold air. www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/programmes/coupez-le-moteur
A regular tune-up is another winning tactic: It can increase your gas mileage and reduce your toxic emissions by up to 15%.
22. According to my personal transportation needs, I choose either... a) not to own a car at all
In addition to emitting a large number of toxic substances like the ones that cause smog, the average car puts out three times its weight in CO2 every year. And it’s expensive: According to the Canadian Automobile Association, each Canadian spends an average of $9,065 per year on his or her car.
Tip: The “Clear the Air” program from the Québec Association for Air Pollution Control (AQLPA) will give you cash, transit passes or tickets in exchange for your old polluting car. Models from before 1995 produce 19 times more air emissions than models built after 2004.
b) to join a car-sharing service instead of owning a car
A shared car takes about seven cars off the road. It also reduces per capita driving distance by 38%, or 2900 km a year.
On the other hand, owning your own car can cost almost $10,000 a year, all-in. Car sharing can save you as much as $5,000 annually.
c) to use a vehicle with low gas mileage (< 6.5 l/100 km)
A fuel-efficient car (up to 6.5 l/100 km) saves about $500 a year in operating costs. You can also check out the financial incentives for purchasing a fuel-efficient car.
23. I’m teleconferencing for my meetings instead of going... a) by plane
Air traffic generates 3% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Do you really need to fly to get there? Videoconferencing is a great way to meet your colleagues and clients without leaving town. It’s a lot less costly and stressful than flying.
b) by car
Videoconferencing can save you time and money while avoiding driving stress, traffic jams, and dangerous road conditions.
24. I’m convincing five people I know to join Défi Climat. Every single individual has a role to play in fighting climate change. Individual commitment is necessary if we want to offer a better future for the generations to come. Everyone wins when you encourage your friends, colleagues, and relatives to join this societal movement.
25. I’m promoting the availability of collective services in my community – like public transportation or recycling – that will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions even further. There are so many simple ways to advocate for action on climate change: talking to your city counselor, MP, or MNA; writing a letter to the editor; attending city council meetings; getting involved in a committee; signing petitions; joining an environmental group… the list goes on. Want to improve the environment? Speak up!
26. I’m checking out the environmental platform of each political party and letting the candidates know where I stand on these issues. The more of us there are who demand real action on climate change, who call for ambitious greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and major investments in renewable energy, the more we’ll light a fire under our politicians. It’s important to let candidates and elected officials know where you stand in terms of your social and environmental values.
27. I’m choosing to live near where I work or study. Living close to work may mean you can avoid buying one, or even two cars. When deciding on your next home, factor travel time and cost into the decision.
28. I’m avoiding overconsumption, as well as products that are overpackaged or come in non-recyclable packaging. There are all kinds of ways to become a more eco-friendly consumer: repairing instead of replacing; borrowing, renting, or bartering instead of buying; buying in bulk, and so forth.
Your consumer choices make a difference. If they’re consistent with your environmental and social values, you’re sending a powerful message that the economy should conform to those values. The end result will be the development of greener and fairer technologies, products, and services.
29. I’m choosing wood and/or sustainable, reusable, and recycled materials for home renovations. Wood is among the materials with the lowest environmental footprint. Because of its capacity to store carbon, think about using wood for your next construction project.
30. I’m opting for responsible travel and ecotouristim and I limit my plane trips. Ecotourism is a form of tourism that allows people to discover natural environments without harming them. It is designed to foster attitudes of respect for the environment and its participants. Ecotourism also induces visitors to get to know the natural and cultural components of the places they visit, and to encourage the local communities.
