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r 12 The Canadian Statesman, Bowman ville, October 31,1990 Do you leave lights on in your house when you go out? Open windows during the winter to get fresh air? Or leave water running while brushing your teeth? Your house probably is not as "green" as it could be. By learning a few simple ways to conserve, you can help our planet every day at home and at work. Here are 14 easy tips about energy efficiency you can practise every day. You will be sure to have one of the "greenest" houses on the block if you follow these tips. If everyone did, imagine the difference we would make.. Energy Efficiency f|jS Turn off all lights, heaters and fans when you are not using them, or before going out. If you are concerned about home security, put a few lights on timers. This saves energy, and actually looks more authentic than leaving one light on in the same room all the time. jlHH Install dimmer switches on household lights, and replace regular light bulbs with energy-efficient products, such as compact fluorescents. Initially they may be more expensive, but they last ten times longer than conventional bulbs and save energy dollars. Upgrade your home's insulation to the highest levels. Don't forget to insulate your hot water heater and pipes, too. Because less energy is being consumed and produced, this will save on heating bills and help the environment at the same time. YOU AND YOUR "GREEN" HOUSE If your area by-laws permit it, put up a clothes line in your backyard. Not only are you saving money on energy bills, but you're helping the environment. When buying appliances, choose the most efficient one that meets your needs. Check the appliance's Energuide label, which indicates its electricity consumption per month. The lower the Energuide rating, the more efficient the appliance. HHj Guard your house against air leakage by sealing windows and doors with caulking and weatherstripping. Don't forget to check the existing caulking and weatherstripping for leaks. Watch for other areas where air leakage can occur, such as up the chimney of a fireplace. Consider installing high-efficiency windows when replacing old windows to increase your energy savings. j|H| Use a ceiling fan instead of an air conditioner. If it's absolutely necessary to use an air conditioner, set the thermostat at 25°C (77°F) or higher. Hm Install plug guards to help reduce household drafts. Also, remember to use socket insulators behind light switches on outside walls -- it will reduce air leakage. mi Keep your furnace in tip-top shape by cleaning or replacing the air filter once a month. fHH Reduce your energy consumption by installing a programmable thermostat, which automatically turns the heat down when it's not needed. Install a timer on your hot water heating system and your energy savings will increase. Also, consider lowering the temperature of your hot water tank a few degrees to help the environment. It takes about 2 to 4 hours to preheat your car's engine. A car plugged in all night wastes energy. Install a timer to power the block heater only when necessary. B Lower the temperature of your hot water tank, and wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. Your clothes will last longer and you'll save money. 3EB Wash clothes, water your lawn and run the dishwasher in off-peak hours. This reduces the overall stress on water reserves and spreads out the demand for energy more evenly. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WOODSTOVES AND FIREPLACE INSERTS Highest Efficiency Lowest Pollution Glass Stays Clean Chimney Stays Clean ■nee gin Wood Burning Popular F or Heating the Home Tens of thousands of North American homeowners homeowners turned to woodburning stoves in the late seventies as shelter from rising energy costs. Woodburning seemed right for the times and suggested suggested a simpler, more independent independent way of living. But the burning of wood in stoves, fireplaces and furnaces furnaces has come under fire in recent years because the resulting resulting smoke is an air pollutant. pollutant. Now, as scientists learn more about the full impact impact of energy production, wood is emerging as one of the most environmentally friendly energy sources available. Global Warming It is suggested that the burning of fossil fuels, such as gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil and natural gas, is changing the climate by increasing increasing the concentration of carbon dioxide (C02) in the upper atmosphere. These rising levels oi C02 are producing a greenhouse effect by trapping the sun's heat and raising the average global temperature. Scientists Scientists now agree that global warming could well be the greatest environmental threat we face. A Renewable Resource Fossilized hydrocarbon fuels, such as oil and gas, are the foundation of industry industry and transportation throughout the world and to reduce their consumption, or even slow the growth in their use, will be a monumental monumental task. Conservation can help, but alternative energy energy sources will also be needed to slow the global warming trend. Although the wood that is burned for home heating is also classed as a hydrocarbon fuel, it is a renewable fuel not a fossil fuel. It is the-status of wood as a renewable fuel that makes it one of the leading contenders as an alternative to fossil fuels. Chemical Component All wood, regardless of the species, is made up primarily primarily of three chemicals: oxygen, hydrogen and carbon, carbon, hence 'the term hydrocarbon. hydrocarbon. The heat of combustion combustion breaks down the wood and the rapid oxidation of the resulting compounds releases releases the energy used for home heating. When wood or any hydrocarbon fuel is burned, one of the main byproducts byproducts is C02, the "greenhouse "greenhouse gas" that contributes to global warming. The important important difference between wood and the fossil fuels is the wav they are formed. Carbon Storage As trees grow, they absorb absorb C02 from the air to build their structure. In fact, carbon accounts for about half the weight of the wood fibre, so trees act as one of the earth's carbon storehouses. storehouses. Put simply, the more trees there are, the less C02 there is in the atmosphere. atmosphere. This is why environmentalists environmentalists are so alarmed by the destruction of forests in South America - trees can be the engine of our salvation from global warming, if we don't cut them all down first. The role of trees in absorbing C02 from the atmosphere would seem a good argument for not using wood for fuel. However, as with all energy sources, it is important to look at the entire fuel supj and consumption cycle fore reaching conclusions. Carbon Balance When a tree dies and falls to the forest floor, it decays decays until what is left becomes becomes part of the soil. The decaying process is oxidation oxidation - a much slower form that occurs during burning. The main byproduct of this slow oxidation is C02. In fact, whether wood is burned for heating or is left to rot in the forest, the same amount of C02 is released to the atmosphere. According to a report on the greenhouse effect prepared prepared by the Energy Research Research Laboratory of Energy Mines and Resources (EMR), "The combustion of wood produces C02, but this is offset by C02 fixation in young growth. Since C02 is released ns mature forests decay, combustion only increases increases the rate of C02 release, release, but not the overall amount," Sustainable Yield This moans that as long ns the forest is not depleted by over use, it can produce n sustainable yield of fuel, the burning of which does not alfect the total amount of C02 in the atmosphere and so does not contribute to global global warming, Tho EMR remit remit concludes, "Consequently, "Consequently, coupled to suitable harvesting mid to clean mid officient combustion Systems, Systems, wood fools can actually actually reduce llio total C02 omissions." Fossil Fuels The fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, contain carbon that was absorbed from tho atmosphere thousands of years ago, Hosting thousands thousands of foot below tho earth's surface, these deposits deposits would never oxidize unless unless brought to the surface and burned. When fossil fuels are burned, the result is a net increase in atmospheric atmospheric C02. and since their formation took thousands of years, once burned, they are gone and cannot be replaced. replaced. Furthermore, a large amount of energy is consumed consumed in getting oil and gas' out of the ground, refined into useful products and transported to market. In contrast, wood is usually harvested close to the point of use and needs no processing processing other than cutting and splitting. Wood: The Environmental Choice The key to using wood as an environmentally friendly fuel is to ensure that the forest forest it is taken from remains healthy. Ideally, we should be taking only those trees that are dead or will soon be dead, and those trees that should be removed to improve improve the growth of the stand. Homeowners can also be less fussy about the species species they choose for burning. Softwoods, such as pine and spruce, and so-called junk species like poplar and aspen aspen make excellent fuel for spring and fall heating if they are split and stacked to. dry. Forest Management When combined with good forest management practices, woodburmng is not a factor in global warming. warming. But the smoke resulting from inefficient combustion is an air pollutant that should be reduced for the sake of a clean environment. Fortunately, the new generation generation of woodstoves does just that. With a strong push from environmental regulators, regulators, the stove manufacturers manufacturers have found ways to cut emissions from their products products to less than half of what they were only five years ago. These new stoves use sophisticated combustion combustion systems and in some cases catalytic combustors, similar to tne devices added to car exhausts to bum off hydrocarbons. Still, home- owners who are concerned about the environment and who are using older stoves . needn't run out tomorrow to buy a new generation stove or furnace. By using properly properly seasoned wood ana avoiding avoiding smoky fires, a conscientious conscientious woodbumer can reduce emissions to some extent, even with an old stove. What they cannot do is reduce reduce the total amount of fuel burned because the efficiency efficiency of the older units can't match that of new technology technology appliances. EPA Support The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has addressed the issue of wood as an energy source with a two-pronged policy. On one hand, it has enforced strict emissions regulations on new woodstoves - inefficient inefficient woodstoves are now il-, legal to sell in the United States. On the other hand, the EPA is promoting a sharp increase in the use of wood as a suitable alternative alternative to fossil fuels when its use is combined with good forest management techniques techniques Here are some suggestions suggestions for environmentally- conscious woodburners: 1. Use thinnings and deadfalls from your own property to supplement your fuel supply. Avoid taking healthy trees. 2. Use quick-growing softwoods softwoods and "junk" species during spring and fall, and save the prime species like maple ana oak for the cold winter months. Your wood pile may not. look as neat and tidy, but you'll be doing your part for the environment. environment. OUR DRINKING WATER IS POLLUTED!! CALL 402-4620 TODAY!! 11!» JOY' SAFE GOOD TASTING WATER FROM FAUCET FOR A PENNY A GALLON umii • Patented purifier • No filters to change •Removes chlorine • Removes lead • 5 Year Warranty ' INTRODUCTORY SALÉ $qqoo Capacity V SALES ^representatives'^ CT WANTED NO INVESTMENTS^- SAFE WATER SYSTEMS INC. Canadian Distributor MOO 40QA J.A.J. Assoc., Scarborough 4wZ"4dZI! ilili DEM0NSTRATI0! SATURDAY, NOVEMBER •XvXvX-X-X-I-X-X-X-X-ÿ'XX-X'fè Oi'lvk'*'**X-X"X-Xifly!-«i*VfcelekX-I W pJn*--3 p.lTL PLACE-Home A Design < IS 3R len iALE $11! llelli j iHîiilil HowToTake Control of Your Winter Heating Bills Don't neglect your faceting system. Before the heating season starts have your furnace serviced, In addition, check your filters frequently and replace them when clogged. A clogged filter means your system has to work that much harder and therefore uses more energy. Set your thermostat lower. When you arc away, or at night when you arc asleep, lower your thermostat a few degrees, You'll be just as comfortable and you'll save energy. Insulate and weatherstrip your home. A well-insulated home helps keep the heat out In summer and In during winter. If you arc thinking of changing your heating system, why not consider a heat pump? A heat pump Is the most energy efficient home heating there ls-reduclng your heating costs considerably In the winter and giving you the added bonus of air conditioning In the summed Give us a call, we would be pleased to provide you with any additional information information or advice you may need to "take control of your winter heating bills". PAULA WILLIAMSON Marketing Representative Ontario Hydro, Lakeshore Area 1-800-263-8029 or 623-2561 a member oi EnBfMark TtmEhctridtyPeoph HITECH WOOD BURNING MSS* SEQUOIA WOODSTOVE ENCORE WOODSTOVE VERMONT CASTINGS MANUFACTURES THE MOST EFFICIENT AND CLEAN BURNING WOODSTOVES. Available in Enamel Finishes to suit your design fireplace Plus 900 Hopkins St. at Burns Whitby 668-3192 OUNDAS 51 (llwv *.-> ■l 1 ■