Here are some things you can do around you home!

Thermostat
A Little Warmer in the Summer
– A Little Cooler in the Winter
Trim home heating costs by up to 6% by lowering your thermostat by 3°C at night and when no one's at home.
Install a programmable thermostat to automatically change the temperature of your home at night or when you're away.
Leave the air conditioning a few degrees warmer so it runs less often.
Plant trees – it's a natural way to insulate your home. If the temperature outside is freezing, take a plastic container, fill with water, and place it outside to freeze (leave room for expansion). Once frozen, place it in your refrigerator and enjoy the benefit of free cooling. This reader says "I've noticed a marked difference in my energy bill and the amount of time my fridge is on."

Purchases
Be a Green Consumer
When buying new appliances, use the EnerGuide Appliances Directory to choose the most energy–efficient model. Better yet, choose an Energy Star® model.
Look for the EcoLogo™. This label is used to identify a wide range of environmentally friendly products and services. For a complete listing of EcoLogo™ certified products, visit www.environmentalchoice.com
Buy food and other products with reusable, recyclable and reduced packaging.
Use cloth bags for your trips to the store.
Buy locally grown fruits, vegetables and meat.
Compost organic food scraps from your kitchen.
Repair, refinish, or donate items that are en route to the trash?
Buy products that are well made and durable; that way you'll reduce waste while saving yourself time, money and aggravation.

Fixing Up
Get Your Older Home in Shape
An EnerGuide for Houses evaluation will tell you how to renovate your home to save an average 25% on your home's heating bill.
Make the recommended changes from an EnerGuide for Houses evaluation – such as sealing air leaks or replacing your old furnace with an Energy Star® model.

Energy Use
Use Energy Wisely
Select the energy saving dry cycle on your dishwasher.
Dispose of your 20 year old refrigerator and replace it with an Energy Star® model. Turn if off when you're not using it. Try energy–efficient light bulbs. Regularly service all appliances and change filters as directed.

In the Kitchen
When hand–washing dishes or cleaning fruit and vegetables, don't run the water continuously. Wash them in a partially filled sink, and then rinse them quickly under the tap.
If you have an automatic dishwasher, fill it up, and use the energy saver option or shortest cycle necessary to get the dishes clean.
When boiling vegetables, conserve water by using just enough to cover them and use a tightly fitting lid.
Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator, instead of running the tap until the water gets cool each time you want some. Be sure to rinse the container and change the water every few days.
Use a water flow reducing attachment on your sink faucets.

Check it out! Find your water meter, and record the reading late in the evening and again early the next morning. Was there any leakage during the night? If so, track it down and have it repaired.

In the Bathroom
Use a water flow reducing attachment in your sink faucets and low–flow showerheads to reduce water use and wastage.
Look for EcoLogo™ certified plumbing products when you shop.
Turn off the tap. When washing or shaving, partially fill the sink basin and use that water rather than running the tap continuously. (This reduces water use by about 60 percent.) Use short bursts of water to clean razors.
Likewise, when brushing your teeth, turn off the water while you are actually brushing, instead of running it continuously. Use water from a mug for rinsing. (This reduces water use by about 80 percent.)
Short showers use less water than baths. If you still prefer bathing, avoid overfilling the tub – one half full should be enough.
Check regularly for toilet tank leaks into the toilet bowl by putting a small amount of food colouring into the tank and observing if it spreads to the bowl without flushing. Repair leaks promptly. Also periodically examine whether the plunge ball and flapper valve in the tank are properly "seated" and replace parts when necessary.
Never flush garbage of any kind down your toilet. Cigarette butts, paper diapers, dental floss, plastic tampon holders, condoms and the like can create problems at sewage treatment plants or with your septic tank.

Don't flush it away! Reduce water use in the toilet by about 20 percent by installing a toilet dam or placing a weighted plastic bottle filled with water in your toilet tank. Low–flush toilets reduce water use by 50 to 80 percent.

Doing the Laundry
Fill it up! Wash full loads of laundry. If your washer has an adjustable water–level indicator, set the dial to use only as much water as you need.
Use the shortest cycle possible for washing your clothes. Use warm water rather than hot, and use the "suds–saver" feature if your machine has it.
Hang your clothes to dry.

Composting
Buy a pre–made compost bin, or make your own. If you do not want your own compost pile, perhaps a neighbour with one would appreciate your contributions.
A simple, home–made compost bin should be a minimum of 1 meter square and 1 to 1.5 metres high. Any smaller than that and it will not generate enough heat inside to decompose the materials efficiently. Contact your municipality for more information on how to build your own composter or where to purchase one.
All kinds of kitchen waste can be added to the compost bin, including vegetable tops and salad extras, coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg shells and fruit peelings. Avoid meat scraps, bones or milk products or you will attract animals. Yard waste can include small branches, grass cuttings, straw, and soil.

Septic Tanks
Watch for the following signs of septic tank system malfunctions: bright green spots in your lawn; puddles of sewage on your lawn; soft, spongy sections of ground; or sewage odour in your basement. If any of these occur, arrange for repairs promptly.
Never pour antibiotics or household chemical products down your toilet or drains – they destroy the bacteria in septic tank systems.
Know the location of all the components of your septic system and keep heavy vehicles away from the ground above them.
Never plant shrubs or trees near your system's drain tiles, because their roots can clog drain lines.
Check your system annually and have a reputable contractor remove sludge and scum every three to five years.

Hazardous Waste

Household hazardous waste
Buy only as much of these products as you are likely to need to do the job.
Use them carefully, according to label directions.
Inquire about hazardous waste depots and special household hazardous waste collection days in your community.
If there is no depot but you know that household hazardous waste collection days will be held in your area, store your products safely, and be sure to watch for instructions on how to transport them to the collection site. If your community does not have a hazardous waste depot or collection days, contact your municipal public words department or work with the community to have one set up.
Always store hazardous products in their original containers so that handling and disposal instructions on labels can be followed and so that others are not misled about the contents. Never use empty hazardous product containers to store any other materials. Completely use if you can, or pass on to other people.
Store hazardous products in tightly closed containers in a well–ventilated area where children and pets cannot get at them.
Do not burn any hazardous household products or their aerosol containers in fireplaces or backyard fires.
Do not discard batteries used in flashlights, radios, clocks, watches, calculators and toys in your ordinary garbage; save them for disposal at a hazardous waste depot.

Disposal of paint and solvents, spot removers, carpet and furniture cleaners, floor and furniture polishes, and glues
Unwanted leftover portions should be tightly sealed in the original containers, placed in plastic bags, and disposed of at a hazardous waste depot or safely stored until your community has a hazardous waste collection day.
Allow used thinners and solvents to sit in a well–sealed jar until particles settle. Pour off the clear liquid and re–use. Remaining contaminants should be taken to a hazardous waste depot.

Disposal of barbecue starter fluid, lighter fluid, gasoline, furnace and motor oil
If you have leftovers, dispose of them at a hazardous waste depot.
Containers that are completely empty should be tightly sealed and then disposed of with your ordinary garbage.

Disposal of prescription medicines and over–the–counter drugs
Never flush leftover prescription medicines or over–the–counter drugs down the toilet or pass them on to anyone else. Return unused medicines to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
Completely empty medicine containers should never be re–used; they should be disposed of with your ordinary garbage.

Disposal of pesticides
Any leftovers should be disposed of properly. Phone your provincial environment department for instructions; disposal methods vary depending on the type and amount of pesticide.
Never dump unwanted pesticide onto the ground or into drains, sewers, streams, rivers or lakes.

Bugs and indoor plants
Use insecticidal soaps in place of chemical sprays for insects on plants in your home.
Consider buying beneficial plants, such as spider plants, that help filter out air impurities in your home.

Home repairs and renovations
If your house was built before 1980, the interior or exterior paint may contain lead. Removing old paint is potentially hazardous. Before removing old paint, contact your local Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation office to obtain its safety rules for removing and disposing of lead–based paint.
Use less–toxic paints, paint removers, stains and varnishes, waxes, glues and adhesives, cleaners, etc.
Use EcoLogo™ low–pollutions paint (www.environmentalchoice.com).
Asbestos can be a health hazard for renovators of older homes, and is carcinogenic with prolonged exposure. Contact your provincial health department for advice on identifying and handling asbestos.
If you must use products containing hazardous chemicals, wear rubber gloves, eye goggles and, if appropriate, a respirator while doing so.
Driveway sealers release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the atmosphere that can contribute to the formation of smog. This can be reduced by using EcoLogo™–approved sealers, which contain lower levels of VOCs (www.environmentalchoice.com).

Heating–oil storage tanks
Regularly inspect your heating–oil tank for visible signs of leaks. Also, monitor oil levels and use patterns to detect any unusual content losses and have leaks repaired promptly.
Place a plastic sheet under the tank, so that any leaks can be seen and contained. Make sure that the sheet is a safe distance away from the furnace and is tied down adequately.