According to BC Hydro, British Columbia is high on the list in North America in the use of CFL bulbs. 85% have installed the energy-efficient light bulbs which uses 75% less electricity than the regular bulbs.

BC Hydro is offering rebates from now till the end of the year and it's a great time to take advantage of it. They are offering $50 off washers and refrigerators and $25 off of freezers. All appliances must be Energy Star compliant. Retailers are doing their part to support BC Hydro PowerSmart by taking an additional 10% off. In some months, you can save both the PST and GST.

If you are buying a new laundry set, consider a front load washer which uses 35% less energy and 30-50% less water then a top-load. Also, consider using cold water to do your wash. Bypass the dryer by using a clothesline in the hotter months and use racks (get chrome instead of wood) in the laundry room in the colder months. If you are using a clothesline, consider stringing it over a flower garden to get the flowery smell in your clothes.

When you are doing dishes in the dishwasher, run the kitchen tap till the water is hot then turn on the dishwasher. This helps the dishwasher by not needing it to heat the water as much.

Try unplugging electronics or turning off the power bar when they are not in use. Even when they are off and plugged in, they use electricity - phantom electricity.

The quick tips listed above should make a difference in your next electricity bill.

Source: Article by Maggie Calloway in the column "Smart Choices for our Future"

Ken Salvail of Ken's Horticultural Services, who co-hosts the Saturday morning AM 1150 Garden Show has planned a seminar on sustainable landscaping on Saturday October 18th in Lake Country.

Ken will show attendees how to choose drought tolerant plants which are suitable for the Okanagan and how to conserve water and be efficient when you do water them. Ken advises to avoid overhead sprinkers and use drip and soaker hoses to minimize evaporation of the water. Plants can want frequent waterings but you should water heavily when you do, and less often. Even pruning which can pollute the environment (when using energy) can be avoided if plants are planted in the right places.

According to Ken, homeowners and developers need to choose the right landscaping for their current location.

The City of Kelowna has called upon Salvail for his advice on water conservation and residential landscaping while reviewing its water use policies.

To register for the 3 hour seminar, call 1-250-766-3733.

Source: Article by Judie Steeves titled "Learn about sustainable landscaping"

Canadian Tire is promoting a greener tomorrow by showcasing products that can make a difference in the environment today.

You can save upto 40% on select environmentally friendly products for energy conservation, healthy home and garden, waste reduction and water conservation.

• blue planet household cleaners
• energy star programmable thermostats
• water-efficient showheads and toilets
• energy star light fixtuers, ceiling fans, motion sensors
• energy saver fan heaters, air cleaners
• renewable energy products to produce, convert and store energy

To learn more about Canadian Tire's green commitment, visit their green options page.

Preferred Client update from Chris Whitney of Royal LePage.

How to reduce hot water costs

Heating water is probably the most expensive use of domestic energy after home heating and cooling; it is probably one of the most wasteful as well. At the same time, municipalities are considering raising the fees for supplying water. This combination has homeowners taking on larger utility bills.

Here are a couple of ways to reduce the hot water consumption in your home.

• Replace washers on hot water faucets that show signs of leakage
• Reduce the temperature setting on your hot water tank
• Only use your dishwasher and washing machine when they are full and lower their settings when possible
• Reduce hot water usage by avoiding hot baths
• Install water reduction showerhead and aerators

Preferred Client update from Chris Whitney of Royal LePage.

Managing Rain Runoff

Using rain barrels to collect water for your lawn and garden has the added benefit of keeping water away from your home's foundation and from adding unnecessary strain on municipal systems. Pools of water at groundlevel near the house can be a cause of erosion and long-term damage to the foundation of your home. Public storm sewers may not be equiped to take on heavy rain after a flash storm or long periods of downpour. It may cause backups and flooding in low lying areas.

Roofing Materials

If you are considering replacing your roof in the near future, you want want to research the new technologies and concepts that are now available in roofing.

• energy-saving roofing membranes that help reduce electricity costs during summer and winter months by keeping the heat or cool in.
• sun-reflective roof coatings that can applied on existing roofs to reduce heat absorpotion.
• ashpalt shingles are made of energy-efficient and durable materials.
• solar panels are more thin and use the roof surface area to heat water and provide electricity
• green roofs help insulate homes and use rainwater for the vegetation which absorbs greenhouse gases.

When landscaping a home, an underground irrigation system should be one of the priorities. In a traditional irrigation system, the gardens and yard can be watered using a timer control that can be programmed to water on specific days at a specific time for a specific duration.

With the next generation of irrigation systems, the watering schedule can be controlled over the internet from anywhere in the world. If you are out of town for instance, and the weather patterns change you can login and change the watering cycle and even if you don't, the system is smart enough to do it for you.

These Smart Watering Systems or self-adjusting irrigation systems "integrate current weather data and horticultural science with web–based technology to automate and optimize landscape watering schedules". So, your local weather conditions along with data about soil types, land slope, sun and shade and sprinkler type all play a role in determining the amount of water your landscape receives.

ET Water, based out of California, manufactures this smart controller technology and has won a Green Product award for it's innovation. The system can reduce water bills by 50% in irrigation season. A typical control costs about $500 along with a web service fee ranging from $6 to $16. The technology pays for itself in 3 to 4 years in water savings. Current applications are in high water usage scenarios such as parks and schools.

Source: Article by Donna Birch in the New Home Showcase titled "Computerized smart watering system"

We finally got a chance to test out our front-load Frigidaire Affinity washing machine and dryer set that we bought from the Brick. While removing the shipping components and plugs I noticed that the drain hose was slim and compact; this of course makes sense because front-loaders use less water so there's less water to drain. There will be no more overflowing due to the force and amount of water.

My wife threw in the first load and we were both surprised at how quiet it was; also there were no vibrations and we could see that it wasn't using alot of water through the glass see-through door. We used Sunlight high-efficiency (HE) detergent which limits the excess suds and is made to clean in low water levels; the Sunlight product is 100% phosphate free and contains biodegradable surfactants. The Fridigaire models are also energy star products which will save on our utility bills.

Needless to say we were both very impressed.

Frigidaire also provides a service contract that can extend the 1 year factory warranty to 2 additional years for a total of 3 years with no worries about repair bills. They also have a replacement coverage where you get a brand new washer/dryer if they can't fix yours.