The City of Kelowna and the Canadian Cancer Society are putting on an event called "How to get your Lawn & Garden off Drugs, Water & Maybe even Grass.

Join author Carole Rubin as she speaks on eco-friendly home garden and lawn care using safe organic techniques. She will be selling and signing books after the presentation.

Cost: Free

Date: Thursday June 4th 2009

Time: 7:00 PM

Location: Kelowna City Hall Council Chambers - 1435 Water Street

Topics:

• Healthy Lawn
• Xeriscaping
• Water Conservation
  

Ken Salvail of Ken's Horticultural Services is putting on free workshops for homeowners interested in conserving water and having an efficient irrigation system.

Plants need enough water to reach the depth of their roots and this may vary in the spring and in the summer. In the spring months, there should be fewer waterings but the same amount of water should be used each time.

At the workshops, homeowners will learn how their irrigation system and timer units work so they can improve their efficiency and conserve water. He'll also talk about the Top 10 ways to save water.

There will be 3 hour-long sessions:

April 5th  1PM - 2PM at the Bylands Garden Centre at Byland Road and Highway 97 in West Kelowna

April 12th  1PM - 2PM at the Bylands Garden Centre at Byland Road and Highway 97 in West Kelowna

April 26th 1 PM at the Kel-Lake Greenhouse at 4351 Shanks Road in Winfield

 

The City of Kelowna is promoting several environmental initiatives on their site:

Earth Hour - Turn off you lights from 8:30 to 9:30 PM on March 28th

Kelowna 2030 - What will Kelowna be like in 2030? How can we be more sustainable?

Living Greener - Links and information for a sustainable Okanagan

Solar BC - Kelowna leading by example with several solar projects

LiveSmart BC - Make green choices that save money at home, at work and on the road.

Get Water Smart - The City's goal is to reduce city-wide water use by 15% by the year 2012.

Regional Waste Reduction Office - For tips on recycling and scheduled pickups

 

Glenmore Cycling Route
Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd was able to convince enough councillors to consider a new Glenmore cycling route connecting Kelowna to Lake Country.

Some councillers were skeptical because the project may take away from other projects within the city. While other councillors backed the idea of at least studying the project.

Green Transportation
Canada's Transportation Minister, John, Baird, announced that the Government of Canada is investing in 11 projects across the country that supports green transportation. The projects will receive upto $421,000 under the Moving on Sustainable Transport (MOST) program. The program is intended to support community groups and non-governmental organizations in their initiatives.

House boats not causing pollution
Houseboats in Gellatly Bay didn't show any signs of environmental pollution via leakage from septic systems or fuel systems so they won't be forced out by the provincial environmental ministry.

Water Issues
Kelowna councillors will be discussing water conservation measures for the city. They will look at the efforts made so far to develop a Water Sustainability Action Plan and look at initiatives outlined to reduce water consumption within the Kelowna utility by another 15% by 2012.

Waste Reduction
Volunteers are being invited to participate in the rollout of the automated curbside waste collection program. The new garbage carts are an easier, cleaner and greener method of waste collection. Residents will receive 3 bins - one each for garbage, recycling and yard waste. Large bins encourage more recycling and yard waste will be picked up on the opposide biweekly schedule. Check out the 2009 Calendar for more information.

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.

We were shopping for washers and dryers for our rental suites and we made our way to the Brick. We were looking for a decent set for our renters without going broke in the process.

The rep in the laundry area directed us towards front-load washers and explained how they could save us money in the long run and at the same time help us be environmentally responsible. He pointed out that front-load washers use 40% less water and if we did warm water washes then we would save on the electricity bill as well. Also, the washer/dryer sets that they carried were energy star products which would lessen our energy consumption. Not only that, apparently the front-load washers are gentler on your clothes so your clothes will last longer. 

Our only concern was that we had heard of stories of mildew problems with front-load washers but the rep told us about special high-efficiency (HE) detergent made specifically for front-load washers which creates less suds.

We were sold on getting the Affinity model from Frigidaire.

Mode offers green inspired systems and materials

The Mission Group, the company that brought us developments such as the Verve and Sheerwater, are working on their eco-friendly project Mode - A smart address. The Mission Group has strived to be unique in their projects and Mode is by all means just that.

The Mode project is inspired green with the following features:

• the building is located in the Landmark neighbourhood so there isn't a need for cars, you can just leave it at home.
• plumbing fixtures, appliances and drought resistant landscaping are all desgined to conserve water
• carpets and paints have been chosen for their low emmisions of VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
• water heaters are powered by solar energy systems
• the homes are fitted with low "e" windows that are superefficient
• the home is heated and cooled using geothermal packaged terminal heat pumps

The project recently won an Mayor's Environmental Achievement Award for Most Sustainable Development.

Since the development is in the heart of the Landmark Centre, it only makes sense that it's equiped with hi-tech features such as iPod docking stations and the Telus Smart Box.

The Development is located at 1620 Dickson Ave and features "loft-style citi-homes with seperate street entry, and a variety of contempory living spaces from studios to two bedroom homes". Prices range from $185,900 to $415,900. 

At the time of this posting, there's only 10 homes left.

Conserve water by changing your landscape

A couple in Fresno, California converted their green grass lawn into a desert themed rock cover with cactuses that requires very little water. They were concerned about the water shortage and decided to do their part for water conservation. They have gotten quite a few compliments on the work they did over two years at a cost of $4000.

Here are some other ways to reduce water use in your landscape:

• irrigation - make sure there are no leaks in the irrigation system

Even if there is a pin size leak in the system, 100 gallons of water can be lost over the course of a month. Also, you should adjust your use of the system according to the seasons, there's no reason to have it running over the winter months. Don't water during the hot periods of the day because water evaporates quicker; the middle of the night is a good time. Switch to systems that have soaker hoses or use drips so there is a less likelihood of runoffs and waste.

• plant selection - choose plants that require very little water

There are a multi-tude of options for plants that are drought tolerant. These include:

• annuals - portulaca, cosmos, zinnias 
• perennials - yarrow, daylillies, lavendar, lamb's ears, African daisies
• trees - oaks, myrtle, olive, hackberry, jujube
• vines - potato vine, trumpet vine, honeysuckle, wisteria

Perhaps a visit to a local garden shop can give you more information on drought tolerant plants for the Okanagan

• lawn size - reduce the lawn area so you don't need to use as much water

You can remove portions of lawn and put in pieces such as paving stone or dry creeks.

• use warm season grass - they use 50% less water
• plant a decidous tree - since there are no leaves in the winter, sunlight can enter your home and they provide you with shade in the summer months
• don't overfertilize - they tend to make the grass grow quicker thus requiring more water; use slow release fertilizer instead
• use mulch in your gardens - they help reduce evaporation, moderate soil tempratures, improve water penetration and control weeds

Source: Capital News: New Home Showcase - Article by Nzong Xiong titled "Couple converts yard into low-water landscape"

Mowing the lawn properly for a healthier and better looking lawn

Mowing the lawn has an impact on lawn appearance and health but is often overlooked in favour of lawn fertilizing and watering. Mowing correctly reduces the need for you to introduce harmful fertilizers and helps you conserve water.

Here are a few guidelines for proper mowing:

• don't mow the lawn too short - you should mow at a height of 2.5 to 3 inches

3 inches is suggested for the summer time and higher mowing heights tends to give grass deeper roots and less weed problems. If the grass is too short, they are susceptable to weed invasions. A mowing height of 2.5 inches is good when the grass is growing quickly but as it slows, the height should be increased.

• mow regularly and do not clip off more than one third of the grass leaf height

You should mow the lawn based on the rate that the grass is growing and you shouldn't mow the lawn when the grass is wet. Cutting the grass too short increases the stress on the grass which causes them to use more water.

• don't collect clippings - recycle them

If you are mowing regularly and are not taking off more than one third of the grass height, you can leave the clippings in the lawn. As clippings decompose they contain 75-80% water and will not cause thatching. The clippings also recycle nutrients, and release nitrogen which decreases the need for as much fertilizer.

• have a tuned mower

Rotary mowers work just as well as mulching mowers if proper mowing frequency and lawn fertilizing regiments are followed. The mower blades should be kept sharp though.

Tips courtesy of Turf Logic

WaterGeeks helps make water safe and helps you conserve

Brent Mielke, the CEO of WaterGeeks started out as an executive producer for the documentary FLOW: For the Love of Water, which deals with the state of today's water supply.

Among some of the things outlined in the film:

• lead pipes in homes - stagnant water dissolves the lead which then enters the water
• water shortage around the world
• safe drinking water - about a billion people don't have access to safe drinking water
• water from rivers cannot be consumed in their raw form

With the problems outlined in the film, Mielke decided to come up with solutions in the form of his company: WaterGeeks.

The company offers a line of filter water bottles that makes the water safe by either removing lead and chlorine, or making water from rivers drinkable. The bottles can be used in various regions that have their own distinctive problems because the filteration happens at the consumer level. The bottles are reusable which reduces the carbon footprint and don't contain the compound bisphenol A (BPA) which doesn't pollute the environment and is non-toxic.

To conserve water, the company offers flex-regulating technologies which reduces water consumption by 50%.

The company will have a grand opening in June.

Source: Article by Kathy Michaels titled "Conservation theme adopted"

Conserving water effectively

With the arrival of summer and the need to have a beautiful lawn we can sometimes go awry when it comes to water conservation. Restrictions are in place to regulate water usage for the yard but it may be wise to change our own habits.

Here are some tips from Chris Whitney of Royal LePage:

• install an up-to-date sprinkler system - with timers for sceduling so you don't over water
• plant flowers, grass that don't require alot of water
• water the lawn before dawn to minimize evaporation
• check to ensure there are no leaks
• talk with your municipality for tips on lawn and garden watering

Conserving water in the Okanagan heat

Gwen Steele is a teacher of water convservation in landscaping in the Okanagan. Her thought is that a green lawn in the middle of summer indicates a waste of water unelss we choose plants that are adapted to this environment.

Instead of cedar hedge, you should look into yew which requires less water. Spring bulbs aren't around in the summer heat and are planted in the fall and produce every year. Perrenial plants can help hide the dead brown leaves of spring bulbs while offering some colour even in shady areas.

Gwen wants every garden in Kelowna and the Okanagan to be suited for the climate. The City of Kelowna is taking an initiative to plant dought-tolerant plants to set an example.

You can read more about the need for an "attitude change" and get contact information on Gwen Steele in this article by Judie Steeves.

The City is developing an urban community at the corner of Richter and Harvey

The City Of Kelowna is spearheading a project to set the standard for sustainable planning and building practices. The project will have a mix of commercial and residential development alongside an extensive park.

Some of the highlights include:

• geothermal energy systems
• solar energy systems
• storm water retention
• natural ventilation
• green roofs
• green businesses

The Central Green project will be developed to the gold standard of LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). LEED™ is the most recognized green building rating system in North America and can achieve energy savings of 50 per cent and reduce water consumption by more than 35 per cent. 

There is a public forum April 30th 2008 7 PM at the Laurel Building, 1304 Ellis Street.