Did you know that when you do laundry, most of the carbon footprint comes from drying your clothes?

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In the summer, use a clothes line to dry your items within hours and they'll smell great. During the winter, or if you live in a condo or apartment, purchase a drying rack to save energy all year round.

Showering is one of the most significant ways we use water - it accounts for nearly 17% of the water used by an average family.

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Reducing your indoor water consumption is an easy, DIY installation. Pick up a low-flow showerhead at your local hardware store for the same price, or less as, a standard shower head. Look for the WaterSense label when making your purchase.

Aerators screw on to the tip of your faucet and are the most cost-effective way to conserve water. 

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Replace your older faucet aerators with new water-efficient ones to save up to 30% more water from that fixture. Newer fixtures most likely already have faucet aerators in them.

In a single season, a gasoline-powered lawn mower emits about 48kgs of greenhouse gases (GHG). By switching to a solar or push mower, you'll use no energy and emit no pollution or GHGs. A clear-cut decision.

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Solar and push mowers cost about the same as gasoline-powered mowers and are just as effective at getting your lawn in shape. 

Hot water heating accounts for about 90% of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes. And unless you have heavy oil stains, washing in cold water is just as effective at getting things clean.

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On your next load of laundry, turn the dial from hot or warm to cold and you'll instantly cut your energy use. Make sure you're doing full loads each time. You can even purchase cold water detergent made specifically to help get tougher stains out without using warm water.

Have you heard of grasscycling? It's really simple. By leaving your grass clippings on the lawn after mowing instead of bagging them and having them hauled away each week in a garbage truck, you can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions every season.

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Remove the bag from your mower and let the grass clippings fall. The clippings are good for your lawn as they provide nutrients and reduce the need for watering and fertilizer.

Making small changes in the way you drive and performing basic maintenance on your vehicle will save you money on pollution-causing fuel. Plus, you'll reduce your greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

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Start by driving slower, getting regular tune-ups including oil changes and reducing your heating and air-conditioning usage. Remember that jack rabbit starts consume 50% more fuel than steady acceleration and low tire pressure can cause your car to use 3-5% more fuel.

Take the Smart Drive Challenge to learn more about how to drive better to save fuel. Recruitment will open in February 2018 for this Canada-wide program. By participating, you’ll learn how to reduce your daily driving impact and get rewarded for your efforts. Go to SmartDriveChallenge.ca to sign up.

Instead of turning on your oven to cook or reheat small meals, use your toaster oven. They use up to 50% less energy than conventional electric ovens and are quicker to heat up to the same high temperatures.

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If you already have a toaster oven, use it on tonight's dinner or try reheating leftovers for lunch. There are lots of brands of toaster ovens available in most major stores.

By programming your thermostat to reach a high of 21°C during the day and 17°C while you're away from home or sleeping, you could save about 2% on your heating energy consumption every month. It's that simple.

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All you need (and probably already have) is a programmable setback thermostat. Program it so that your temperature reductions start before you go to bed and end before your alarm goes off in the morning.

Privacy shades, blinds and curtains are more useful than you might think when it comes to conserving energy.

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During our hot summers, give your fans and air conditioning (AC) unit a break by keeping your blinds closed during the day. You’ll keep the sun’s rays out and the AC from running too much. In the winter, if you have south-facing windows, let the light shine in. The sun will help heat your home naturally, which takes some pressure off your furnace. For other windows, keep blinds and curtains close during the winter to keep heat inside your home. 

Use fans instead of air conditioning (AC) during those hot summer months. You could cut down your energy use by 23%.

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Standing fans are easy to install and move between rooms.

Home composting translates to fewer bags on the curb every week, fewer trips to the Edmonton Waste Management Centre and a big reduction in the amount of garbage that needs to be diverted from landfill.

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If you have a couple hours to pick up a composting bin (or create your own) and read our helpful hints, join the growing number of Edmontonians taking part in composting. Grass, flowers, fruit, tea bags, egg shells – start learning what's compostable and make the switch now.

Leaky windows not only let outside air in, they also let heating and air conditioning out. Avoid big energy losses in your home by caulking and weatherstripping all your windows and doors.

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Whether you choose to DIY or hire a professional, you'll want to seal all gaps in your home. If you have old, inefficient windows, add window film before the heating season hits in the fall.

Need to know if you have a draft? First, move your curtains or blinds out of the way. Then, light a candle and put it in front of your windows and doors; if the flame flickers, there's a draft coming in.

Drain water heat recovery (DWHR) units reduce the amount of hot water needed in your home by up to 60% through recovering heat that would otherwise be lost down the drain. That energy is then used to preheat cold water going to the hot water tank.

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Hire a professional to retrofit a DWHR unit into existing vertical drains or request them on new construction projects.

Energy Efficiency Alberta may have a rebate available for this action. Visit the EEA website for more information.

Carshare services like Pogo can help ease congestion, avoid wasted gas and reduce your GHG emissions by 10%. Plus, you'll save on all operating, parking, insurance and maintenance costs by only using a carshare vehicle when you need one.

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Choose from a fleet of cars available for you to drive and drop off anywhere within certain city zones. Easily sign up for Pogo in Edmonton online and be sure to sign up for local carshare services while you're travelling too.

Tankless (also called on-demand) water heaters provide hot water when you need it without the use of a storage tank. This means energy isn't wasted by keeping water heated when you're not using it. You'll also enjoy double the life expectancy along with lower operating and energy costs along with easily replaceable parts.

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For the greatest energy savings, hire a professional to install a tankless water heater at each water outlet in your home.

LED lightbulbs can emit the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs and use a fraction of the energy.

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To experience the same amount of light as your old bulbs, choose 4 to 13 watt LEDs (available at major home stores). You can even purchase smart LED bulbs that can be controlled through your smartphone, further helping you conserve energy and manage your light preferences.

The City of Edmonton's COMMUTE action! program encourages Edmontonians to use sustainable modes of getting to/from work or school. If we all commit to commuting sustainably, we can save over 700,000 cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year.

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Walk: If you live close enough, save on gas and parking by walking each day instead of driving.

Bike: Discover and make use of Edmonton's bike lanes and paths for your daily commute and other trips.

Bus: Plan your route and get a bus pass. That way, you'll never have to search for change. You may even end up using it for more than just commuting, like getting to an Oilers game or to the mall.

Did you know that your basement can account for 20% of your home’s total heat loss? Whether it's uninsulated walls or leaky windows, keeping the heat in and the cold out conserves energy (and makes your home more comfortable while helping lower your monthly energy bills).

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Work with a qualified contractor when insulating your home.

Whether you're a family of five or someone who only runs the washing machine every couple of weeks, changing how you do laundry will have a big impact on your carbon footprint. All you have to do is replace old with new when you're ready.

Plus, high-efficiency also means high performance. So, watch your whites get brighter alongside our city’s energy future.

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So how do you choose the best high efficiency washer and dryer? Look for washers and dryers with the ENERGY STAR label as these meet stringent energy requirements.

Induction cooktops are twice as energy efficient as gas versions, and they're much faster at simple jobs like boiling water so you can save energy while still getting top cooking performance.

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Induction stoves are a safe option, especially for families, since they only emit heat when they come into contact with a steel or iron element. Because of that, you'll need to update your pots, pans and utensils as well.

Did you know that air travel has a bigger climate change impact per passenger kilometre than any other mode of transportation? The onus is on us to limit the amount of flights we take every year.

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As Edmonton continues to grow, so does the number of activities for you and your family to enjoy locally. From the largest urban parkland in North America to the many museums and national parks all around us, there's so much to explore in your own backyard and in the Canadian Rockies just a few hours away.

The City of Edmonton's Year-Round COMMUTE action! program encourages Edmontonians to use sustainable modes of getting to/from work or school. If we all commit to commuting sustainably, we can save over 700,000 cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year.

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Walk: If you live close enough, save on gas and parking by walking each day instead of driving.

Bike: Discover and make use of Edmonton's bike lanes and paths for your daily commute and other trips. 

Bus: Plan your route and get a bus pass. That way, you'll never have to search for change. You may even end up using it for more than just commuting, like getting to an Oilers game or to the mall.

Lower heating, cooling and lighting costs, improved performance, and a reduced carbon footprint from less energy loss. These are just a few of the benefits of installing energy efficient windows.

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Always hire a professional to install efficient windows for your home.

Look for triple-paned low-e argon filled glazing with vinyl or fiberglass casings.

U-Value is the amount of heat loss the window allows. In Edmonton, look for a 1.25 or lower. Solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) is the fraction of solar radiation admitted through the window - look for a 0.4.

If your home is over 10 years old or if you're feeling the cold inside during the winter months, it's time to add insulation.

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The following insulation qualifies for a rebate from Energy Efficiency Alberta. Hire a professional for installation and request at least a one inch thickness.

• Rolls or batts
• Blown-in
• Loose fill
• Rigid board
• Spray foam

It's here and it's more affordable, convenient and effective than you think. Electrifying transportation is a much better option than relying on fossil fuels. Electric vehicles (EVs) are also three to five times more efficient at turning stored energy into motion, which means less wasted energy and more horsepower for you.

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EVs are now available in a variety of models and are within the same price range as an SUV or a pickup truck. "Fuel up" at home much in the same way as you would plug in your phone! Charging stations are also popping up in major parking lots and there are four FREE charging stations within our city limits with more on the way.

The federal government is offering a rebate that started May 1, 2019.

Replacing an older furnace with a new one will reduce your home's greenhouse gas emissions and your heating costs.

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Aim for a 95-98% annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rate when choosing a new high-efficiency furnace.

Getting around accounts for more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions with cars making up a large portion. Make the move to a home that's closer to where you work, study or spend most of your downtime in order to reduce the amount you drive and lower your environmental impact.

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To make the greatest difference in lowering your GHG emissions, choose a home that's within a comfortable bike ride, walk or public transit ride to where you need to go every day.

Not sure how convenient a neighbourhood is? Get the walk, transit and bike scores for any location.

Much of the electricity grid in Alberta is coal based. An easy way to reduce your energy impact is to buy renewable or green offsets for your electricity consumption.

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Call your electricity provider to see if it offers an option to purchase green power. If not, check out Green Alberta Energy to find out what organizations offer this service. This list is recommended by the Utilities Consumer Advocate.

Edmontonians are keen on solar and there are currently 721 solar micro-generation sites in the city. Installing a photovoltaic (PV) system is getting more and more affordable. Solar panels can be installed on new or existing homes.

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The first step is to contact a solar contractor, provide him or her with your address and collect your utility bills from the last year. The contractor will take care of the rest. From there, the system and meter will be installed and you'll get connected to the grid.

The City of Edmonton is offering a rebate to Edmontonians of $0.40/watt towards the cost of the system. That's roughly 15% of the cost of going solar!

With Edmonton's colder temperatures, increasing the R-Value of your attic or roof's insulation will help prevent heat from escaping.

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The higher the R-Value, the better it will insulate. For optimal energy savings, upgrade or add insulation that's R40 or higher. It's always best to hire a qualified professional to install insulation.

By insulating and air-sealing your windows and entrances, reduce the amount of energy escaping outside and limit the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling year-round.

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Retrofit your building starting now with these GHG emission reductions. The more you combine actions, the bigger the impact.

• Weatherproof your home
• Insulate your basement
• Insulate your walls
• Install energy-efficient windows
• Upgrade your roof's insulation