William Lishman – A gifted sculptor and ultralight pioneer, Bill had an epiphany whilst flying amongst a flock of geese. Eventually he developed a solution for migratory birds that he later applied to the endangered whooping crane species.

Bill used his ultra-light glider to steer the endangered Whooping Crane onto its traditional, but forgotten, migratory route. Since then, he hasn’t stopped producing, building innovative homes, creating world-famous art, and producing solutions to humanitarian crises.

2012 update: Kashi is coming under scrutiny over the release of a report entitled “Cereal Crimes” by the Cornucopia Institute.  The report states that many of the components in Kashi cereals are genetically modified, not in fact, organic.  For more information, here is a great editorial on the issue by EcoSalon.  Our evaluation of the product will be re-assessed.  Stay tuned!

Edited by Paul Cassel

When you hear the word “insulation”, the image of fluffy, pink sheets of fiberglass might be the first thing that comes to mind, but many sustainable and less toxic options can achieve the same, if not better, results. Old newsprint, recycled denim, stone wool, new batt compositions and spray foam are a few examples of eco-friendly insulation materials that are alternatives to traditional fiberglass.

Prior to World War I, houses in Canada were sometimes insulated with little more than newspaper and rubble. Today, recycled newspaper is making a comeback, turned into cellulosic fiber.  These small particles may be blown or poured to fill irregular and inaccessible spaces, ideal for retrofit insulation of attics, cathedral ceilings and the space above bay windows. The finished result can be up to 38 percent more resistant to heat flow than fiberglass.  Although cellulose is organic and naturally flammable, during manufacturing it can be treated with a fire retardant such as a boric acid, solution that will also prevent fungal growth, and is considered to be no more toxic than table salt.

Cellulose is not a suitable option to retrofit or fill empty wall cavities, as it will settle with gravity.  In this case a spray foam is required that can expand to fill the space.  The spray foam method requires a uniform cavity depth to work properly. Half-pound foam will effectively fill an insulation space created by 2×6 or larger roof-joists, but the denser and more costly “2-pound” foam is required for space the depth of 2×4’s.  Thus in many older houses a combination of retrofit materials is required to bring the entire home up to consistent standards of energy efficiency and comfort.  In either case, holes must be drilled at regular intervals in the walls to provide access.  Though the contractor may fill them for you, there is at minimum some painting to do to finish the job.

When the surface requiring insulation is exposed such as during re-roofing or in an old garage ceiling, spray foam can be applied directly without compromising finished interior surfaces. This application is the most cost effective way to take advantage of foam.  “Closed-call foam” is moisture proof and can be effectively deployed without a vapour barrier.

Insulation made from scrap denim is another effective alternative insulation material for exposed cavities. Recycled denim insulation comes in a variety of thicknesses and may also be treated with boric acid in order to make it fire, mold, and insect resistant. Important in certain settings, denim provides a far better sound barrier than fiberglass. It is easy to handle and install – no gloves and no itching.

Other batt alternatives include fiberglass made with formaldehyde-free binder materials or agriculturally-based binder resins made from soybean oil that may contain up to 70% recycled material and “stone wool” made from lava rock and basalt.  With so many options out there, it’s tempting to crown one particular insulation type as the very best eco-friendly option. However, Phalguni Mukhopadhyaya, project leader of a National Research Council study on eco-friendly advanced thermal insulation, pointed out that there is no all-encompassing way to select any one material above all others:

“It depends on its application and design,” he explained. Even if you have good material, if it isn’t designed well, it can lose its effectiveness.”

A blower door test to measure your home's air leakage

And regardless of the material choice, condensation must be properly controlled.  When comparing costs, loose-fill or batt-type materials are generally cheaper than rigid board, cellulose, or foam-type insulations. However, be wary that cheaper materials might have higher installation costs and by providing less energy savings, are often actually the more expensive option in the long run.

So how do you compare?  One good way is to use the R-value of the material; it represents the material’s resistance to heat flow – the higher the better.  You can contrast the effectiveness of various types based on a standard 2” thickness, but to know how effective they will be in your application, an assessment of the available insulation space will be required.
Your best investigation method is to obtain written quotes and materials from insulation providers with a good history and references and then go to the websites of the brand names they specify. If you want to quantify your potential savings, an energy audit is an affordable and effective means of demystifying “thinking pink”.

Sources/More Information

Bulk recycled cellulose.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bulk_recycled_cellulose.jpg

Bulk recycled cellulose scan.jpg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bulk_recycled_cellulose_scan.jpg

Woolpic.gif

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Woolpic.gif

Sheep.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sheep.jpg

Lleyn sheep.jpg

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lleyn_sheep.jpg

Roxul

http://www.roxul.com/

Owens Corning

http://insulation.owenscorning.ca/ecotouch/

Eco-building Resources LTD

http://www.eco-building.ca/

Greensaver Insulation

www.greensaver.org/

I get paid to save electricity every month. That’s right, I get paid to save energy on my electricity bill every month.

This is not a gimmick. Toronto based start up Lowfoot has a sophisticated software program that uses your smart meter to measure your energy use and pays you for saving energy.

The ability to measure and monetize (i.e., pay for) conservation could revolutionize our approach to energy efficiency and green building retrofits. In the past decade we’ve moved from moral persuasion to save the planet to a discussion about rates of return and payback periods on energy efficiency investments. Imagine how much faster we could turn the dial on positive change if there was a market for conservation. That’s what measuring and monetizing conservation can do.

Lowfoot uses your average historical consumption to establish your base line energy use. You are then paid for “generating” negawatts below your baseline. In the past year, Lowfoot members (I’m one) have generated 279,180 kWh and reduced carbon emissions by 62 tonnes.

Lowfoot’s philosophy is “that people will shift their behaviour if they’re provided with a recurring financial incentive, along with healthy competition and cooperation.” That’s been my experience. Since joining Lowfoot, I’ve made simple changes suggested by other members such as running my dehumidifier only at night and putting all electronics on power bars to eliminate phantom load from devices that suck energy while turned off. I use Lowfoot’s daily email reports on my energy use to correct spikes in demand immediately. Our family has reduced our monthly electricity use by around 40%.

The company uses advertising revenue to pay people now. In the future, they plan to sell negawatts to utilities by guaranteeing demand reduction during peak hours. They also plan to bid on generation contracts by guaranteeing a specified number of negawatts that would eliminate the need for expensive new generation.

Ontario could take this model to a new level by creating a program to pay people for conservation. Like the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) that pays for green electricity, a conservationFIT program could pay people for negawatts. Lowfoot’s technology provides the tool needed to measure conservation. A FIT program would create incentives to ramp up conservation at rates lower than new generation.

A conservationFIT program would create additional incentives for energy efficiency and green building investments. In the same way that a home owner uses microFIT to finance capital investments in solar panels, s/he could use a conservationFIT to secure financing for energy efficiency. With compensation tied to actual demand reduction, governments minimize the pitfalls of choosing which efficiency technology to support with incentives. This approach also avoids the rebound effect of homeowners using efficiency savings to buy more gadgets that negate real demand reduction.

The cheapest and greenest kilowatt is the one never produced. Measuring and monetizing conservation is a powerful new tool to drive efficiency and reduce our demand for energy.

Mike Schreiner is leader of the Green Party of Ontario. He can be reached for comment at leader@gpo.ca.

If every one of us changed one incandescent bulbs to a compact fluorescent (CFL), the reduction in pollution from power generation would be like taking 800,000 cars off the road.

Former marketing executive Stuart Hickox didn’t sit back when he read that stat while surfing the net; he took matters into his own hands by forming One Change, an organization that reminds us that even simple actions matter – they add up for big change.

One Change puts the tools for action into our hands. Take action now and be a part of global change.

(Click the below photo to watch the GreenHeroes video)

Back in 1960 in Tanzania, Jane discovered that chimpanzees fashioned tools to forage for food – forever blurring the line between animal and human. Until that time anthropologists had defined man as ‘the toolmaker’.
Dr. Goodall went on to fight for conservation of chimpanzee habitats and for the preservation of all endangered species. The Jane Goodall Institute promotes youth activism with its Roots and Shoots program, which ignites environmental activism in children, teens and college students.

The City of Toronto, in partnership with Green Living Enterprises, invites Toronto residents to nominate the individuals, community groups, organizations and companies that are leading the way to a cleaner, greener Toronto.

Winners will receive a Green Toronto Award, $5,000 courtesy of award sponsors, and be honoured at a special evening of awards and music at the Green Living Show.

Categories open for nomination:

• Community Projects — grassroots initiatives that green our neighbourhoods
• Green Business — leadership in green business practices, strategies and products
• Local Food — increasing local food production and consumption
• Energy Conservation — energy conservation and renewable energy initiatives
• Environmental Awareness — raising environmental awareness and promoting stewardship
• Green Design — sustainable homes, buildings, products
• Leadership — outstanding environmental achievement
• Water Efficiency — managing and reducing water use
• Youth Leadership — green leaders 24 and under

The nomination deadline is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, February 6.

Nominations may be submitted online at www.toronto.ca/greentorontoawards.

The 8th annual Green Toronto Awards ceremony will take place Friday, April 13 at the Green Living Show, Direct Energy Centre, Exhibition Place.

Last years winners:

Winners of the Community Project Award: Cultivating Youth Leadership, Afri-Can FoodBasket

Winner of the Energy Conservation Award: Nitta Gelatin Canada Inc.

Winners of the Environmental Awareness Award: TREC Education

If you could get some financial support to make your house more energy efficient and reduce the impact on the environment, would you?

The ecoENERGY Retrofit–Homes program may help you realize your home ret­rofitting ambitions. NRCan’s website states that the Government of Canada has committed a total of $1.14 bil­lion for the ecoENERGY Retrofit–Homes program since 2007, and that there were retrofit incentives provided to “over 510,000 homeowners, saving 1.8 mega­tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.” As a result, “participants have, on average, reduced their energy consumption by over 20 per cent and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 3 tonnes per household.”

Homeowners who have registered, completed qualified improvements and a Home Energy Assessment, and submitted applications by March 31, 2012 may be eligible to receive up to $5,000 from the Federal government. Here is a selection of some of the rebates that are available under this program:

ecoENERGY Retrofit-Homes Program

Water Heating Equipment: Replace your existing space and domestic water heat­ing equipment with a qualified integrated mechanical system (IMS). Up to $1,625

Wood Burning System: Replace your wood burning system or appliance with a more efficient appliance (e.g. pellet burning, masonry heater). Up to $375 per replaced.

Central A/C: Replace your central air-conditioning system with an ENERGY STAR A/C system. Up to $250

Window A/C: Replace your window A/C unit with a ductless mini-split or an Energy Star model. Up to $25 per unit replaced

Water Heater: Replace your water heater with an ENERGY STAR and “ecoENERGY” qualified instantaneous, gas-fired water heater. Up to $315

Attic/Flat Roof/Cathedral Ceiling: Insulate a minimum of 20 percent of the total ceiling area. Up to $750 Exterior Wall Insulation: Insulate a minimum of 20 percent of the total exterior wall area. From $225 up to $1,875

Basement: Insulate a minimum of 20 percent of the wall area of the foundation, including basement and crawl space walls. From $125 up to $1,250

Windows/Doors/Skylights: Replace your windows, doors or skylights with ENERGY STAR qualified models. Up to $40 per replacement

Toilet: Replace your toilet with a low-flush or dual-flush toilet that meets the Uniform North American Requirements (UNAR). Up to $65 per toilet

Ontario Power Authority Programs, www.saveonenergy.ca

Heating and Cooling Incentive: EnergyStar qualified central heating or cooling system when purchased from and installed by a participating contractor. Up to $650

Fridge and Freezer Pick up: You can have your fridge or freezer picked up for free and recycled in an environmentally friendly way if it is 15 years or older. Save up to $125/year

saveONenergy Coupons: These coupons can help you save money throughout the year when you purchase and install energy-efficient products for your home.

microFIT Rooftop Solar PV: This program encourages the development of solar PV projects on existing permanent buildings. Receive 80.2 cents/kWh on a 20 year contract term. 80.2 cents/kWh -soon to be reduced.

www.microfit.powerauthority.on.ca

Manufacturers Rebates

Most rebates are contingent on dealer participation. Check with your contractor or system supplier for additional rebates available directly from the manufacturers.