Jane Thrall

Establishing a greener way of living involves making an effort to create a lifestyle with less impact on the planet .

But in practical terms , and on a limited budget , how can we reduce our environmental footprint in our own home ? Not all of us can afford to install solar panels , convert to heat pumps , or buy an electric car .

Without too much difficulty or expense , moderate changes can be implemented in our lives . Limiting water usage , lowering energy consumption , and minimizing waste are three key areas of focus for the green consumer .

Most of us know how to reduce water usage by using appliances that are more efficient , such as front-loading washers or toilets with a smaller tank and dual flush options .

My mother ’ s old washing machine used up to 150 litres of water to wash a load of laundry ; today ’ s top loaders still use 76 litres while my newer , high efficiency European front loader uses as little as 26 litres .

Some Canadian households use thirty per cent of their water just to flush the toilet . Toilets from the 1980s needed 13.2 litres of water for every flush , while high-efficiency toilets use 5 litres . Efficient dual flush toilets only need 1.5 litres for a full flush and 1.1 litres for a half flush .

Outside the house we can conserve water through rainwater harvesting . A rainwater collection system can reduce your yard ’ s need for treated potable water — a limited resource , particularly during the summer months . In some communities , water resources are dwindling at an alarming rate .

If you have to irrigate the lawn , do it at night when the water is less likely to evaporate . Better yet , replace that water-loving lawn with plants or features that don ’ t require a consistent dose of water to survive . Choose trees that are less demanding , and look into xeriscaping . Native plants are often the best option for local insects and pollinators , and they generally require fewer pesticides to survive .

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