With the launch of the brand-new Earth Day workshop ‘Saving Money and the Environment – it starts at home!’, Camille and Isabel from the Workshops Team invite you to re-think your household habits with simple changes to make your home more eco-friendly – and save money along the way! Whether it’s your energy bill, water consumption, cleaning products or setting new challenges for yourself, here are some of our favourite tips to get you started!

Save energy (and money!)

Energy use is often one of the largest household expenses – and one of the best places to start saving! Did you know that Canadians are some of the highest consumers of electricity in the world?

In Canada, many provinces are fortunate to have easily accessible and affordable energy through renewable sources. For this reason, we may take our energy for granted and use more than we should.

Here are some of Isabel’s tips to re-think your energy use:

1. In the summer months, I love to take advantage of the heat and the sun to dry my clothes outside! This reduces the number of loads and energy spent in the dryer.

2. Heating and air-conditioning make up 54% of electricity bills in Quebec. In the summer months, I like to lower my blinds during the day to stay cool.

3. Wash your dishes and your clothes in cold water and wait till they’re full to run them – 80 to 90% of the energy used by a washing machine is used to heat the water!

The planet and your wallet will thank you!

Re-think your water consumption

Did you know that globally, Canada is one the largest consumers of water at 223L per person per day? In Ontario, this number is even higher at 187L per person per day, and up to 286L per day in British Columbia! But do we really need to be using that much?

Here are some of Isabel’s tips to make easy changes to your water consumption habits:

1. Have you ever tracked how long you take in the shower? Try to set yourself a new goal for a shorter time – then make a playlist of songs set to the length of your new goal!

2. Recently, I’ve started to water my plants using rainwater. Skip the tap and set up a rain bucket outside to keep your plants hydrated!

3. The lessons we learned as kids are still true! Turning off the water when washing your hands and brushing your teeth goes a long way! To go even further, have you ever thought about turning off the shower while you wash your hair? It may be even more efficient!

Start your first home garden

Home gardening can be intimidating if you’ve never tried it. Both Camille and Isabel started small with these quick tips and found it much easier than we thought!

I know for me (Isabel), I never thought I’d be able to grow anything since my apartment has no balcony. That said, it didn’t stop me from trying to grow one of my favourite ingredients – green onions! I simply place the sliced white ends of the scraps with the roots attached standing up in a jar of submerged water near a sunny window, change the water every 1-2 days and then I have an endless free supply!

For Camille, the key was to start small with the right conditions, with the seeds of her favourite vegetables. Even with a small sunny balcony, you can grow an impressive tomato garden! Radishes are also a great first plant, which grow in as fast as 3 weeks!

For even more tips, check out the Earth Day blog article on companion planting to make the most of growing your own vegetable garden in small spaces.

There are also lots of great resources and communities to connect with fellow gardeners. Ask questions on Facebook groups online, or even seek out local community gardens!

Clean home & clean products

An eco-friendly and economical home, yes, but clean! Our household products can have an impact on nature, since they generally go into our sinks and ultimately, our rivers. Here are Camille’s two tips for cleaner household products!

1. Simplify my life! Do we really need so many products to maintain our home? Let’s simplify my life: one all purpose-cleaner (with white vinegar and water), one very good soap (like Marseille soap), baking soda (in bulk!) and one toilet cleaner.

Recently, I’ve started to use only my Marseille soap for hands and dishes by rubbing my sponge directly on it. I’m also using tablets for my dishwasher, because I’m not ready yet to cook more challenging recipes!

2. Beware of terms too beautiful to be true! It’s true for many products, but especially for those linked to cleaning, I’m always on the lookout for terms that can be greenwashing* like “Biodegradable”, “Natural” or “Green” on the label.

The easiest way for me to do so is to rely on labels. Here are the best-known: “UL Ecologo”, “Ecocert”, “EWG Verified” and “Safer Choice” for products with lower environmental impacts. We also see the logos “Cruelty free and vegan” and “Leaping Bunny ” for products non-tested on animals.

I’m also looking for “biodegradables according to OECD standards” or “non-tested on animals” labels, scanning the list of ingredients (I want as simple as possible) and focusing on products without added color or smell.

It may seem like a long process, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it just takes care of itself!

These are just the first steps, but by implementing even just one or two tips, you will be well on your way to an eco-friendlier home. Start small, make lasting habits, save money along the way and have fun!!

Sources:
Earth Day Canada Workshops. (2024).
https://earthday.ca/every-day/programs/earth-day-workshops/

CER (2024). Market Snapshot: Why Canada is one of the world’s largest electricity consumers
https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/market-snapshots/2022/market-snapshot-why-canada-is-one-of-the-worlds-largest-electricity-consumers.html

Hydro-Québec (2023)
https://www.hydroquebec.com/residential/

CER (2024). Provincial and Territorial Energy Profiles – Canada.
https://www.cer-rec.gc.ca/en/data-analysis/energy-markets/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles/provincial-territorial-energy-profiles-canada.html

Hydro-Québec (2024).Windows, Heating and air-conditioning.
https://www.hydroquebec.com/residential/energy-wise/windows-heating-air-conditioning/

Statistics Canada (2023, November 14). Potable water use by sector and average daily use.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/cv.action?pid=3810027101&request_locale=en

Earth Day Canada (2023, January 31). Companion Planting or How to Get the Most out of Your Micro Garden!
https://earthday.ca/2023/01/31/companion-planting-or-how-to-get-the-most-out-of-your-micro-garden/

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Workshops, Team Manager

Camille Defoly

Joyful and positive, Camille is convinced that intentional daily actions make a difference! Her passion for theatre has led her to lead and organize several events. She loves to cook and to try new dishes with her leftovers. A friendly person, she is fond of board games. For her, all nature trips are an opportunity to marvel at wildflowers and mushrooms.

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Workshops, speaker

Isabel Strachan

Passionate about bridging the connection between academia and the everyday, Isabel’s background in climate research inspires her to transform scientific knowledge into easily accessible material for the general public. Having spent a year in England doing her master’s in historical climatology, her love for the environment has led her to travel in search of better appreciating the beautiful natural landscapes from her studies. A fan of all things Canadian winter, Isabel is an avid figure skater and spends her time doing pilates, going to local concerts and discovering new wines.

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