Welcome to Clean Calgary's E-Newsletter. You are receiving this because you indicated interest in receiving up to date environmental information and tips concerning Calgary and urban environmental issues.
In this issue:
Checking for Leaks
Environment Canada estimates that 40% of all toilets leak. More importantly, leaky toilets are the number one cause of water wasted in the home and can account for 10 - 30% of a household's water usage. The City of Calgary recommends that you check your toilet/s for leaks once per year. The quick and easy way to check if your toilet seal is leaky is to simply place a few drops of food colouring into your toilet tank and wait 5 to 10 minutes. If the water in your toilet bowl has changed colour then you need to replace your toilet seal.
Water Factoids
Litres of water to make 4 new tires: 7,843
Litres of water to manufacture a new car including tires: 147,971
Litres of water to process one barrel of beer: 5,678
Litres of water that can be contaminated by one litre of oil: 2 million
Source: Corporate Knights, The Water Issue
Ask Ashley - Do Humidifiers Waste Water?
Q:
I try very hard to live a low impact lifestyle but I have a question which nobody seems to have been asked before. What do you think about a humidifier in the home? Are they waste of H2O?
Thank you,
Sheila
A:
Hello Sheila,
I'll do my best to answer your question. You may be surprised but I'm going to turn your water question into one about energy, since the water used in an efficient humidifier is actually quite minimal in the grand scheme of things.
Due to Calgary's low relative humidity (RH), the air is not great at holding heat. If you put a humidifier in your home, you'll actually improve the heating efficiency because the water vapor will trap the heat, making your home feel warmer. That said you should do homework to try to find a humidifier that requires the least amount energy and the one that will meet your exact needs. There are a number of different models ranging from table-top versions to those that can be run inline with your furnace. Keep in mind that the efficiency argument flies out the window if you use an inefficient humidifier as it will draw upon a power grid that is fueled primarily by coal. Also, you’ll want to ensure that you don’t put too much moisture into the air as it can lead to mold and bacteria growth. If you live in an older home that is leaky this shouldn’t be a problem. If you want to be precise, you can buy an inexpensive hygrometer to measure the exact RH in your home.
One other thing that I'd consider before buying a humidifier is the type of water that you put in your humidifier. Since there is chlorine in the municipal water for sanitation purposes, when chlorine vaporizes in steam, and combines with other organic compounds in the air, it converts to chloroform. Chloroform is a strong respiratory irritant and causes fatigue. The U.S. EPA recently stated that "Due to chlorine and showering, virtually every home in America has a detectable level of chloroform gas in the air." It would be wise to limit your exposure to chloroform though. Water purification systems that eliminate chlorine would avoid any of these issues.
As with most issues, the answer is never clear or straightforward. I hope this addresses your initial concern but you should make sure that whatever model you go with, it keeps you and your home healthy.
Best regards,
Ashley
Ashley Lubik, BSC in Environmental Science, is a Calgary Materials Exchange Program Assistant at Clean Calgary Association.
Please send your question concerning Water, Waste, or Recycling to Ashley Lubyk
Mount Royal College Students are Available for Summer Work Experience
Calgary Materials Exchange (CMEX) program has been working closely with Mount Royal College Environmental Science (Industrial Ecology) students for the past three years. These students have been participating in class projects and term project that involve assessing waste streams and examining material flow by working directly with CMEX companies. These projects are of benefit to the students and the companies involved.
Through the work experience program, 2nd, 3rd and 4th year Environmental Science students are positioned to add value to your organization! The students possess a solid understanding of sustainable development, energy efficiency, materials use, waste reduction and pollution prevention as they complete the innovative, interdisciplinary, and practical program.
You will find that the Mount Royal College students are well prepared for diverse employment opportunities through their comprehensive academic curriculum and professional development.
Posting has begun this January for work terms which begin in May 2007. Please contact CMEX staff for more information or contact Mount Royal College directly:
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Jim Daigneau
(403) 440-5937
jdaigneau@mtroyal.ca
Dalhousie Households Making a Difference. Join the Compost Trail.
Over 30 Dalhousie households signed up for Clean Calgary’s Waste Wise Community Outreach Program and are reaping the benefits of composting by hauling less garbage to the curb, and spending less money on garbage bags. In spring these households will begin to see the compost pile shrink as those compost critters begin breaking down all the kitchen and yard organics that were added during winter. The compost will be used to provide nutrients for indoor and outdoor plants, gardens and the lawn. No need to use hard earned dollars on chemical fertilizer. Everyone benefits from a healthy yard, including pets and the community at large. Please join others making a difference in your community by creating healthy yards. Join our Waste Wise Outreach program and begin composting.
Clean Calgary Association is searching for 70 Dalhousie households to join the Waste Wise Community Outreach Program. If you are one of them, you have to commit to begin home composting during 2007 and Clean Calgary will be providing free incentives, including hands on coaching from a volunteer Master Composter, free backyard composter and composting tools.
More information or to join Waste Wise Outreach Program:
call Karen at 998 – 8846 or email karen@cleancalgary.org
VermiComposting Workshop
If you live in an apartment or condo and you want to start composting your organic kitchen scraps instead of sending them to the landfill you don’t want to miss this presentation. VermiComposting or Indoor Composting is easy when you know how. This Workshop, taught by a Master Composter/Waste Advisor and a veteran red worm breeder, will provide you with everything you need to know about Indoor Composting.
When: Saturday, February 24th
Where: Clean Calgary Association Boardroom
Time: 1:00pm – 2:30pm
Cost: $15.00 per person
Call 230-1443, extension 222 to reserve your seat.
*Please note there are limited spaces for this presentation. All participants must be pre-registered and pre-paid by 4:00pm on Saturday, February 17th.
A Vegetable Powered Volunteer
Rob Avis is one of Clean Calgary Association’s many wonderful volunteers and a recipient of one of our Volunteer of the Year awards. Rob has been committed to environmental issues in our community for a long time. He is heavily active in alternative fuels research and has modified his own car to run on vegetable oil. In addition to volunteering for Clean Calgary, Rob has been busy designing a solar powered church and is working with Crude Country Biofuels – a local business that is developing alternative fuel solutions.
Currently, Rob spends his free time promoting a biodiesel project in Cuba. Rob, along with three other Canadians, is working on an initiative to produce biodiesel – by planting jatropha seeds and using the oil from the plant to run a generator and contribute electricity to the local grid. Not only does biodiesel have the benefit of fewer greenhouse gases, better air quality and therefore improved public health, but the new power supply will allow students to study in the evening, provide local jobs, counteract soil erosion and provide additional feed for livestock. For more information about this project visit: www.plantoil.givemeaning.com
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