Green Calgary

Permaculture – Going Beyond Sustainability

I have a large yard devoted entirely to grass and I’m ready for a change. It takes an incredible amount of work to keep my lawn picture perfect and, quite frankly, it’s getting a bit tiresome. I have a pretty good understanding of xeroscaping but more recently I’ve come across permaculture and I wonder if it something that could be applied to Calgary. If so, where does one get started?

Many thanks,

Julia

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Why Carwashes Are Best (encore)

Dear Ashley,

My husband and I have a neighbour who washes his car at home at least twice a week throughout the summer and it makes my skin crawl to see all the water and soap going into the storm drain. I’m wondering what I could say to him without causing a big ruckus. It seems like a terrible waste, so any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Kindly,
Sally

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Every drop is sacred. Every drop is great.  (Encore)

I have a relatively new roof and the usual granular material in runoff is obvious. That settles out, of course, but it makes me wonder about other things added after the rain lands. Are chemicals from roofing carried into rain barrels collecting rain water? I would appreciate any information you can give me.

Thanks.

Jim

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Going Green and the Return on Investment

Dear Mr. Lubyk,

What is the return on investment (R.O.I.) for the various water and energy saving upgrades? I ask because I have a limited budget and I want to know how to best prioritize the changes I want to make. Should I replace toilets or should I upgrade my windows? Should I replace my 15 year old fridge or the 20 year old dishwasher? A few examples of how to best prioritize these investments would be extremely helpful.

Thanks,

Phil

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Industrial Farming has Really, Really Big Feet

Hello Ashley,

I try to be conscious as I can, purchasing environmentally sustainable products and food and taking actions to reduce my energy use. Where I am struggling though is with my water consumption. I have tap aerators throughout my house and only shampoo my hair twice a week to cut down on my shower time. But I recently learnt about the concept of virtual water and water footprints. I was shocked to learn the amount of embedded water in the food I buy. Do you have any suggestions about how I can reduce my embedded water consumption?

Thanks,
Kate

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Making the Most of Your Tankless Hot Water Heater

Dear Ashley,

Last year I installed an on-demand tankless hot water heater to replace my old hot water tank and although it seems as though I’m saving natural gas, I have to run my taps for longer to get hot water to them. This water waste really concerns me. I’ve heard of recirculation pumps but I don’t know much about them. Do you have any information or advice?

Thank you,
Douglas

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Every drop is sacred. Every drop is great.

I have a relatively new roof and the usual granular material in runoff is obvious. That settles out, of course, but it makes me wonder about other things added after the rain lands. Are chemicals from roofing carried into rain barrels collecting rain water? I would appreciate any information you can give me.

Thanks.

Jim

» Read Ashley's Answer

Save the Water

Hi Ashley,

Someone recently posed the question to me. "Why do we need to save water anyway?" This may seem like a ridiculous question - but I really didn’t know how to answer that question! His argument was that the glaciers are going to melt whether we use the water or not. It’s not like we are ‘bottling’ it and saving it for a time when we will need it. I understand the glaciers are going to keep on melting so how does our water use and consumption make a difference?

Sincerely,
Heather

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Why Carwashes Are Best

Dear Ashley,

My husband and I have a neighbour who washes his car at home at least twice a week throughout the summer and it makes my skin crawl to see all the water and soap going into the storm drain. I’m wondering what I could say to him without causing a big ruckus. It seems like a terrible waste, so any advice you might have would be greatly appreciated.

Kindly,
Sally

» Read Ashley's Answer

Greywater Gains Ground

Dear Ashley,

I’ve come across several do-it-yourself greywater systems in magazines and I’m wondering if they are permitted for use in Calgary. Is there a preferred system for Calgary?

With regards,
Paul

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