Use fans instead of air conditioners because they use less energy.
Conduct a home energy audit to obtain information
on the energy efficiency of your home.
Use fluorescent lighting instead of incandescent
light bulbs. Fluorescent lights are more than
four times as efficient and last 8 to 15 times
longer than incandescent bulbs. If using incandescent
bulbs, choose the energy saving bulbs.
Avoid using oil-based paints and solvents when possible.
Look for low emission engines when buying new lawn mowers, snow blowers and
outboard motors.
If buying a wood stove, chose one with an anti-pollution device.
Buy energy efficient appliances. The EnerGuide
labels rate the energy efficiency of appliances.
The lower the number or consumption rating,
the less energy the appliance uses.
Replace an old oil or gas furnace with a high efficiency model. You can also replace your furnace-mounted humidifier with a water-efficient model, which will help you save water and energy. Check out the Region of Peel's Humidifier Rebate Program
Turn lights off when not needed and turn the furnace down when you leave the
home and at night.
Reduce vehicle use by tele-working and tele-conferencing for meetings
Improve Air Quality on the Road?
Use low sulphur fuel
When buying a new car, consider a fuel efficient model.
Keep your tires well inflated to increase gas mileage and reduce emissions of air pollutants. Under-inflated tires increase the amount of gas Canadians use by 400 million litres a year, costing $360 million (assuming 90¢/litre).
Keep your vehicle well tuned to reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%.
Don't idle your car. Idling your vehicle for as little as 10 minutes a day uses an average of 100 litres of gas a year. By turning your car off, you can save up to $75 a year assuming gas costs 75 cents a litre.
Use public transit. A full bus is equivalent to taking 40 cars off the road during rush hour traffic. It also saves 70,000 litres of fuel and avoids 9 tonnes of air pollution a day.
Avoid quick accelerations and quick stops as they increase fuel consumption.
Drive at the posted speed limit. Driving at 120 km/hr instead of 100 km/hr increases fuel consumption by approximately 20%.
