GREEN NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

10 GREEN RESOLUTIONS FOR 2008

Environment Minister Barry Penner encourages all British Columbians to ‘think green’ when making their resolutions for 2008.

The following are 10 simple ‘green’ resolutions you may want to include on your list this year. They are all relatively easy to fulfill, may save you money, and will help British Columbia in the fight against climate change:

• Drive less. Make a point of using public transportation, walking, carpooling or biking to work or school at least once a week. If you must drive, consider grouping your errands into as few trips as possible.
• If you’re buying a new car, consider switching to a newer, fuel-efficient model or – even better – to a hybrid or alternative-fuel vehicle. You may even be eligible for provincial sales tax and motor fuel tax reductions.
• Take advantage of modern technology at work: avoid excessive paper use (i.e. read documents on your computer screen whenever possible instead of printing them, and if you must use the printer, print on both sides of a sheet of paper), and stay clear from unnecessary traveling by using video-conferencing, web-conferencing or conference calling whenever possible.
• At home, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping. Consider installing a programmable thermostat to regulate temperature more efficiently.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs and, if possible, switch to Energy Star appliances, such as high-efficiency, front-loading washers and dryers.
• Choose locally grown, organic foods. Organic growers rely little on fossil-fuel-based pesticides and fertilizers, and consuming local foods significantly reduces emissions associated with shipping.
• Turn off the lights in empty rooms and, instead of leaving your computer and other appliances on ‘stand-by,’ turn them off completely at the end of the day or when they are not in use.
• Reduce waste, reuse containers and ‘disposable’ products (for example, wash and reuse plastic cutlery), and recycle.
• Switch to a low-flow showerhead.
• Compost kitchen waste.

Last month, the B.C. government introduced the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Targets Act, which puts into law the most aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets in North America. The act sets British Columbia’s target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by at least 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020, and was passed unanimously by the legislature.