Menu
Ontario has always been a green-conscious province. We were the first jurisdiction in all of North America to eliminate the burning of coal as a source of energy. At the end of last year, the Ontario government created GreenOn, a rebate program for residents of Ontario who chose to make their homes more energy efficient. Despite the recent cuts to the GreenOn program, there are still many ways you can choose to live green in your Toronto home or condo that can save you money.
Whether you’re renting or owning, there are many simple things you can do to reduce your energy consumption around your home.
How many appliances, large and small, do you have plugged in right now that aren’t being used? We’re all guilty of it. The toaster, your hairdryer, whatever it is — unplug it. These things generate phantom power.
According to Save on Energy, about 20% of your home energy use is attributed to phantom power. To avoid the hassle of constantly plugging and unplugging appliances, pick up a programmable power bar. This allows you to set timers for when you need the power bar on, and its respective appliances, without needing to worry.
Be conscious of the times in which you choose to run appliances that use a lot of energy. The Ontario Energy Board, along with Toronto Hydro, set seasonal time-of-use rates to help consumers save money on their electricity bill.
In off-peak hours you’re paying half the price compared to on-peak. Appliances like dishwashers, washers, and dryers use a lot of energy. Choosing to run them off-peak alleviates the strain on the energy grid, in turn minimizing the need to build more electricity generating plants. Also, be mindful of waiting to run your dishwasher or washing machine until you have a full load.
Using dryer balls can speed up your laundry’s drying time between 10-25%. Wool dryer balls are said to provide even more energy savings, reducing your drying time between 30-50%. Partner these with off-peak hours and you’ll be saving energy and money.
How many people does it take to save on energy? Just one. Start switching out your home lightbulbs to LED lights to save between 70-90% of your energy consumption compared to traditional incandescent bulbs. They can also last 25 times longer. It’s really a no brainer.
Use your thermostat to its full potential. Most thermostats today allow you to set your home’s climate for when you’re actually home. Reduce your energy consumption by planning ahead so you’re not wasting energy.
ENERGY STAR is the leading symbol for energy efficient products. In fact, they were involved with many of the rebates of the GreenON program. From appliances to electronics, if you’re thinking about making your home more energy efficient, look for ENERGY STAR certified products.
If you want a way to ensure you’re fighting the good fight and are willing to pay a few extra dollars to do so, consider powering your Toronto home or condo with Bullfrog Power. This green electricity is available to anyone, no matter if you’re renting or owning your home.
What Bullfrog Power does is offset your electricity use with renewable energy. For a modest fee (starting at $11.25 per month), every kWh of electricity you use, Bullfrog Power will put back on the grid through a renewable energy source. Click here for more on how the process works.
Bullfrog Power uses renewable energy through wind, low-impact hydro and natural gas rather than depleting our finite resources.
Whether you live in a condo, townhouse, semi-detached or detached home, they have packages designed for you. Choose green electricity which uses low-impact hydro and wind power to offset your energy use, reducing your carbon footprint by more than 0.9 tonnes per year.
Choose green natural gas which, in a nutshell, uses the natural gas released from decaying organic matter to produce energy-rich gas. The biggest benefit to this? It doesn’t increase the harmful CO2 emissions, it’s all part of the natural carbon cycle.
Using their green natural gas will personally reduce your carbon footprint by 2.5 tonnes per year. That’s equivalent to planting 65 trees and caring for them for ten years.
It’s a simple way to do your part for the environment at large. The money you pay to have Bullfrog Power offset your electricity use with clean green energy goes towards funding green projects nation-wide, reduces our reliance on harmful non-renewable energy sources and helps build a greener Canada.
From small changes and choices you make at home to partnering up with a company like Bullfrog Power, there are many ways you can live green in your Toronto home or condo. To learn more energy saving tips, visit Save on Energy.
Get the hottest pre-construction investment opportunities right to your inbox.
