Support Clean Nova Scotia
How can you support a cleaner and healthier environment in Nova Scotia? Whether you can offer your time, talents, suggestions or a financial donation, there are many ways you can help us create a better province.
You Can Help By:
- Becoming an Individual Member
- Volunteering
- Making a donation
- Becoming a Business Member
- Sponsoring a program
The Clean Nova Scotia Foundation is a federally registered charity (charitable #11922 7684 RR0001) and will provide a tax receipt for any donation. You can receive a copy of Annual Report by calling 420-3474, or download from under "Resources".
What Else Can I Do?
Burn less coal.
Over the holidays, I saw an ad in the Cape Breton Post for a company that delivers coal to households. It reminded me that it's part of our heritage to burn coal, that people used to do this for warmth before we got all these tidy oil furnaces. Imagine the soot and the dirt. If it helps, imagine that soot represents a portion of the invisible greenhouse gases that are emitted when coal (and oil, and other fossil fuels) are burned. Now picture that every time you turn on an appliance, a light, your computer, the oven... Leave your computer on all night, it's like you're waking up to a fine film of coal dust all over your office. See, greenhouse gases are invisible, and now most of us burn our coal in big generators far away from our basements so we can detach and pretend that it isn't bad, and isn't happening. But it is! So if you're not using it, turn it off. Save energy.
Think before you buy.
This is one message that is most welcome this time of year. Credit card bills arrive and you think, YIPES. What was I thinking?? Four out of five cheap plastic stocking stuffer toys and doodads, the things you bought so it would look like there was more under the tree, are broken, and now are just trash. (Maybe even lead-filled trash. Yippee!) If you skipped Buy Nothing Day in November, because darn it, there are only so many shopping days till Christmas!--do it now. Buy nothing. Use your own mug, with your own coffee from home. Pack a lunch. Walk to work. There, you're healthier, saving money, and reducing waste. Pat yourself on the back!
Use less energy.
Right now, is there something near you that does not need to be on?
Carry your own water.
Bottled water is a growing concern for a number of reasons. Our tap water is tested regularly and is world-class. The bottling process uses materials and energy, uses transportation for distribution, and then creates a waste product that either goes to the landfill or uses energy in recycling. Remember that reusable mug we've been suggesting you carry for coffee? If you invest in a really good stainless steel lined one, that will be long-lasting, it will wash well, and not carry taste, so you can use it for coffee and / or water... or whatever beverage you want to carry with you on the go.
Drive, maintain and buy for fuel efficiency.
Canada’s transportation sector now produces more than a quarter of all greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, a major contributor to climate change. As a driver you can save up to ~30% of your fuel costs and emissions just by adjusting your driving habits and performing regular vehicle maintenance. Here are a couple tips to get you started:
Smooth sailing- Jackrabbit driving (hard acceleration and hard braking) saves only 2.5 minutes an hour and increases fuel consumption by as much as 35%.
Pump your tires-Under-inflated tires aggravate hydroplaning, cause excessive tire wear, and increase fuel consumption. Your tires’ proper inflation is usually found inside one of your door jambs. If not, check your owner’s manual. Check the pressure in your tires once a month.
Driveless-Carpool saves money, reduce pollution and create a friendlier commute.
For more money and emission saving tips visit www.drivewiser.ca