Energy Conservation Feature

GUELPH – The recentgreen energy announcementfrom the Ontario governmentpro vides many reasons Ontariofarmers will benefit from theGreen Energy Act according tothe Ontario Federation of Agri -culture.

The Ministry of Energy andInfrastructure has the led onthis file for the Ontario govern -ment, due to complexitiesinvolved with regulations, andthe OFA has been working withthe Ministry of Energy andInfrastructure, Ministry of En -

vironment, Natural Resources,and Agriculture, Food andRural Affairs to create op -portunities for Ontario farmersin the green energy business.

Earlier this year, EnergyMinister George Smithermanvisited OFA’s office to gain abetter understanding of whatagriculture has to offer theprovince’s green energy initi -atives.

OFA lobby effortOFA President Bette Jean

Crews said farmers have muchto gain. “The Green Energy Act

regulations reflect almostevery thing OFA asked for, andwe will continue to work onimproving and enhancing thisopportunity for our members.”

One complaint about thewind energy turbines is thepossible effect that they haveon the health of nearby resi-dents. That ranges from noiseto vibrations in the home, to anegative effect on livestock anddomestic pets.

The OFA took those con-cerns into account in its lobby-ing efforts.

OFA vice president DonMcCabe said, “Within the windenergy area, a balance betweenenergy generation and healthsafety needs to be achieved.Ontario has responded to

OFA’s concerns to make thisprovince the only jurisdictioncompared to eight Europeancountries, all of the AmericanStates, and all the provinceswith wind programs to have a

minimum setback of 550 met -res from a residence.”

The Green Energy Act im -posed a 40-decibel noise levellimit on wind turbines.

The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 2, 2009 PAGE TWENTY THREE

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Farmers hear more good news on the green energy front

Continued on next page

To help address health con-

cerns, the province is currentlyseeking a research chair from

the Council of Universities toinvestigate that issue.

“OFA applauds this becausewe don’t want to jeopardizeany one’s health,” saidMcCabe.

Smitherman declared a pro -hibition on solar farms on class1 and 2 farmland, and set a capfor solar farms on class 3 farm-land at 6,000 acres to be usedto recognize contracts under

the previous program forrenewable energy.

“Solar panels will have a

wel come spot on farm, com -

mercial, and residential roof -

tops,” McCabe said.

The province has estab -

lished the highest rates for

farm-produced biogas in North

America at 19 cents/kW for

operations.

New biomass [unused crop

leftovers such as corn stalks,

straw, or pods] regulations will

provide a base to start an in -

dustry for the future using crop

scraps along with purpose-

grown crops [plants grown for

the purpose of energy produc -

tion] from Ontario farms.

Bio mass and energy crops

create revenue opportunities

for farm ers.

The province is planning to

construct new transmission

lines to provide more access to

the grid.

That will open up op -

portunities across the province

for agriculture-related projects.

A new renewable energy office

has been created to allow one-

window access to the govern -

ment for energy projects.

“Farm ers not only fill Ontario’s

grocery shelves but now will

be re sponsible for keeping the

lights on,” said McCabe.

OFA is pleased that Ontario

agriculture has been recog-

nized by the province as a sig-

nificant source of energy.

“This on-farm energy gen -

era tion is the basis for sus -

tainable energy in Ontario,”

said Crews.

PAGE TWENTY FOUR The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 2, 2009

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OFA lobby obtained limits on noise levels and setbacks from housesFROM PREVIOUS PAGE

ARA – Less than three percent of the Earth’s water isfresh water - and much of thatis inaccessible to people.

At least 36 states in theUnited States anti cipate experi -encing water short ages by2013, according to the U.S.Environmental Protec tionAgency. Droughts have alsobeen hitting Canada in the pastfew years, and the Ontario gov-ernment is concerned enoughto pass legislation to protectsource water.

If homeowners could easilysave water and save money atthe same time, why wouldn’tthey? The water conservationex perts at Kohler - a leader inkitchen and bath design andtechnology, share their top fivetips to save water at home.

1. Clean greenPay attention to the size of a

load of laundry and adjust thewater level accordingly. Use abroom to sweep debris awayrather than using water to cleanthe driveway, steps, or side -walk with a hose. Make sure torun the dishwasher when it isfully loaded.

2. Upgrade and repairWhen it is time to refresh

and remodel the bathroom, re -

place the older, less-efficienttoilet with a high-efficiencytoilet that can save up to 16,500gallons of water per year. Swapthat old showerhead for a low-flow or water-conserving show-er head to save more than 7,700gallons of water per year. If abathroom remodel is not in theplans, make sure to fix leakyfaucets and install water-savingaerators that can save hundredsof gallons of water per year.

3. Gardens that sipWater the garden early in

the morning or after dusk topre vent evaporation, and avoidwatering on windy days. Land -scape with native and low-water plants. For indoor plants,

use leftover water instead ofdumping a half-empty glass ofdrinking water down the drain.

4. Short showersLimit the time spent in the

shower to 10 minutes or lessand turn off the water whilebrush ing teeth or shaving toprevent excess water fromgoing down the drain.

5. Water accountabilityMake sure the home does

not have hidden water leaks.Do a quick check by readingthe water meter before leavingfor a few hours (with the houseis empty). If the meter does nothave the same reading whenreturning, there probably is aleak.

The Wellington Advertiser, Friday, October 2, 2009 PAGE TWENTY FIVE

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35,400 pounds of material collected at electronic drop off in Fergus

FERGUS - There will be alot less material reaching thelocal landfills as a result of arecent free electronic wastedrop off in Fergus.

The local branch of TDCan ada Trust partnered withGreentec to offer the event forlocal residents.

Peter Baldasso, Branch

Manager, TD Canada Trustsaid 35,400 pounds of materi-als was collected from approx-imately 340 vehicles. Thescrap filled two tractor trailers.

Items included monitors,CPUs, keyboards, cell phones,fax machines, and lots ofunused TVs, and printers.

He knew of people who

came from Arthur, Drayton,Durham, as well as Fergus,Elora, Salem, and the odd carfrom Guelph.

Baldasso said, “The re -sponse to our success hasspawned the same event to takeplace with other TD CanadaTrust branches in Cambridge,London and Windsor.”

Big haul - The Fergus branch of TD Canada Trust recently teamed up with Greentec to provide an energy efficientway to recycle used computer equipment

Cutting a home’s carbon footprint ARA - Recycling, driving

less, and bringing reusablebags to the grocery stores aregreat ways to reduce a family’scarbon foot print, but there areways to reduce the impact ahome has on the environment,not to mention the wallet?

Hannah Keeley, lifestyleexpert and host on PublicBroad casting System offersenergy efficiency tips that canyield big returns for the home,a budget, and the earth.

Fill in the cracksNever underestimate the

power of weatherproofing.Check windows and doors fordrafty areas. Caulking holesand cracks keep a home frombleeding heat, not to mentionhard-earned dollars from leak-ing out of the house.

Consider replacing exist ingdoors with more energy-effi-cient options.

Use less An obvious solu tion is

simply to use less en ergy.Raising the thermostat setting afew degrees during the spring

and summer translates into sav-ings in energy usage and utilitybills. A programmable thermo -stat will automatically adjustthe heat and coolness throughthe day, helping to control thetemperature.

Lower lightsLighting accounts for al -

most 20 per cent of the averagehomeowner’s monthly electricbill, but many overlook thatopportunity to save energy andmoney. Homeowners canchoose lighting controls.

An incandescent bulb dim -med by 25 per cent will use25% less electricity and lastfour times longer than a bulbthat has not been dimmed.Dimmers allow homeowners toset the right light level for themood and activity in a room.

Dual-fuel systemsInstalling a part-electric,

part-gas hybrid heating andcooling system provides morecontrol over a home’s energyusage by automatically sensingand operating in the most eco -nomical mode. As outdoor tem-

perature increases during theday, a hybrid comfort systemuses an electric heat pump toefficiently cool indoor air.When the weather turns coolerand heating with natural gasbecomes more efficient, thefurnace takes over. With a hy -brid comfort system, home -owners can save some seriouscash.

Make smarter choicesChoosing the right home

appliances is vital as well. Nomatter which room of thehouse - the kitchen, laundryroom, or otherwise - an out -dated or inef ficient unit candrain the bank account andincrease carbon emissions. Tocombat that, look for EnergyStar certified appliances.

Increasing a home’s energyefficiency does not have to behard work or a strain on thepocketbook. By making a fewsmart choices, homeownerscan sit back and rest, in com-fort, knowing they are doingyour part to help reduce ahome’s carbon foot print.

Five ways to save water at home