USEFUL RESOURCES

To donate items you no longer need, please contact the following local organizations:

West Island Assistance Fund, Roxboro (clothes, miscellaneous) 514 683-0456
Fondation québécoise de la déficience intellectuelle 514 725-9797
Renaissance (used goods), 42b St. Charles blvd, 514 426-4765

FREECYCLE NETWORK :www.freecycle.org

The Freecycle Network¿ is made up of many individual groups across the globe. It's a grassroots and entirely non-profit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. A local volunteer moderates each local group. Membership is free. You can find or give away anything from books, appliances, old doors, packing boxes, to furniture or VHS machines. The main rule is that everything posted must be free, legal and appropriate for all ages. So keep it out of the dump and offer it to someone who might really want what you don't.

RECYCLE YOUR ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT:

Recycle or donate a computer or accessories

Toshiba free PC hardware disposal initiative: www.toshiba.ca/TERRE

Where do notebook computers go when they die? Toshiba Canada is addressing this question with the launch of TERRE (Toshiba Environmental Recycling and Recovery Effort) - a proactive environmental program. Toshiba will ensure that PC hardware and any associated components that pose environmental risks will be dismantled and safely disposed of, regardless of the manufacturer. Any Canadian resident with unwanted notebook computers, handheld computers or LCD computer monitors can alert Toshiba that they're ready to safely dispose of their hardware by registering at www.toshiba.ca/TERRE. Toshiba will send a courier to retrieve the hardware for disposal at no cost to the individual.

THE RAIN BARREL

The rain barrel is the ideal solution to give your plants water of great quality throughout the whole summer while protecting the environment! Each summer on the island of Montreal, gardening is responsible for 30% of the demands in potable water. This increase in the demand puts a stress on potable water reserves, on the ecosystem and water filtration expenses. So all the reasons are good to prevent the unnecessary waste of water.

The rain barrel available at the west-island's first Éco-quartier, in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, is a reused 200L plastic barrel, which was previously used to transport olives, and pickles from Europe to Montreal and that was modified to recuperate rainwater. By placing the barrel under your eaves trough you can recuperate up to 800L of rainwater from April to October every year. Furthermore, since the barrel is reused you are contributing to reducing the amount of waste destined to the landfill!

The modifications like the faucet, over-flow and mosquito netting permit a simple and carefree usage, while reducing the risk of contamination by debris or insects.

This way, by watering your plants and grass with FREE, natural chlorine-free water, you contribute to the protection of the environment and to improving the quality of life for all!

Available for $85 at
Éco-quartier Pierrefonds-Roxboro.
13 rue Centre-commercial in Roxboro
(bus 68, Roxboro/Pierrefonds train station)
ecoquartier.pfds.rox@gmail.com
www.sosplanete.org


Coop la Maison Verte
5785, Sherbrooke West, Montréal
http://www.cooplamaisonverte.com/

ENERGUIDE FOR HOUSES GRANT

With the increasing cost of heating our homes, why not have an expert carry out an Energy Audit of your home. Following the withdrawal of the federal government's support for the EnerGuide for Houses Program, Québec's Agence de l'efficacité énergétique (AEE) has announced it will continue to offer a similar program for Quebec homeowners. By completing an energy audit as well as the suggested retrofits on your home, you with help further Canada's climate change goals by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, at the same time reduce your energy costs and create a more comfortable home.

An expert will visit your home and carry out a 3 hour evaluation, involving a comprehensive walk-through of your house, to collect data and later provide a written report on the different systems of your home and what can be done to improve comfort and reduce energy bills. A follow-up visit is done following the upgrades suggested in your home, in order to provide a post-retrofit rating of your home and determine your grant eligibility for the work completed.To be eligible for the grant from Hydro-Québec, homes must be heated with electricity or a dual-energy system (Rate DT). The average amount granted is $1,300 per home.

For more information on the Hydro Québec EnerGuide for Houses program go to the website:
http://www.hydroquebec.com or call to make an appointment for an evaluation1-866-266-0008. Cost: $150 for the two visits.

Why should you replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFL's ?

Did you know that Compact Fluorescent Lamps or CFL's deliver the same light output as incandescent light bulbs but use 75% less energy? A typical house has 30 light bulbs that use about $200 worth of electricity each year, that's about 5-10% of your electricity costs. It makes sense to replace as many incandescent bulbs in your home with CFL's as you possibly can.

If all the households in Québec replaced just one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, this could save about 54 million kWh a year, which is equivalent to the consumption of about 2,700 households heated by electricity. The initial cost of purchasing CFL's is a little more, but it pays off fast. While an incandescent light bulb(traditional bulb) may last about 1000 hours, a CFL bulb can last between 6,000 and 10,000 hours! Tip: Place CFL's in hard to reach areas, so you don't have to change them as often.

Electricity generation emits harmful greenhouse gases(GHG's) that contribute to climate change. If you use less electricity to light your home, you are helping to reduce emissions of GHG's. Choose the right CFL bulb for your needs. A standard 60 Watt incandescent bulb is equivalent to a 15 Watt bulb, while a 100 W standard bulb is equivalent to a 29W CFL. Hydro Quebec is currently offering a rebate of $5 for every 10$ spent on the purchase of Energy Star CFL's. Check the website for your coupon or ask in stores.www.hydroquebec.com

The next best type of efficient lighting is light-emitting diodes, better known as LED's. LED's consume 90% less energy than conventional light bulbs, give off less heat, last 7 times longer and they have no filaments or other fragile materials.Tip: LED bulbs make ideal Christmas lights. This technology is evolving, so keep an eye out on the market for the many new uses for LED bulbs.