Okanagan Energy Sustainability Ideas

By George Wiseman, written February 2011 On 12-Jan-11, at 3:30 PM, Natalie Webb wrote: Dear George and Tenaj, We will be starting to interview this up-coming Monday for the Sustainability book we are writing as part of a Service Canada environmental youth employment program. Our sections are Home, Work Play, with subsections such as Air, Water, Land, Transportation, food, clothing, products, furniture, electronics. How about a section for Energy? We are looking for innovative tips and practical solutions that we all can implement to contribute to a greener future. I know that you two are an excellent resource that would be great to be a part of this book. Would you be interested in sharing any ideas? If so, will you please take a look at your January schedule and let me know when you can be interviewed between the hours of 9 and 3:30 during the week? There will be a release form that includes a contact information that ensures that any contributors will have final say before their input is included in the book. Also, do you know any green experts who might also want to be in the book? Thank you very much, Natalie Webb Sustainability Innovator Sustainable Choices/ONE George Wisemans contribution PO Box 21017 Penticton, BC V2A 8K8 250-492-7400 www.eagle-research.com/contact George is 52 years old

I (George Wiseman) am an inventor of a spectrum of energy efficiency technologies, since 1984. I consult with clients worldwide, to help them implement technologies that reduce the amount of fuel needed and/or to develop/implement means to gather energy from their local environment. Examples of my achievements are: 1. Several means to substantially reduce fuel consumption (and pollution) of vehicles, while maintaining full power and performance. Examples are my Carburetor Enhancer Method, HyCO 2A, HyCO 2DT, HyZor Technology and various Combustion Enhancement Interface Technologies (CEIT) like the Electronic Fuel Injection Enhancer (EFIE), MAP Enhancer(s), Electronic Diverter (ED) and true Deceleration Fuel Shutoff technologies.

2. The worlds most efficient and practical electrolyzer (split water into hydrogen and oxygen) technology, with several developed applications that businesses and people can use to reduce energy expenses. 3. Simple, inexpensive technique to store excess power into the utility Grid; instead of having large batteries. 4. Simple, inexpensive battery charger that will recharge batteries normally left for dead. In addition to my repertoire of innovations, my recommendations below promote energy efficiency, security, environmental compatibility and independence from outside influences. Fuel costs will continue to rise, so the more fuel the Okanagan can create from its local resources is that much less well be dependent on outside influences (over which we have no control) and that much more we can help over-all environmental and economic sustainability.

1. Bio-Fuel Bio-Fuel is easy to make as small (home) projects or large (municipal) projects. 1a. Alcohol. The Okanagan has huge alcohol potential in just the waste products of agriculture. Massive amounts of fruit are discarded as sub-standard and/or spoiled and/or not even picked from the bushes/vines/trees (whole orchards are sometimes not harvested because of owner illness, etc.). The various fruit processing industries (like wine-making) have byproducts that can be used to make fuel-alcohol, animal feed and compost. The expertise to do this already exists in the Valley, with courses taught in the Okanagan College. Alcohol can be used directly in vehicles designed to use it. Alcohol can be added (about 5%) to gasoline and diesel with minimal side effects. Alcohol can be used to make bio-diesel (see below). Alcohol can also be electrolyzed to produce hydrogen and carbon dioxide; thus alcohol could be a storage fuel for a hydrogen powered home or vehicle. This technique could also provide hydrogen supplementation (for better combustion) for gasoline or diesel vehicles. 1b. Bio-Diesel. The making of Bio-Diesel requires alcohol, lye (NaOH) and bio-oil (from vegetable or animal waste). All these ingredients are locally available. Vegetable oil is easiest to acquire from local restaurants (who currently PAY to have it taken away). Alcohol can be made from various waste as already described. Lye can be made from wood ashes (as it was during the pioneer days). There are lots of sources for wood to burn, including yearly trimmings from orchards. Enough Bio-Diesel could be produced in this manner to fuel all the municipal busses, including school busses. Bio-Diesel is 100% compatible in existing diesel powered engines with zero modification.

1c. Bio-Gas

Bio-Gas is largely a mixture of Natural Gas and carbon monoxide. It can be created with anaerobic digestion of almost any bio-mass. Such bio-digesters are easy to build and are being used world-wide (in China, they have been used for decades). The heating value of bio-gas can be enhanced with the addition of small amounts of hydrogen, which is easily produced in various ways, such as the electrolysis of urine, since the sewage would already be used in the digester. Most cities have centralized sewage facilities. It would be a simple matter to convert them from the current aerobic technology (which wastes carbon as carbon dioxide) to anaerobic, thus maximizing the volume of Bio-Gas production. Currently, in most of North America, the small amount of Bio-Gas that is produced in waste facilities is just burned off into the air (not even used to power a generator to make electricity like they do in Europe). The solids that come out of the bio-digester are an excellent fertilizer for non-human consumption crops and/or fruit orchards Bio-Gas can be pressurized and used in city vehicles (converted to run on Natural Gas) and/or be used to power generators (to feed electricity into the Grid) and/or be put into the municipal Natural Gas pipelines to help heat local buildings and homes (reducing the need for outside Natural Gas). Another type of Bio-Gas is wood-gas http://www.woodgasifiers.com/ You can make a combustible gas out of nearly anything that can be pyrolyzed. 1d. Garbage There are several fuel from garbage technologies. One example is pyrolysis, where a feedstock (which can be nearly any kind of biomass or garbage, including plastics and used tires) is heated (in an oxygen-depleted chamber) to over 500F, producing a mixture of combustible gas and liquid. After the feedstock is treated, the resulting char has many uses, including fertilizer. Metal can be separated and recycled. The bio-mass can (should) go into a digester to make Bio-Gas. Most cities waste a huge volume of potential energy by using garbage as landfill. Landfill sites are always an issue for cities to deal with; pyrolysis, along with a digester, a good recycle and composting program can substantially reduce the need for a landfill site while providing the city with needed energy. Of course, individuals can build home units too, making them more energy self-sufficient and reducing the demand on the citys garbage removal system.
Pyrolysis with microwaves. Roger R. Ruan, Dept. of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering, 1390 Eckles Ave., St. Paul, Minneapolis, 55108 PH 612-625-1710 ruanx001@umn.edu

1e. Bio-Mass Lots of businesses and cities simply burn bio-mass to drive steam generators. The ashes can be used to make lye for Bio-Diesel production and the waste of that makes excellent fertilizer.

2. Solar Energy

As Canadas only desert and having few cloudy days, the Okanagan has significant Solar power potential. This is particularly helpful in the summer to offset the huge load that air-conditioners have on the electrical Grid. 2a. Ontario has implemented a program that pays people $0.80 per kWh they generate and feed into the Grid. This MicroFit program essentially rents the roofs of homes to install solar photovoltaic panels. It is putting a lot of people to work (as installers), putting money into the economy and ultimately will reduce the need for energy from foreign sources. I would suggest the Okanagan implement a similar project. 2b. There are many technologies available for gathering solar heat to use for heating domestic water. This can reduce heating costs by 30%; at the same time as promoting local energy security, environmental and economic sustainability. Further, using decades old, simple techniques (like ammonia and salt) hot water can be used to create cold for air conditioning and refrigeration; the technology is cost effective even on a household size. AND there are several technologies that can use the energy in hot water to create electricity. These projects can be done on a home basis and/or as municipal projects. 3. Hydro Energy Penticton has it's own electrical utility, sharing a Grid with dams in the Kootenays. Okanagan Hydro-Power could be expanded in several ways. 3a. There are several dams on the rivers that could generate power (as well as their current use of controlling lake water levels). Although, after watching the salmon run, Id say that they should be upgraded to allow the salmon easier means to bypass them. I can think of a couple of designs of fish ladders and even a fish pump that would work to help them get to their spawning grounds. 3b. There are several technologies that use turbines mounted right in the river flow, which allow the fish to swim right through them with no injury. One example is my Flapper design. 3c. There are many mountain streams that can be dammed (as the beavers used to do) and used to generate electricity. Micro-generation power plants help create a diversified electrical Grid. A diversified Grid reduces the need (and energy losses) of transmitting energy over long distances. Reduces the extent of power outages and reduces the need to upgrade the existing power lines. 3d. There is a technology that uses the difference in temperature between water and air (or solar heated water and cooling by evaporation) to create electricity. This type of power generation works well in summer heat and winter cold. To give an idea of the power potential, consider this: Dropping a liter of water 10 meters (the height of a typical dam) develops a potential kinetic energy of 98 joules; changing the temperature of one liter of water by one degree Celsius is 4,184 joules of potential heat energy (> than 42 times the energy) and the water STAYS IN THE LAKE. The hotter and/or colder the weather gets, the more electricity such a power-plant can generate. This type of system can be mounted in a river (under the gravel so it is invisible), a municipal reservoir or a lake and will operate with minimal environmental impact (burns NO fuel). In fact, because of thermal currents it would create, lake eco-systems could be enhanced as nutrients are brought up from the depths.

This LTPC technology is over 100 years old, is reasonably priced and simply hasnt been used because the energy monopolies have suppressed it. Today, there is enough general expertise in the population to implement this type of technology (the reverse of heat pumps) in both homes and as municipal projects. 4. Wind Energy Wind energy potential increases with height. The Okanagan has reasonably high mountains and has major powerlines that go over those mountains. Large wind generators could be set up on higher mountains and feed electricity directly into the main energy Grid. Again, my Flapper design, used as a VAWT, would be an effective solution. 5. Energy Efficiency Amory Lovins of Rocky Mountain Institute coined a new word several years ago, called NegaWatts. This is the amount of energy that is NOT needed to be created, when energy efficiency technology is used to do the same work (or standard of living) with less energy. This eliminates the need for more (or larger) powerplants, to maintain our standard of living; also reduces the carbon-footprint of power generation. Here are a couple of NegaWatt technologies 5a. Insulation is an effective, simple and inexpensive technology that seriously saves energy. People know of it (boring) and are NOT using it to its potential. Even homes that are considered well insulated are currently wasting as much as 50% of their heating and cooling energy for the want of some simple upgrades (like R50 on their hot water tanks or insulating in spaces that are often forgotten and/or missed because installers/builders dont realize the importance or pay attention). 5b. LED lighting LEDs use only 15% of the energy of incandescent bulbs to produce the same light. Properly installed they will last the lifetime of a home (no changing bulbs or landfill). They are easily dimmable and remotely controllable. They use half the energy of florescent and do not contain mercury gasses (extremely poisonous). The initial price is hefty but worth every penny and getting less expensive every day. 5c. Eutectic Materials The use of eutectics to store heat and cold is vastly underutilized. The advantage is that you can put vast amounts of heat energy into a material without changing its temperature. This allows not only an energy storage density (lots in one place) but allows insulation to be much more effective because the temperature (of the heat storage) remains low. 5d. Grey water Grey water technology is being used around the world to reuse water that would normally be wasted. This would cut back on fresh water that the city needs to provide AND cut back on the volume of water the city needs to treat in the sewage plant. Grey water can be implemented in homes, businesses and industry. Ideally, new building codes would include grey water standards. 5e. Water Gathering and saving If every home and business both gathered rainwater and then used it for grey water, it would help prevent the runoff surge (into lakes and rivers) that happens when cities pave over greenery (that would normally trap and hold the water). When combined with gray water systems and/or nonpotable irrigation runoff gathering would also reduce fresh water consumption.

5f. Ive developed a technology that I call Capacitive Power Supply (CPS) or Capacitive Amperage Limiting (CAL) depending on the application. The CAL is effectively a high efficiency capacitive step-down transformer. Literally Quads of power could be saved if Capacitive Transformers were to replace the ubiquitous Inductive Transformers. Capacitive Transformers dont have heat and noise losses and they limit amperage if powerlines short out, preventing most power outages. Capacitive Transformers are easy to modify in place to fit any particular power requirement. Additional Links: http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Cooling/passive_cooling.htm May the blessings be George Wiseman

From: Sustainable Choices <sustainable_choices@hotmail.com> Subject: RE: Sustainable Choices Handbook Date: April 24, 2011 2:17:08 AM PDT To: George Wiseman wiseman@eagle-research.com

Hello George, I apologize for the long delay, but I have attached the .pdf of our completed book. You will be seeing your copy in the mail shortly. We really appreciate that you are putting it up and helping to spread the word. Please know that our program is now over. If you wish to get a hold of the co-ordinator, Deb Thorneycroft, you can contact her at XXXXX If you would like to contact me, my work e-mail XXXXX I hope your trip is going well, and that you like the result of our work. Thank you for your contribution Alyshia Olsen

South Okanagan Sustainability

Local Solutions of the Global Revolution

Katelyn Cole Carmen McAnulty Alyshia Olsen Samir Rodriguez Brennon Synnuck Mark Wall Natalie Webb

Okanagan Network for the Environment

Copyright 2011 The Okanagan Network for the Environment Society

Cover design, layout and editing: Alyshia Olsen Layout, editing: Deb Thorneycroft Photos: Aja Jackson, Carmen McAnulty, Brennon Synnuck, and Jennifer & Nicholas Vincent

Inside pages Enviro100%recycled paper Printed in eco friendly ink Cover 10% recycled paper Printed in Penticton, BC Canada

The Government of Canada has contributed funding to this initiative.

Okanagan Network for the Environment Society www. theonesociety.ca

T able of Contents

Food Energy Commodities Water Land Transportation Recycling Miscellaneous Glossary

3 12 25 35 41 52 59 71 81

Introduction
Current human activity, through its wasteful and inefficient use of natural resources is not sustainable and has the potential, if left unchecked, to inflict permanent damage to the capacity of the Earth to support future societies and plant and animal life. Problems are emerging on a global scale, for example: Climate change Pollution Dead zones in our oceans Decline of the tropical forests Decline of our natural resources Species loss

While these problems are global in scale, action must be taken at all levels, i.e. worldwide, continental, national, regional and at local levels and by individuals. We must think globally and act locally. The economy and development must not deplete the natural resource base and fertile soil - this is

particularly important for the South Okanagan. The link between economic growth and increased environmental pressure must broken. Sustainable and regenerative development considerations should be taken into account in every policy and action. We individuals must act. We cannot continue as we are doing now. Fundamental changes in our lifestyles are required. These changes require a systematic and comprehensive approach: Sustainable and regenerative development is a process. There are options and choices that have to be made. Our lifestyle will create the heritage of generations to come. Everyday activity counts.

Improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of the Earths supporting eco-systems" is based on the recognition that "we have not inherited the earth from our parents but borrowed it from our children." This book is full of local tips to help us live more sustainably and I encourage you to read it. Dale R. Bonke P.Ag. Director, Environment and Sustainability Programs Thank you to all who graciously shared their time and wisdom with our youth. This book would not have been possible without your support. We have done our best to include all tips, but some duplicates have been omitted. Deb Thorneycroft Sustainable Choices Coordinator 2

The archeological records of earlier civilizations indicate that more often than not it was food shortages that led to their downfall. Food appears to be the weak link for our global civilization as well. The question is not whether the food bubble will burst, but when? Lester Brown

Food
Okanagan residents have the good fortune to live in a bountiful region filled with a colourful diet of numerous nutritional possibilities. Our Farmer and Community Markets area convenient, fun way to support our health, local economy and the environment. It is no coincidence that eating food grown close to home is as good for your body as it is for the environment. Processed junk foods laden with chemicals, and produce that has travelled further in a week than you will in a year, have little nutritional value. Hosting a 100 Mile style dinner is a great way to bring everyone together and show that eating locally can be delicious. Debbie Oviatt Pasta Factory Restaurant & Lounge purchases produce from local farmers when available. The seafood is certified Oceanwise, and the wine list is predominantly from local wineries. 3

FOOD

Why don't we pay more attention to who our farmers are? We would never be as careless choosing an auto mechanic or babysitter as we are about who grows our food. Michael Pollan Cindi Tomochko tries to eat organically, seasonally and locally, and prefers to buy fair trade. Okanagan College cafeterias are implementing a sustainable kitchen, which includes a bread garden style menu cooked with no grill or deep fat fryer. They use just one traditional oven, and some crock pots. Eleanor Summer of South Okanagan Women In Need Society preserves and dries food. The Child Development Centre has a nutritional education program for children.

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Glenn Marcoux buys local when seasonably available, and grows some of the food for his cafe, Fresh Healthy Cafe. Local fruits and vegetables are used as much as possible, and they take their leftovers to the Soupeteria. Andrew Jakubeit grows his own herbs. He would like to see people go back to gardening and growing their own fruits and vegetables. Cam Hooper keeps fresh, healthy greens in his diet all year by sprouting beans and seeds in jars in the cupboard. Just cover the mouth of the jar with cheesecloth, soak the seeds and leave the jar tilted mouth-down to drain. Rinse in varying cycles according to what you are sprouting. Within days your sprouts will be alive and growing. Staff bring their lunches to work at South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services. The Child Development Centre has a garden, and grows their own food such as peas, carrots, and edible flowers. Brenda Wall has a few tips for reducing food waste in your kitchen. Always check expiration dates and avoid buying food that you will not finish in time. Also try to avoid making a lot of extra food, as leftovers are often forgotten about and left to spoil. Reduce transportation energy by growing your own food. Kathryn McCourt The Ooknakane Friendship Centre has a traditional cooking program for youth.

FOOD CIBC holds food bank drives, and donates to local charities Brigid Kemp only buys fair trade, organic food, and likes to eat raw foods. She dries food to preserve it, and brings her own food to events to ensure she does not have to purchase them on the spot. Marliene Otto makes her own pasta, and grows her own sprouts. She suggests to eat brown rice as you receive more product for less money. Journey to Successful Employment offers a cooking program and buys local produce. A field trip to the gleaners in Oliver should be added to school curriculum as an aid to teaching students about the plentiful crops - and unfortunate waste - in their backyard. Cooking at home with fresh, local ingredients is beneficial for both your family and the environment. Schools can help. At least a year of Home Economics should be necessary for both genders. Sabina Notz Buying local is a fantastic, necessary step towards localsustainability. Take it one further while bringing your family closer; organize a day trip to one of the Okanagans u-Pick sites. While not everyone has the capacity to become a farmer, backyard chickens may be an option. They provide healthy, organic eggs, and can be fed kitchen scraps that may otherwise go in the garbage. unfortunately, chickens are only legal outside of city limits; however, the city may respond if the interest in backyard chickens grows. Sue Kirschmann

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Aja Jacksons cooking classes are open to everyone willing to learn how to use fresh foods to improve health, energy and the well-being of our earth. Classes have been taking place at the Okanagan Falls Parks and Recreation Centre since the summer of 2010 and at the Leir House as part of the Shatford Centres Spirit Festival. Students have learned to make soups, salad dressings, bean dishes, desserts and more - all from scratch. Aja incorporates fresh local herbs and demonstrates the incredible flavours, textures and aromas of using real food. Classes also accommodate people with food intolerances. All of Ajas vegan classes are now gluten free, including soups, sauces, pasta dishes, and even cookies. Aja loves to share her knowledge of delicious cooking in a friendly, healthy kitchen. They always wrap up the class eating together as a group. In the summer and fall of 2010, Aja was also a vendor at the Downtown Penticton Association Market and the Penticton Farmers Market where she sold her organic popcorn and culinary seasonings that are made all natural. They include no MSG, no sugar and only the finest organic mineral sea salt. These seasonings are fantastic on popcorn, roasted veggies, dips, sauces and soups. For more information, visit www.earthaja.ca

FOOD The Penticton Indian Band has a community garden. Diet is now the single biggest factor in causing premature death. Even in Sub Saharan Africa, five percent of the population is obese. Tim Lang Dan Braithwait has been growing tomatoes and cucumbers in his yard since he moved to Summerland from Calgary three years ago. He recommends adapting your diet to what grows locally. We need to work with current guidelines regarding agricultural farm waste, and develop mechanisms to inform farm owners and operators about environmentally safe practices. Hilma Labelle of South Okanagan Community and Immigrant Society. Burger 55 buys local vegetables, and is looking to purchase local beef as well. They sell Cannery brewed beer, and have veggie burgers. If a customer is allergic to gluten, Burger 55 will allow them to bring in a gluten-free bun and will build a burger on it. The Penticton Lakeside Resort serves herbs grown in their on-site organic garden. Norm Rempel grows his own food. Pacific Brimm Coffee and Tea sells fair trade coffee beans from Cherry Hill in Kelowna. They offer Happy Planet natural beverages, and organic coffee drinks. White Clinic Associates has an employee lunch room. Dan Bouchard minimizes waste through his diet; he 8

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy buys Healthy Harvest Local Vegetable Bins when he can, and makes soups from scratch. He drinks local beer from Cannery Brewing. Shirley Ducharme buys local milk, eggs and produce. Sam Verigin grows a variety of food and also freezes food to preserve it. Dandelions are great for salad, and tea. While fresh produce may seem the best choice, the frozen items at the grocery store are often better for you. The produce is flash-frozen within hours of picking, essentially locking in nutrients; meanwhile, fresh vegetation is picked prior to full ripeness for shipping purposes. Consider this: fresh isnt exactly that. The average distance travelled for food in North America, from farm to plate, is 2,500 to 4,000km or four to ten trips to Vancouver. In some foods, up to 60% of nutritional value is lost after seven days of harvesting. The Bench Artisan Food Market has focused on sustainable practices since they opened six years ago. They offer breakfast and lunch prepared fresh using local, organic produce whenever possible, and meat from Fraser Valley. Their FairTrade, Certified Organic coffee is roasted in Summerland, and they also offer organic imports and food from local groceries. Barley and Grapes sells organic wines and beers. Mindy Rollins loves the idea of private and corporate land being shared for food growing. It seems that we are losing too much of our agricultural land to wine production. Laurel Burnham only eats what is available in season. She has given up eating tomatoes and cucumbers when locally grown ones are not available. 9

FOOD When growing root crops in our garden about 1000ft above the Okanagan Valley floor (1100ft elevation), I store the root crops surplus to our summer and fall consumption in pits that I dig in the garden in mid to late October. I dig several pits to hold about a one month supply of carrots, beets, potatoes, and parsnips mixed together in a pit. We then keep the vegetables for a month in our fridge while eating them. When ready for more, I dig up another pit. I try to make the pit deep enough that the one month supplies just below the frostline of frozen soil and find that one foot is usually adequate for this. I mound up the soil dug from the pit over the top to insulate the vegetables and to mark the location of the pit. I also put carrot and beet tops over the cache of vegetables to help me know when I have dug down to the top of them so I am less likely to cut into the vegetables with my spade. Pocket gophers sometimes find a pit before I dig it and they seemespecially fond of carrots. In order to make it harder for the gopher to find another pit, I space the pits wide apart within our garden area. We find that the root crops keep quite well in the pits until March. After that some of them begin to sprout. Jim Bryan If you are looking for a way to save money as well as the environment, consider packing your own lunch. It's easy to spend over a hundred dollars a month on lunch, and difficult to avoid over-packaged, imported food on your break. By spending a few minutes the night before you can build a healthy, organic meal in a re-usable glass container. The best place to store your food is in your friends stomach. Stephen grows his own food, including a fruit tree which he harvests from. Stephen Joyce

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Seasonal Foods June: Cherries July: Apricots, Blueberries, Cherries, Green Onions, Nectarines, Radishes, Tomatoes, Zucchini August: Apples, Cantaloupe, Corn, Cucumbers, Green Beans, Lettuce, Nectarines, Onions, Pears, Peaches, Peas, Peppers, Tomatoes September: Apples, Onions, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Squash October: Apples, Pumpkins, Squash The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The next best time is now. Chinese proverb Vegetarianism goes far beyond animal rights; a meatless diet is significantly more sustainable. With millions of people starving globally, why is 70% of the grain grown feeding animals? For every five to ten kilograms of grain, we only end up with one consumable kilogram of chicken or beef. Going vegetarian minimizes the use of pesticides, growth hormones, farming machinery and transportation. A plant based diet requires one eighth of the fossil fuel need to support a meat based diet. A large amount of methane is released from the unnatural number of cattle, and the carbon dioxide released from the burning of trees for agricultural use also add to the already overpolluted atmosphere. As the temperature and our population rises, water becomes an increasing issue. Extra animals to water means less for the rest of us, and they require much more liquid than a grain crop. However, if you cannot stand the thought of giving up bacon, it is not an either-or issue. Even reducing one half a kilo of beef a week from your diet will save between 10,000 to 20,000 litres of water. 11

Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us. Henrik Tikkanen

Energy
Green, renewable alternatives to fossil fuels are plentiful, and many of them are viable options in the South Okanagan. With almost 2,000 hours of annual daylight, every home in Penticton could benefit from a roof of solar panels, and we often have a strong enough breeze to generate electricity from a windmill. Bi-directional meters are available free of charge from Fortis, enabling consumers to sell back to the grid what they dont use, and make money while asleep on windy nights. While electricity in our area is hydro generated, and so fairly green, the infrastructure to maintain the system is not. To wean ourselves off of oil and maintain our energy dependant lifestyles will require multiple sources of energy. Of course, as we arequickly realizing, our current lifestyles are 12

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy not sustainable, so using less energy, wisely, is as crucial towards sustainability as is an eco-friendly alternative. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and lots of courage - to move in the opposite direction. Albert Einstein

It was only a short time ago, two centuries at most, that we fell into our energy addiction and started on the path to ruin. Peak oil is an opportunity to pause, to think through our present course, and to adjust to a saner path for the future. We had best face facts: we really have no choice. It is also a wonderful opportunity to do a lot better. Lets not squander this moment. Albert Bates 13

ENERGy Judy Sentes turns lights off to save energy, and they have skylights in the Child Development building so that they dont have to use electric lighting during spring and summer. Lights in the courtyard of the Child Development building are on timers and adjusted for the seasons. They also control their heat levels. Glenn Marcoux uses energy efficient light bulbs. Sometime in 2006, mankinds thirst for oil will have crossed the milestone rate of 86 million barrels per day, which translates into a staggering 1000 barrels per second! Picture an Olympic sized swimming pool of oil; we would drain it in about 15 seconds. In one day, we empty close to 5,500 such swimming pools. Peter Tertzakian Cindi Tomochko turns the heat down before bed, and before leaving her apartment and turns off the lights and appliances when not in use. She also uses a toaster oven rather than a large conventional oven for baking and grilling.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy BC Parks, Ministry of Environment uses green technologies in building design and servicing, such as solar electricity and low energy servicing. Penticton General Hospital is replacing the old fluorescent light bulbs with new compact florescent lights, and they turn the lights off at night. They are also installing solar panels on the roof. The hospital has thermal blinds for offices that receive a lot of sun, so there is less need for cooling, and large windows allow lots of natural daylight in. John Patterson suggests using a four stroke, or an electric lawn mower. Peak oil is a turning point in history of unparalleled magnitude, for never before has a resource as critical as oil become headed into decline from a natural depletion without sight of a better substitute. Colin Campbell Solar panels on the roof of Hostelling International Penticton provide 40% of the hot water heat used in the building. They have also upgraded all of their lighting to high-efficiency light bulbs. Anna Nielson at Polka Dot Purse Consignment encourages the use of a heat pump. John Patterson switched from halogen bulbs to fluorescent ones, and uses heat from lighting to warm the building; he uses the windows and drapes to regulate room temperatures. At Dr. Specs Optical, Tanya Hogg says the heating system is programmed to 15 degrees outside of business hours. 15

ENERGy

As Canadas only desert and having few cloudy days, the Okanagan has significant Solar power potential. Ontario has implemented a program that pays people $0.80 per kWh they generate and feed into the Grid. This MicroFit program essentially rents the roofs of homes to install solar photovoltaic panels. It is putting a lot of people to work as installers, putting money into the economy and ultimately will reduce the need for energy from foreign sources. I would suggest the Okanagan implement a similar project. There is a technology that uses the difference in temperature between water and air to create electricity. This type of power generation works well in summer heat and winter cold. To give an idea of the power potential, consider this: dropping a litre of water 10 meters (the height of a typical dam) develops a potential kinetic energy of 98 joules; changing the temperature of one litre of water by one degree Celsius is 4,184 joules of potential heat energy and the water stays in the lake. The hotter or colder the weather gets, the more electricity such a power-plant can generate. This LTPC technology is over 100 years old, is reasonably priced and simply has not been used because the energy monopolies have suppressed it. Today, there is enough general expertise in the population to implement it. The Okanagan has huge alcohol potential in just the waste products of agriculture. Massive amounts of fruit are discarded as sub-standard or spoiled; these 'by-products' can be used to make fuel: alcohol. The knowledge to do this already exists in the Valley, with courses taught in the Okanagan College. Alcohol can be used directly in vehicles designed to use it, or added at about 5% to gasoline and diesel with minimal side effects. George Wiseman of Eagle Research

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy The Gym uses energy-efficient lights. Vitamin King is in the process of updating all their fluorescent light bulbs to more eco-friendly ones. Capri Insurance office has tint-treated windows that reflect heat. In the summer, the air conditioner is used less heavily and during the winter, employees wear sweaters. The office lights and computers are turned off at night. Keep the lights off when it isnt necessary to have them on. Niguel Synnuck Edgar Chavarieuses fluorescent light bulbs, and suggests people buy a battery powered LED for going to the bathroom at night, so you dont have to turn on the other lights. He opens and closes the drapes to regulate the temperature of his home. Fifty years ago, the world was consuming 4 billion barrels of oil per year and the average discovery was around 30 billion. Today, we consume 30 billion barrels per year and the discovery rate is approaching 4 billion barrels of crude per year. Asian newspaper May 4, 2005 Marliene Otto turns off the power bar connected to appliances to save energy. She keeps lights off when they are not needed, and uses a timer for all electric appliances. She also suggests using thermal curtains. Brigid Kemp no longer has a TV. She has reduced her dependency on hydro-electricity by reducing her bulbs to energy efficient ones. She also washes her clothing in cold water, machine dries them for ten minutes, and then hang dries them to save energy. Air conditioning is kept off in warmer temperatures at 17

ENERGy the Friendship Centre, and energy efficient light bulbs have been installed. They think there should be a by-law to force people to install proper lighting. Have your electronics on timers, and turn all of your lights and heat off at night. Karina Chambers If you have room-by-room baseboard heating, tuck your curtain onto the window sill. Rather than seeping out of cracks, the heat will rise and be absorbed by the curtain, remaining in your home. Jennifer and Nicholas Vincent of Little Green Book Penticton and Area Womens Centre keep the heat turned down in the winter, opting to wear sweaters instead. They also turn the lights off when they are not there, or when the office is bright with sunlight. Regardless, they use energy efficient lighting. The staff also try to use computers that consume the least amount of energy. Looking to upgrade your computer and downgrade your energy usage? Consider purchasing the most efficient desktop computer, the Mac mini. Not only does it weigh just 3 pounds and only use 85 watts, it is made predominantly from recyclable aluminum. It is a certified Energy Star product. Meiklejohn Architects has a small water heater, and they turn off lights at night, and use low watt light bulbs. Their office thermostat is programmed to cool at night. Clearly the timing of the global peak is crucial. If it were to happen soon, the consequences would be devastating. Oil has become the worlds foremost energy resource. There is no ready substitute and 18

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy decades will be required to wean societies from it. Peak oil could therefore constitute the greatest economic challenge since the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Richard Heinberg Tim Ericson recommends people conserve energy. Jason Martin reminds people that LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screens use less electricity. Mike MacDonald suggests we burn calories, not fossil fuels. The Penticton Lakeside Resort uses open-loop geothermal for heating and cooling. The heating and air conditioning is computer-automated. Terry Magnus urges people to install geo-thermal for their heating system; it saves energy and, offsets carbon equal to 700 new trees per household. The salient fact about life in the decades ahead is that it will become increasingly and intensely local and smaller in scale. It will do so steadily and by degrees as the amount of available cheap energy decreases and the global contest for it becomes more intense. The scale of all human enterprises will contract with the energy supply. We will be compelled to conduct the activities of daily life on a smaller scale, whether we like it or not, and the only intelligent course of action is to prepare for it. J. Kunstler YMCA-YWCA Jumpstart shuts off their computers when they are not being used, as well as using auto-off. Mike Schybriak uses energy-saving light bulbs, and has a new furnace.

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ENERGy Energy-efficient light bulbs, also known as CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) are a popular choice for many reasons: life span, energy usage, and simplicity. While it may seem to be a small switch, if every Canadian household replaced only one incandescent bulb with a CFL, it would be the equivalent to taking 66,000 vehicles off the road. As a consumer, you will also appreciate that they are not as hot to touch, and last eight times longer. Skaha Sound has tinted windows in the store to conserve energy. They have also taken the initiative to switch their stage lighting to LED lights, which has decreased their watt usage from 1,000 watts to 75. They've also switched some of their store lighting over to LED which only uses 9 watts per light bulb. Their goal is to eventually switch the entire store lighting over. Matt Rands Energy experts no longer debate about whether Huberts peak will occur, but when. Fox News April 28, 2006 In January 2011, the International Energy Association released that we did in fact peak in worldwide oil production in 2006, and have been declining ever since. Michael Pearce believes in turning off lights. Every night, he turns lights out at home and then counts how many are left on. Street light initiatives have been undertaken that can provide the same amount of light with less energy, and Michael would like to see more by-laws to require private property owners to install proper lighting or have certain light operation times. He keeps his heat temperature down, and has an energy efficient heat pump, and a natural gas fireplace instead of a wood burning one. He has efficient double-pane windows installed at home. 20

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy The Penticton Waste Water Treatment Plant is researching ways to capture excess potential energy, and meters are being installed to monitor energy consumption and cost rates. The Golden Sands uses eco-friendly light bulbs. Barry Watson changed the Marketplace IGA light bulbs to environmentally friendly ones. Michael Pearces hot water tank is right under the faucet to reduce space requirements, and shorten the distance the hot water has to travel. Shirley Ducharme uses energy efficient lights, and has an energy-efficient furnace. She unplugs appliances and lights when they are not being used. Her windows are covered with plastic films to reduce air drafts, and the necessity of artificial heating methods. Voth Photographys studio is in a shared building on the second floor, which is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Eva and Len Poloskey, owners of Accent Chocolates, would like to see table grapes grown in the area. Lindsay Stainer of McCoy recommends that all businesses use programmable thermostats, and energy-efficient light bulbs. Try to avoid the high consumption window, between 4 and 8 at night. The benefits are twofold: not only are you charged less outside of these times, but you will be putting less of a strain on the electrical grid.

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ENERGy Photography by Chris Chris Cornett has a high-efficiency washing machine at home. Try to keep electronics turned off that are not used frequently, while keeping on electronics that are being used frequently. Also, keep your thermostats at the same temperature; dont fluctuate them, and use a blanket to keep warm instead of raising the heat. Sutton - Power 1 Realty uses CFL light bulbs, and energy saver mode on their computers. At night, they shut down the computers and turn down their heat. Mary Belcher tries to turn off electricity when things like lights are not being used, and avoids using the dryer for laundry when clothes can be hung out. Barley and Grapes installed motion detector lights, closes off the cooler section in the winter, and uses an eorder system which requires no paper. The employees dress up for warmth rather than turning up the heat. Spa Tranquila has an efficient water heater. The most powerful energy resource we have avaliable to us is the creative intelligence of the people. David Flemming inventer of TEQs Finn Larsen, of Larsen Agencies, had the first solar house in Terrace, with solar heated water and air conditioning. Fluorescent lighting is installed at Astral Radio. Jon Ferebee turns the lights off in the building, and the computers are set to sleep mode. At his home, Jon has upgraded to energy efficient appliances, light bulbs, heat pump and insulation. His swimming 22

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy pool is heated with a solar blanket. Sam Verigin is considering installing wind energy generation on her property. She uses a wood stove for heating purposes, and does not use air conditioning. Sam has passive solar heating in her building; the windows face south for optimal sun exposure. During their reconstruction, the Shatford Centre has been making a conscious effort to be sustainable, especially in regards to energy. They have been approved for the FortisBC Flip program. Having qualified, they will receive funding to replace $5,500 worth of lighting with greener alternatives such as 'intelligent' lighting. For now, they limit the use of florescent lighting and take advantage of natural light; for example, they have removed half of the tubing from within the fluorescent panels.They also have plans to implement weather stripping, and sealing the openings of windows, to prevent hot air leakage. Accent Living sells electric fireplaces and wood stoves. These are sustainable options for heating our homes as wood is a renewable resource, and electricity can be generated by solar or wind power. Aja Jackson has lived in the South Okanagan for 14 years and loves the summers - the hotter the better! There is no air conditioning unit of any kind in Ajas home. Its simple to reduce energy and keep the house cool, just close the drapes and windows during the day, and open the windows after the sun has set to let in the gorgeous summer air. Wahnese Antonioni-Stevens turns off lights when not in use. She reads instead of watching television. She thinks solar power should be subsidized for power and heating. 23

ENERGy Penticton Visitors Centre employees wear warm fleece clothing in the winter. Save electricity by turning lights off during the day and when you are not in the room. Turning off appliances that are not in use can save up to 40% of a product's energy consumption. Make a habit of unplugging anything that you would otherwise just flick off. Bill Barisoff has a system where the heat is turned down automatically. He has fluorescent bulbs installed at home. He also has efficient heat pumps installed at home, as well as energy efficient appliances. The use of solar energy has not been opened up because the oil industry does not own the sun. Ralph Nader In the late seventies, Johanna and Henk Saaltink built a passive solar house - heat pump and heat sink included.

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There is a sufficiency in the world for man's need but not for man's greed. Mohandas K. Gandhi

Commodities
There has been an influx of eco-friendly products within recent years. Businesses have begun to see the necessity of environmentalism, and much of this is because of consumer pressure. Vote with your wallet! However, if you dont have a lot of spare dollars to cast, this category will still be full of suggestions you can adopt. Some of these will save you money now, and others in the future. Dave Hehr of Midas Auto Service Experts uses reusable rags, and buys their chemical products in bulk. The Marketplace IGA sells environmentally friendly and biodegradable products such as paper, cleaning supplies and reusable bags. Niguel Synnuck uses re-usable dishes, not those designed for one-time-use. Vitamin King uses, as well as supplies, natural, biodegradable cleaners. 25

COMMODITIES Inkas World sells handmade clothes made from llama wool. It is a free trade company and the proceeds go back to the people of Ecuador to support 400 families. Liz Wilson's goal is to reduce their paper use at the Penticton Fire and Rescue Hall. Wendy Dion suggests choosing products that are not wrapped individually in cardboard and plastic. At Sweets 4 My Sweetie, Pamela Patterson buys bulk to reduce packaging. I feel angry when I see people throwing away things we could use. Mother Teresa Pamela Patterson, owner of Sweets 4 My Sweetie, sells candy jars to customers. She also uses natural cleaning products like vinegar and tea tree oil, which is a natural antiseptic. At home, Pamela buys local.

Dorie Wright crochets beautiful reusable totes from plastic shopping bags.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy We continuously educate our staff on environmental concerns. Tiki Shores Penticton General Hospital delivers food on reusable plastic trays lined with paper, and are choosing paper cups over Styrofoam. The hospital replaced old plastic, sanitation-intensive bed pans with ones from VernaCare . They are a paper pulp product, and biodegradable. The wipes that they use also biodegrade and dissolve after they are shredded. Athletes World sells cloth bags, and their plastic bags are biodegradable. They sell eco-friendly clothes. Greyback Construction's Administrative/Marketing Assistant Deborah Stewart orders eco-friendly paper products for the office and envi-customizer binders that contain no PVC. Visit www.pvcfreebinder.com to get your own. They have also reduced coffee grounds and filters by purchasing a select service coffee machine; individual servings rather than bulk reduces waste. Penticton Visitors Centre sells Oliver harvested honey as a local Shriner fundraiser. Deborah Stewart uses Eco Traction, a 100% green product that effectively prevents winter slips and falls. Check out www.ecotraction.com for more info on this product. Are you voluntarily paying more for a litre of water than for one of gas? Bottled water is a luxury that taxes your wallet, and planet. "Not only does bottled water lead to unbelievable pollution with old bottles lying all over the place but plastic has chemicals in it. Health Canada states that quality standards for bottled water and tap water 27

COMMODITIES are similar. Some bottled water is even nothing more than a different municipality's tap water. And if the pounds of left over plastic does not concern you, consider the gas that was required to transport it here. The Gym uses biodegradable cups. use discretion when buying personal care products by choosing environmentally friendly make-up, soaps, and perfumes. By the end of the day, the chemicals will either be absorbed by your body or flushed down into our water system; go natural, organic, and fair trade. Wendy Dion Cindi Tomochko tries to buy locally as much as possible, especially from thrift stores. She also makes her own products, including gifts, instead of buying them from stores. Penticton School of Hair employs Lou Johnson of Apex Cleaning Solutions, who uses eco-friendly, natural floor cleaner. Go beyond fabric bags; take a look at Felicity Mayhews bags and totes at loveallhands.com. One-of-a-kind pieces, they are created from a variety of earth-friendly fibres such as coffee bean bags, fabric swatches, cotton canvas, linen, and upcycled leather. Sustainability can be stylish! Subway will soon be replacing their plastic bags with ones that are biodegradable. 24/7 Convenience Store uses biodegradable bags and napkins made out of 100% recycled materials. Michael Paseska of Fibonacci Roastery & Cafe, does not use plastic to-go cups. Theirs are made of corn. 28

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Mike of Mikes Pawnbrokers sells all recycled products. Tiger Alley sells second hand and vintage clothes. This includes recycled, reused, reconstructed leathers and reconstructed clothes. Recycling, as its name infers, is a cycle in which a material is manufactured, used, remanufactured, used again, and on and on In order to truly recycle you have to close the loop it makes sense to become part of the cycle by buying back what we recycle. Recycling and purchasing products made with recycled materials will conserve resources and the environment. The Recycling Counsel of British Columbia on the Recycling symbol.

Jeremy Poole uses eco-friendly dryer cloths with plantbased softeners, instead of those containing animal products. Veronica Crumback reminds us to always look for products with the least amount of packaging, and especially to avoid disposable plates and cups. Buying records second hand is a great way to keep them out of the landfill; they can be enjoyed for years to come. Elaine Burnie, Remember Vinyl Records Angel Babies Kids Shoppe helps promote recycling by offering a consignment section of gently used toys, blankets and clothes for new born to size seven. They also sell ecofriendly products such as toys, bamboo wash clothes, bath & diapering care, natural pacifiers, amber teething necklaces and stain remover. 29

COMMODITIES Les Olson of Pacific Brimm Coffee and Tea says, I would love to see lower prices on green products. He adds that he bought eco-containers for the shop, but the cost just killed him. Pacific Brimm Coffee and Tea used wooden cutlery, but had to stop as he received complaints from the customers. Scott Buchanan buys as little plastic as possible, such as milk and honey in glass. Vintage and Vogue sells vintage clothes and stocks lots of Canada made, united Garment Workers tagged clothing. They use second hand props. An employee stated, younie [the owner] made second hand clothes okay for people in Penticton, and introduced them to a different way of shopping. Mott Welsh & Associates employees buy biodegradable soap. Journey to Successful Employment buys locally. A subdivision of P.A.C.E., Hands in Motion handles household and commercial cleaning. They use green products exclusively, as well as microfiber cloths that are rinsed instead of disposed. Eco-friendly cleaning supplies can be just as, if not more, effective than those harmful to the environment. Hazel Carter. Brigid Kemp believes in the use of natural products, those made from recycled materials, and all-natural cleaning products. She has abstained from bleach for thirty years.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Capri Insurance calendars are printed on recycled paper. Top quality things bought to the thrift store, WINGS, are re-sold in the shop. Such things include: clothes of all styles, for both genders; shoes, jewellery, and other accessories; home dcor; furniture, and childrens toys. They are attempting to divert as much waste as possible from the landfill; only things they cannot recycle go there now. Items of lower quality are used to make a variety of products, for example: re-usable shopping bags, purse liners, and more. Desmond and Bonnie use eco-friendly products, not harsh ones, in their Taco Time store. They have cut back on the use of plastic commodities. Laura Saunders tries to buy as locally as possible. She uses fabric bags when grocery shopping. Judy Sentes buys local products. She uses the least intrusive, highly safe, natural products. Laurel Burnham encourages community markets, as it promotes local buying. She would like to see a permanent community market site. Wendy Dion suggests choosing products that are not wrapped individually in cardboard and plastic. Shirley Ducharme buys local; her kitty litter is organic. At work with BPWood, Dan Bouchard promotes the sale of wood products with environmental certification such as PEFC and FSC. The UPS Store uses environmental pencils and pens 31

COMMODITIES made from 100% recycled materials. Peaches Lingerie limits their use of plastic bags. Owner Jackie Kromm doesnt bring plastic utensils to work. At Euphoria Day Spa, Treena Blake uses and sells allnatural products including those from Natural Concepts, a Kelowna based company. Spa Tranquila sells formaldehyde free nail polish, an organic facial care line, other natural products, and product lines made in Vancouver. True Colors, Benjamin Moore Paints sells VOC-free and non-oil based paints. Volatile organic compounds are in a range of products including paints, pesticides and permanent markers. With significant vapour pressures, VOCs can damage both our health and that of our planet. While not highly toxic, they can have chronic side effects. Rose of Wild Rose Cottage notes that the stores product shippers use bio-degradable and recyclable packing peanuts. Recently, Mary Belcher has been buying more local produce. Okanagan Cosmetology Institute students use natural hair, nail and skin care products. Sean and Melissa McHugh of First Strike also support the community by buying local food and products. All of Wahnese Antonioni-Stevens soaps and cleaning 32

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy agents are green. Heiress Salon & Boutique sells Aveda products, and their stylists use these items on their clientele. Featuring natural and organic products, Aveda believes in sustainability and being responsible for their environmental impact. Jenna Morton of Heiress Salon & Boutique uses natural products that are ammonia-free. Melt Day Spa carries a vegan, eco-friendly line of products called SpaRitual. Not only are they cutting edge environmental products, they are organic, contain natural colors, and no synthetic dyes. John Vassalaki thinks businesses, especially retail should use/sell bio-degradable bags. John uses them at Last Call; they are 2.5 times more expensive; however they are 2.5 times as much more healthy for the environment. Businesses should take the initiative to only sell non-harmful products. John buys some of the liquor sold in his store from local producers; the rest of it comes from Vancouver which is provincial. He buys as many products as possible from local producers. South Okanagan Naturopathic Clinic provides natural medicine. They use non-endangered and renewable herbs, and other natural products.

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COMMODITIES

Paradox of Our Age We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge but less judgement, more experts but more problems more medicines but less healthiness. Weve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet our neighbour. We built computers to hold more copies than ever, but have less real communication. We have become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are times fast foods but slow digestion;tall men but short characters; steep profits but shallow relationships. It is a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room. 14th Dalai Lama

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Its quite a simple theory, and one that any beer drinker understands. The glass starts full and ends empty and the faster you drink it the quicker its gone. Colin Campbell

Water
With annual precipitation levels of less than 350mm , water is an ongoing concern in the South Okanagan. As plentiful as it may seem when it flows freely from our taps, less than 1% of our worlds water is fresh. World aquifers are being drained at an alarming rate. Regardless of the limited supply, water is a life-giving resource that deserves our conscientious use, not abuse. Most of the contributions in this category require only a small change in your life, yet will result in a large one for our planet. Marliene Otto has a Santeiva water purification system. She times her showers to keep them short, and has installed a low flow toilet. Repair all your leaky faucets. Shower every second day. Also, shower with a friend. Edgar Chavarie Kathryn McCourt from Hands On Gardening suggests turning the water off while brushing your teeth or shaving. Also, when washing veggies, run the water into a 35

WATER container and use it to water plants. And consider using stale pet water for plants, as the time allows the chlorine to evaporate. In the yard, be sure to water the lawn only when you feel no moisture until three inches deep in the soil, and only water after sundown to avoid evaporation. The Child Development Centre teaches children how to deal with ice in a proper, eco-friendly way. John Patterson put a brick in the toilet to displace water, and uses a reducer valve on his shower head to save water. Capri Insurance does not buy bottled water because their office has a filtration system. The Pasta Factory has installed automatic toilets, urinals, and sinks. They utilize aerators on the faucets in their kitchen to reduce water usage by 25%. Only when their dishwashers are full do they run them. If you are a painter, consider reducing the chemicals you let flow down the drain. Rather than rinsing your brushes off in the sink, fill a jar with water and wash them in that. Store the water for safer disposal. Yvonne Goldberg of YGO Art Gallery Andrew Jakubeit of Groove Yard uses cold water only, and never does half-loads of dishes. Elaine Trackl believes the best environmental strategy is to help the kids teach the parents. By encouraging the children and piquing their interest, the adults will begin to implement green practices as well. The Water Hogs, a childrens book written and illustrated by Elaine, is one way to educate kids on the importance of water conservation. 36

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy After briefly getting wet in the shower, turn the faucet off for a few minutes while you soap up. Only turn it back on when you are ready to rinse off. Rain water is fresh and purified naturally. By placing a barrel outside, it is easy to collect during storms. Yvonne Goldberg of YGO Art Gallery A warmer conservation idea for showering is to utilize a shower coach. This can be in the form of any waterproof timer, including a simple hour glass. Challenge yourself and your family to get the shortest time possible. Keeping your eye on the time will help you shower more efficiently, saving water in the process. Jennifer Vincent of Little Green Book The Penticton and Area Womens Centre has bought a giant water jug instead of many little ones, and keeps the water at room temperature. At the Okanagan Wellness Centre, Nora Hunt-Haft tells us that all the doctors and message therapists use Laundrypure technology to clean their towels and linens eliminating the need for detergent and fabric softener. Aaron Goodwin notices that ice machines are often left running water twenty-four hours a day. They should be turned off to save water. The irrigation for the Penticton Lakeside Resort is drawn from their own well. Most people dont think much of their medication beyond when they have to take it. unfortunately, what goes in must come out, and this includes hormones. If you can manage without taking pills for contraception or menopause, you will be doing the local fish a huge favour. It has been discov37

WATER ered that the hormones that enter our water system have the ability to affect the gender of aquatic life, to the extent that some fish species in the affected body of water can become exclusively female. Wendy Dion Dont use water between the peak times (4-8 pm).

On the Penticton Okanagan College campus, there is a newly installed water refilling station that is widely used by students. I only wash my hair, bath, and shower twice per week. Cindi Tomochko I would like to see the city and regional district place filtration systems on all ground water dispatch systems, prior to letting the water flow into our lakes and streams. Finn Larsen of Larsen Agencies BC Parks, Ministry of Environment wash facilities with pressure treated water.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Its always going to be difficult to come up with sustainable ways to support our unsustainable lifestyle. Charles Wyman Our water channels and resources are slowly being choked out by invasive weeds that will soon dominate the area if not controlled. Learn about, and help eradicate, the Puncture Vine, the yellow Flag Iris, and others. There are many organizations that can assist you: the Regional District of the Okanagan- Similkameen (RDOS); Invasive Plant Council of BC (IPC BC); and the Invasive Alien Plant Program (IAPP), hosted by the Ministry of Forests. Report-aWeed is a handy tool to alert professionals to your property. Wendy Dion If you use a dishwasher, only run it when you have a full load. John Vassilaki conserves water. He only waters his lawn 2-3 times a week. He has converted his toilets to low/highflow variable toilets. Nick McDonald from Stuart Alson Dominion says we should reuse ground water for flushing toilets. Michael Pearce has low flow valves that have been installed in his faucets. He takes short showers, and has installed the low flow toilets in his home. Many citizens have mentioned that they have switched to a high efficiency toilet; these people are saving around 30,000 litres of water a year! And as of October 2011, it will be mandatory in B.C. For all new toilet installations to be 4.8 litres per flush. Compare this to the older models, at 13 litres. While saving up for your low flow unit, you can reduce your water consumption for next to nothing. Simply fill a jug or jars with water, or 39

WATER place a brick, in your toilet's tank. By the process of displacement, it will require less water per flush to fill it. Alyssa Smith suggests people conserve water by watching for leaky toilets. Jon Ferebee has his underground irrigation set on a timer. He has low-flow shower heads installed at his home. Wahnese Antonioni-Stevens does not keep the water running while brushing her teeth, and takes showers that are only a few minutes long. She uses mostly cold water. Wahnese recycles rain water to irrigate her plants. Sam Verigin is on a septic tank system. She is concerned with aquifer preservation, as well as water preservation, and so has valve restrictors on her faucets. She gets her water from a well on her property. Bill Barisoff has underground sprinkling installed, which uses less water during non-peak times. He does not leave water running. Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent. It takes a touch of genius - and lots of courage - to move in the opposite direction. Albert Einstein

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We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Native American Proverb

Land
The South Okanagan and Similkameen area is known as a unique place in Canada. It is Canada only pocket desert with a rich array of wildlife and habitats that are not found many other places. unfortunately, it is also known as a region that is one of the most at risk in Canada. Many of our wildlife and natural areas are in trouble because of human activity. Development of subdivisions, intensive agriculture and other human activities have destroyed, fragmented or degraded natural areas. Our ecosystems are so much more than something beautiful to look at. Nature provides many benefits and services to humans including filtering, storing, and recharging water supplies, purifying air, pollination, flood control, providing places for recreation and tourist attractions, as well as storing carbon. Some of the natural areas of concern in the South Okanagan and Similkameen areas are: 41

LAND Wetlands ponds, marshes and swamps they are rare in our pocket desert landscape to start with and we have lost over 85 % of them due to in-filling, ditching, draining or dredging. They are important for many species of wildlife, and they help to store, filter and recharge water supplies. Riparian areas- the band of green vegetation along streams, rivers, lakes and other waterways. Also important for wildlife, shading and cooling water and people on hot days. We have less than 15% of the natural riparian areas left along the Okanagan River. Grasslands and shrub-steppe what makes the Okanagan the true wild west the rolling hillsides and benches of bunchgrass and shrubs such as antelope-brush and sagebrush, mariposa lilies and cactus dot the hillsides. Grasslands are one of the most unique types of habitat in the province covering only about 1% of BC. We have lost considerable tracts of grasslands. There are many sustainable choices to make that will help to conserve nature. Landowners that have important natural areas on their properties can protect, enhance and restore them, often with little investment. If you have natural features on your property that are in need of help learn more about how to enhance or restore those areas with plantings of appropriate native vegetation. Stewardship groups help landowners with understanding more about the natural values on their lands and how to care for them. Sometimes this involves just leaving them be, other times it may require a bit of fencing, planting or invasive weed control. 42

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Land trusts and stewardship groups can accept donations of land, or establish protective covenants with landowners to conserve natural areas on your property into the future, no matter who owns it. If livestock on your property are impacting wetlands or riparian areas, consider fencing them out and creating either alternative watering sources or single point access areas to water. Small lot owners can reduce water use, and enhance wildlife habitat by planting native dry-land plants. Nest boxes for owls, bluebirds and other bird species are also an easy way to help wildlife. Developers can increase their property values by directing their development away from sensitive natural areas, clustering, and conserving natural parklands and wildlife corridors. Residents can also encourage decision makers to protect and conserve our important natural areas, through directing development to appropriate areas, retaining wildlife corridors, creating natural parklands, and through using Best Management Practices in their own public works. Help conservation organizations conserve the environment. Donate and support their good work. Learn more about the incredible natural areas of the South Okanagan Similkameen, the groups and individuals that are working to conserve Canadas only pocket desert at www.soscp.org Bryn White South Okanagan-Similkameen Conservation Program 43

LAND Smith & Co will be installing a 100% filtration system to avoid plastic water bottles. Marliene Otto composts and uses leaves to re-mineralize the soil. She gardens. Lint, hair and pet fur can be put safely in the compost. In the spring, you can place these items out into the trees and birds will reuse them as nest material. Kim Denis White Clinic Associates has indoor plants. You cannot have well humans on a sick planet. Thomas Berry Foreign vegetation requires extra water and care. Find what grows naturally in our area, a semi-arid climate, to make your backyard bloom.. They have a composting box at the Child Development Centre building to reduce organic waste. The Urban Agriculture Association is a new network dedicated to helping Penticton citizens grow and source food locally. Kathryn McCourt has some tips for gardening in any yard-space. Lettuce and tomatoes can be grown in planters on balconies. Other veggies can also be grown in flower beds along the border of your yard. Also try to plant thirsty plants with shade protection at hours of peak sun, and plant close together for self-shading. This tip is perfect for anyone with a puppy in their life: a doggy-door composter. It is a simple, effective way to clear your lawn of dog feces without sending it to the landfill. Purchase a plastic garbage bin, cut the bottom out, and puncture 44

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy holes around the sides to allow moisture to seep in. Dig a hole in your back yard that will fit the bin into up to the lip. Buy a septic starter and set it in the bottom of the bin. When cleaning up your pets waste, simply put it in the hole, add a bit of dirt, and close the lid. After the hole has been filled, remove the garbage bin, rinse it off and repeat the process! By the time the second one has been filled, the compost of the first can be used as fertilizer in your flower garden only. It is not recommended for your vegetable garden. BC Parks, Ministry of Environment builds permeable parking spaces with space in between the bricks so grass can grow and water can travel down to the ground and to the water table. Pesticides are not very environmentally-friendly and they are unnecessary, too. Harness the co-operative elements of nature in the form of companion planting. While solutions for almost any weed and pest can be found online, here are three examples to give you some inspiration. Are slugs bothering you? Place some pennies around the threatened crop to deter them; they dislike the copper residue. If you have plans to plant tomatoes, put them beside basil or borage to repel worms and attract bees. Carnations deter many hungry insects. Wendy Dion Okanagan College cafeterias are working towards using no Styrofoam products, and eliminating other throwaway containers, to reduce the amount of garbage leaving the site. The kitchens compost their food waste, and some campuses are looking at purchasing their food from local organic farms.

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LAND The Penticton campus has a garden landscaped with indigenous species. Modern agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food. Albert Bartlett Picture This puts any edges left over from a frame into the wood chipper, as landfill dirt for garden use. Phairaohs Hair Studio composts the waste hair.

The Campbell Mountain Landfill recycles what they can, while trying to promote and educate about recycling in the community. There is certain limits to what we can recycle based on costs so we are looking at what we can direct towards composting, chipping or on site re-use. Backyard Compost is done with bacteria microbes. you require a good mix of greens, which produce nitrogen, and browns, which produce carbon. To this, add materials that produce smells such as ammonia or methane to attract bugs. Blend the browns and greens, aerate, and add water as necessary. Remember that the compost is like a living organism. Another option is worm composting. The insects help break down the food; their feces are full of bacteria. Set the food waste at bottom, then add a layer of dry newspaper, dry leaves or finished outdoor compost. This reduces the smell and the number of fruit flies. The kind of worm you can use varies. The RDOS holds workshops about composting. For more information, contact them. Cam Baughen

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Brigid Kemp composts all of her food waste. She recognizes that the environment is everything; we only have one planet. Penticton and Area Womens Centre keeps indoor plants. Greenery in the home or office are more than just aesthetically pleasing; NASA has reported that indoor plants are able to remove up to 87% of air impurities within one day. Ask for the best native, droughtresistant choice at your closest garden centre. Lisa Grey-Dreaper, manager of Hostelling International Penticton, thinks the downtown desperately needs a composting site for business food waste. Bill Barisoff has a garden in which he grows his own vegetables. Bill used to make his own apple juice. The Golden Sands keeps indoor plants. Return what is taken from the Earth. John Patterson of Sirius Science and Nature thinks population regulations should be put in place so that the lands carrying capacity is not exceeded. He suggests that you do not cut your lawn every week. Planning to landscape your home in the future? Lay down pebbles instead of grass; they require no maintenance or irrigation. Of course, rocks are little fun to play and sunbathe on. If grass is important for your dream yard, invest in Eco-Lawn. An organic, special blend of seeds, Eco-lawn grass is perfect for Penticton residents. Aside from only needing to be cut once a month, it is drought resistant; it requires 75% less water than a traditional lawn! 47

LAND Looking for a simple solution for a raised bed garden? To try this technique, pick up a straw bale. It works on both grass and concrete. Start the composting process by pouring equal parts nitrogen and water over it for one week. During week two, switch to water exclusively; this will cool it down so your vegetation does not burn. By the beginning of the third week you can start planting with, or without, soil. Ensure a regular fertilizing routine at least once a week with a mild solution. As an added bonus, the straw bale will be composted enough to become a planting medium the year after. Consider xeriscaping in your yard. Jennifer Vincent

Mott Welsh & Associates employees maintain indoor plants. The Penticton Lakeside Resort composts organic material. Norm Rempel composts. He tries to be as green as possible. Aja Jacksons backyard has been transformed into an organic vegetable and flower paradisegarden. Aja shares her 10 foot climbing yellow beans and bush beans with 2 of her 4 48

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy cats who rush to the patch every morning from July until October. Ajas garden sustains her in the summer and fall and in the winter she enjoys her squash, tomatoes, kale and carrots in a variety of her recipes: gratin, soup, fritters, pancakes, muffins and more. In the spring Aja seeds her own garden with heirloom seeds, passed down to her from her gardener father and from her own garden.Dry them, label them, store them, and plant them, year after year. No GMO here. As an avid organic gardener, Ajas believes in sustainability: support local farmers, eat in season as much as possible and reduce noise, air and water pollution. Capri Insurance employees maintain indoor plants. Glenn Marcouxs fruit and vegetable waste is composted. Wahnese Antonioni-Stevens composts, then uses it to grow her own food. Chris Halford likes to grow veggies in planters on his patio. He doesnt let a lack of garden space keep him from growing his own organic food. He also buys fruit in bulk from local orchards to can or dry for winter. Collin Little encourages people to plant some trees; it gives shade and shelter. Aja Jackson only uses a push mower and a rake to keep her grass happy. Do you want to lose weight? Mow with a push mower. Its great exercise, its quiet and it works. Nick McDonald encourages construction companies to build rammed earth buildings, and to think green. 49

LAND John Vassilaki composts the food waste from restaurants. Xeriscaping gardens have been installed in Jon Ferebees home. He throws trash in the garbage can instead of littering. Rose of Wild Rose Cottage is impressed with the Penticton landfill, especially with the beautiful dirt you can buy there. A friend who was visiting her from Alberta said he would have bought some if he wasnt flying home. Shirley Ducharme conserves habitats, and keeps plants to help sequester carbon.She takes garbage to the dump and sorts it properly. They like to keep lots of bright and cheery plants in Accent Chocolates, and enjoy the fresh air they provide. With confirmed cases of the West Nile virus in the South Okanagan, mosquitoes are even more of a nuisance. Take a quick look around your backyard: do you see any sources of standing water? Anything unnecessary that will hold the rainwater should be removed; this attracts the insects. For items you wish to keep such as bird fountains, be sure to stir up the contents every few days. This will suffice. Johanna and Henk Saaltink have decided to share one small car. Shirley Ducharme rakes up leaves at Vaseux lake to prevent fires from burning out of control. Sam Verigin respectfully minds the birds, butterflies and insects that pollinate our flowers, fruits and vegetables by providing a safe, pesticide-free environment. She recom50

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy mends working with nature, not against; we need to respect and appreciate Mother Nature. On the benefits of composting: adding organic matter enriches whatever type of soil you have, and is less wasted bags going to the land fill. Sam lives on 11 acres and keeps as close to the land as possible. She does not use any pesticides, is very educated in dealing with invasive species, and is conscientious of the ani-

mals well-being.
Sam has adopted 7km of Highway 97 . Highway adoption goes beyond supporting the community and improving road aesthetics. Litter pick-up and recycling has obvious environmental benefits. A less known task included is invasive species reporting. Eliminating weeds is crucial, as many alien plants can do catastrophic damage to our local climate. Visit the government website to apply; any individual that is the age of majority may participate. Kim Moody has everything you need for year-round gardening at Better Than Nature South. They sell hydroponic gardening systems for growing indoors without any soil. Restaurants can use indoor gardening to grow their own herbs. Sam Verigin would like to see people learning more about their environment and the surrounding species. Promote forest fire awareness! Laurel Burnham gardens. She says that agriculture such as wheat and tobacco used to be grown in the Okanagan Valley, and would like to see grain crops resurrected here. Laurel would also like to see more greenhouses being used again, as well as widespread gleaning, garden sharing and community nut trees. 51

The problem is not that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions its that the road to Hell is paved. Guy Mc Pherson

T ransportation
When people think climate change, they picture oil; when they picture oil, they assume vehicles. Over 70% of the crude oil that is excavated in Canada is burned in engines. Every litre of gas releases 2.5 kilograms of carbon dioxide. An average mid sized vehicle releases half a kilo of carbon dioxide for every kilometre and a half you travel. Flying is responsible for 6-10% of global warming; carbon dioxide and other gases are put directly into the upper atmosphere. Marliene Otto bikes and buses instead of driving places. Our province is called Beautiful British Columbia for a reason. Consider your next vacation exploring what our own backyard has to offer. Sue Kirschmann 52

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Ride your bicycle to work instead of driving. Karina Chambers Calvin of Meiklejohn Architects drives a hybrid and he encourages people to walk or bike to work as much as they can; half of the staff could walk to work. David Oosterveld of Jumpstart suggests people leave the car at home and walk or bike to work. To save on gas, dont idle your car. While idling your car, it uses twice as much gas. Walk to work; walk everywhere. Starr Elwood Suzanne Fry walks to the bank, instead of driving. Andrew Jakubeit went from two vehicles down to one. He bikes two to three times a week when he is able, and sometimes walks. Norm Rempel rides his bicycle as much as possible. He drives a small car. Some BC Parks, Ministry of the Environment park facilities operators currently drive electric vehicles or use pedal bikes with tailors hitched to them to move equipment around. Okanagan College is building an undersized parking lot to encourage alternate forms of transportation, and promote mass transit by designing class timetables around the bus schedule. On top of that, the college has implemented a bike lending program. For a $20 deposit, students can ride a bike

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TRANSPORTATION for the semester. Some campuses provide lockers for storage of bikes when they are not being used. Okanagan College is working with the City of Penticton and the Rotary Club to build more bike paths to connect the city. Cindi Tomochko economizes car travel by planning all errands for the same trip, when within a similar area. Greyback Construction is in the process of getting their first carbon footprint assessment, and recently bought smaller, more fuel efficient trucks to reduce emissions. Liz Wilson, an employee at the Fire Hall, walks or bikes to work. Take the time to learn the routes of the local transit system, and use it whenever possible. The more people that use the bus, the more funding they will receive, which will lead to improved services. Dan Braithwait biked between Penticton and Summerland all summer for work. G. Devins rides his bike to work when the weather is good. Niguel Synnuck walks everywhere, and take the bus instead of driving. Bike racks have been installed at the Child Development Centre so that employees can bike to work. They also buy bus passes for some clients, and would like to see improvement of transportation systems. 54

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Good Sky of Journey to Successful Employment wants to see more bus accessibility for work, a bus to Westbank, and more for Kelowna. Mariah Machniak of Trim Tax walks to work when she can, and encourages others to do the same. Dave Hehr sold his old truck and bought a newer one to reduce his carbon emissions. Mary Belcher tries to walk around town instead of driving. She would like to see free bus passes, to encourage young adults not to get a car. Rob McLaren suggests carpooling as a useful tool against excess carbon emissions. Arrange to ride to work with co-workers, and take turns driving. Also, try to fill all the seats in your car when travelling long distances; pick up hitch-hikers. You are part of the solution by taking transit. During the warmer months, Les Poloskey rides his motorcycle to work instead of driving a car. Laurel Burnham recognizes that people can bicycle or walk anywhere in Penticton. One day a week, Laurel does not drive; at other times, she takes advantage of car-pooling. She would like to see a city bicycle program, a city pedi-cab program, and more cars being taken off of the road. The Arc Program uses hybrid company cars. Jarrod Dunham of Dunham Taylor walks to work. 55

TRANSPORTATION The Shatford Centre is considering the development of a community compost site. Any citizen would have the opportunity to drop off their compostable waste after attending a short training session. John Vassilaki thinks a better bus system is needed. In winter he uses only one small vehicle . Wahnese Antonioni-Stevens walks to work, and bikes to the store. There is a direct correlation between the weight of a car and its energy consumption; take a small car. For public transportation, use mini-busses like they do in many other parts of the world, where they do not have money to waste. you do not have to wait very long, and for a dollar you can join the other passengers afterwhich you are let off at, or very near to, your destination. The Government can help the transition by basing the annual fee on the weight of the car. In England, it helped to keep the cars small. Johanna and Henk Saaltink Finn Larsen, of Larsen Agencies, wants to see bus service from Penticton to Summerland.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Imagine Penticton Economic Development Services supports the development of sustainable building practices and initiated an economic investment zone strategy to encourage development that incorporates environmental development alternates in the community. As part of this program an environmental checklist has been developed that provides new development and existing business with incentives to adopt a greener approach to development in the community. The application process is available online at the City of Penticton. Imagine Pentictons mandate is to attract, enhance and retain businesses in Penticton. Their website promotes and encourages local companies to think green and its attraction strategy is seeking businesses that contribute to a greener economy. In 2011 the organization is targeting green technology companies and Imagine Penticton is working with valley EDOs through a Foreign Direct Investment attraction strategy to target united Kingdom green technology companies to build relationships, emigrate and invest in the region. This program follows a leading edge Metabridge program with Silicon Valley in the uSA. The manufacturing and industrial sector in the City of Penticton includes a number of innovate leading edge green manufacturers examples of the type of businesses includes Slimline manufacturing (evaporation of tailings ponds, environmental clean-up), Structurlam Products Ltd a leading edge producer of (beetle kill), natural wood fibre for the construction industry. McCoy Ltd. a company that produces trailers for the wind energy industry and a number of high-tech firms that are developing new software and wireless technology.

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TRANSPORTATION

In 2009 the City of Penticton agreed to support the south Okanagan Regional Growth Strategy (RGS) this program is a long term commitment to manage growth in the south Okanagan of the Regional District Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS). The RGS expresses a vision for the south Okanagan that is rooted in sustainability, often defined as, development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The program supports a 20 year vision of the region and has a number of goals: 1. Economy: promote sustainable economic diversification 2. Environment: ensure the health of ecosystems 3. Governance: foster inclusive and accountable governance 4. Human Settlement: strengthen rural and urban community identity 5. Infrastructure: maximize the efficient use of infrastructure 6. Social: create safe, culturally diverse and healthy communities Further, The City of Penticton is currently introducing a climate action plan to reduce green house emissions. The details of this program are still in the early stage of development. David Arsenaul

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All things are possible once enough people realize that everything is at stake. Norman Cousins

Recycling
Reciting the 3 R's is as natural as the ABCs. unfortunately, many people still consider recycling to begin - and end - with paper and bottles in the blue bin. This is a great step that almost every contributor suggested; however, it is easy to get creative with your reusing and recycling. This chapter is dedicated to all the items you may have never realized could avoid the landfill. Consider this: in Brazils largest landfill, Jardim Gramacho, workers removed 200 tons of recyclable material a day. Penticton and Area Womens Centre staff photocopy on both sides of a sheet of paper, and recycle paper, plastics and metal. The left over soap bottles are given to Canadian Food for Children at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. They also have on-site recycling. Capri Insurance employees take turns bringing home the office recycling, and ICBC recycles licence plates. 59

RECyCLING Mott Welsh & Associates employees shred and recycle paper. Brigid Kemp recycles. She is concerned about the rumour that we will soon be unable to recycle colored glass. Penticton School of Hair recycles bottles and cans, paper, and cardboard. They reuses magazines. They donate mannequin heads to the Cancer Society, and resell or give away old equipment. Athletes World uses recycled boxes. Penticton Accounting Centre would like to see the building they rent develop a recycling program for their offices. Currently, Penticton Accounting Centre employees keep a blue box under their desk to collect paper. Then, one of them drives up to the land fill to drop it off. John Holmes recycles. He would like to see more recycling bins installed in town. Smith & Co has a recycled tire floor patio. Penticton General Hospital has recycling program, including the paper and plastic packages on syringes, needles, and drug containers. The Penticton Fire and Rescue Hall recycles batteries, stationary, and their metals. Greyback Construction's Purchasing and Warehouse Manager, Donn Doe, recycles their oil. Not many people know this, but you can actually get paid for your oil. They also recycle the oil containers. Donn also sorts and recycles 60

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy wood, cardboard, and metals. Their used oil filters are picked up to be re-used as well. Greyback Construction sorts and recycles all of their paper for pick up. They recycle their toner/ink cartridges as well. They also give back their cardboard boxes to delivery companies to be re-used. Deborah Stewart sorts all her plastic, cardboard, etc. for recycling, and especially emphasizes remembering to recycle your paper and paper towel rolls. BC Parks, Ministry of Environment aims to balance recreation with conservation, provides education of behaviour with signage, installs bird proof garbage bins, and installs picnic tables with concrete bases and cedar composite tops. BC Parks, Ministry of Environment campgrounds have recycling bins. Cindi Tomochko uses the fabric shopping bags while shopping. She owns technologies that have been out-dated that she still uses, so that she is not wasting valuable resources. Penticton General Hospital is choosing digital over paper for medical information, patients charts, and medical literature. While any reusable bag is a great improvement over disposable ones, Wendy Dion would like to remind people to pick the cloth bags over their plastic counterparts. Not only is plastic a commodity we must phase out, these bags need to be washed regularly to avoid e-coli bacteria build-up. A canvas bag will last significantly longer in the rinse cycle than a plastic one. 61

RECyCLING Sweets 4 My Sweetie's Pamela Patterson re-uses her candy containers The Penticton and District Society for Community Living provides part-time employment to people with developmental disabilities through programs that also benefit the environment. Sherri Leochko heads the wood shop, where they rely on donations of salvaged wood. They build skids for local orchards and fill orders for The Foundry. They also built the picnic tables along the Channel Parkway. Any scraps too small to build with are saved for firewood. Jim Clarke is in charge of the bike shop. They save hundreds of bikes from the land-fill each year. They also rely on donations of old, damaged or found bikes that they repair and re-sell, or salvage for parts. Some of the more experienced workers also do bike repairs and tune-ups. Greyback Construction keeps files digitally to reduce paper use. Okanagan College utilizes an online sustainability checklist (S. T. A. R.) for North American institutions of higher education. Sustainability concepts are taught in the Okanagan College curriculum, and they are building community partnerships to help share their knowledge and expertise. One of their clubs is CIFE, for students interested in free enterprise and corporate sustainability. The Okanagan College is also collecting bottles for a drive for a fund to build a school in Africa. Picture This recycles things such as paper and cardboard. 62

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy If youre still using single-charge disposable batteries, dont throw them away. Store them together in a small jar or container and, once in a while, bring them all together where they can be safely disposed. use call2recycle.ca to find the location closest to you. Some examples are: Canadian Tire, Rona, or Staples. Barbara Olsen The Golden Sands Motel recycles. White Clinic Associates recycles, and uses both sides of sheets of paper. At WINGS, they would like to be able to recycle things that they used to be able to, such as copper wiring, tubing, and computers. Eleanor Summer would like to see a better way to drop off used items on the curb for re-use by others. Did you know even your old prescription glasses can be recycled? Waterfront Eyecare has a drop box, hosted by Lions Club International. The glasses are shipped to Burnaby and picked up by World Vision, which circulates them to optometrists; the eye doctors then travel to third world countries and distributes them to those in need. Cheryl. Most families have outdated electronics abandoned in their home; instead, they could save space by dropping off old computers, televisions, and other various devices at EWaste. Newer devices and those that work are sold whole or in parts. Older electronics are petalized and smelted down into their precious metal components. As well as offering a free-drop off location, E-Waste workers retrieve electronics from the landfill monthly. Gary Schakel 63

RECyCLING yet another of P.A.C.E.s environmental initiatives is Waste Knot; their purpose is sorting through the landfill and reusing the scavenged wood. Brenda Hallworth Amanda Graf saves all her old clothes, towels and linens to use for scrap material. She uses them as rags and patches, or to sew into new clothes. She also ties scraps of fabric together to make recycled yarn. Burger 55 recycles boxes and bags. Construction can lead to a lot of excess parts, and not all of them are proper for use in other projects. James Proteau of Hands on Handyman Services recycles metal by bringing it to Action Steel Sales. Save-On-Foods provides a Bottle and Can Deposit service. Manulife recycles paper, and recycles computers at the Bottle Depot. Theresa Sekora would like to see people recycling whatever they can. They recycle at the airport. Laura Saunders re-uses plastic and garbage bags. Scott Buchanan recycles whatever he can, and takes bottles to the Bottle Depot. He took an old T.V. and cell phone to an electronic recycling depot. Midas encourages people to recycle old parts: plastic.,

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy cardboard, tires, batteries, anti-freeze, engine oil and scrap metal. Trim Tax recycles newspaper, phones, and all electronics that no longer work. Journey to Successful Employment recycles. The Child Development Centre teaches children the value of recycling. David Korinetz reuses packaging and display materials in his business, Red Tuque Books. He receives recycled shipping containers from Hooked on Books as well as book display stands from the local Coles and Save on Foods. Larger organizations have many displays they see as temporary; as a small business, do everyone including the environment a big favor by taking them off their hands for your own use. The Jumpstart Program recycles paper and plastic, and reuses their binders, office supplies and ink cartridges. Meiklejohn Architects uses old rug samples as door mats. They use the Paper Shuffle recycling service, and recycle plastic and metal in the bins at the back of the office. The South Okanagan Immigrant and Community Services re-uses newspapers. Newspapers can be used beyond the birdcage; they work well for packing items, wrapping presents, and as kindling in a wood stove. If you are an artist or have crafty children, a few sheets can be perfect for protecting tables and carpets.

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RECyCLING When Elaine Track of Skyview Blinds has outdated fabric swatches, she donates instead of disposing them. A bit of imagination will lead you to creative uses for your waste also. Elaine gives to elementary schools for crafts, and to the local college for use in their interior design programs. The Marketplace IGA recycles their paper, cardboard and plastic. 24/7 Convenience Store has a recycle bin outside. One of the most creative ways to repurpose materials is for creative arts. Both Niki Hylins art, and her studio, bring back life to discarded and donated material. Some include half tubes of paint, picture frames, broken stone tiles and plates, and wood. Niki also teaches classes; even her students bring in and utilize old materials. Dawn Doyle of Polka Dot Consignment encourages businesses to set up recycling bins for receipts not taken by customers. At Dr. Specs Optical they recycle all of their paper after shredding it. They also donate their bottles to the school bottle drive. Dale Fleming at Lockworks sends all of his scrap metal, dead and mis-cut keys, and broken locks to Action Steel for recycling. The Phairaohs Hair Studio recycles paper, cardboard, water bottles, and cans.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Andrew Jakubeit of The Groove Yard recycles. Suzanne Fry of Global Securities Corporation recycles as much as possible. Vitamin King takes advantage of the downtown recycling program, and recycle all supplement bottles. They recycle all of their paper in the blue bin at Shadowfax Communications. Elaine Burnie tells us that vinyl records can be recycled in either Kelowna or Surrey. She would like to see blue box recycling of vinyl. The Pacific Brimm Coffee and Tea shop recycles all plastic and cardboard. Inside a wood shop at the back of the P.A.C.E. building, Edward Ecclestone has been crafting affordable housing for birds. A fine example of another mans treasure, he builds the birdhouses using the cast-off waste wood from P&E Lumber and various cabinet shops. True Colors, Benjamin Moore Paints participates in the old paint drop-off program at the Bottle Depot., and recycles paper, plastic and metal. Paper Shuffle is a non-profit recycling program used by many companies in the Okanagan Valley. Jarrod of Dunham Taylor recycles used and shredded paper. The Care Closet Thrift Store recycles used clothes. If 67

RECyCLING they cannot be sold in the store, the summer clothes get sent to Africa, and the winter clothes get sent to Northern Canada. They also save and re-use buttons, and make rags out of sheets. William Leggott of Classic Guitars suggests, dont smash your guitars recycle them! Have extra wool ends? Consider making hats and redistribute them to the less fortunate. Terry Terbasket tells us that at The Footprints Centre they use discarded, scrap paper to make their own notepads. Wild Rose Cottage recycles. Ken Mountford uses chopped down trees from orchards and yards for woodwork. He makes crafts, toys, and ornaments which make great, personal gifts. Okanagan Cosmetology Institute recycles cardboard, plastic and metal. The Arc Program suggests having recycling bins in the hall for each kind of material. Make sure to recycle paper from copiers and printers. The Shatford Centre is a building that has recycling at its heart; the whole community saved it in the vote. As it is being rebuilt, they are reusing every material they can: wood, metal, glass, and even ceiling panels. For example, the front doors of the building are made from repurposed wood salvaged from the demolition of the old one.

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy April Cameron finds and utilizes recycled bike parts to fix up her bike. Nick McDonald suggests that wood needs to be recycled whenever possible. Penticton Computer Teach-Ease participates in Encorp Return-It Electronic recycling program. Summit Trailer Ltd deposits waste metal at the metal recycler, Action Steel, on Barnes between Dawson & Warren. EnviroWest Inc. picks up Summit Trailer Ltd.s waste fluids, oil, and anti-freeze. The Heart and Stroke Foundation picks up their waste batteries, while Kal-Tire removes their old tires. Joey Cyr wants to see recycling bins everywhere. Peaches Lingerie donates gently used bras to WINGS. Owner Jackie Kromm recycles cans at home, and at her work place. The students of the Penticton Alternate School utilize recycled materials for their craft and shop projects. For example, leftover cloth is turned into kitchen aprons and emergency kits for young mothers at the Pen Hi Daycare; juice tins and milk cartons are used in the process of candle making. Jon Ferebee of Astral Radio retrofitted his house, and re-uses things when they are reusable. He takes old, un-used things to thrift stores in town. The UPS Store employees use both sides of the sheet prior to recycling. They recycling everything from peanuts and corrugated packing material, to paper boxes, elastic 69

RECyCLING bands, and toner cartridges. Mindy Rollins would like to see improvements made to our existing recycling methods. Penticton Visitors Centre uses both sides of the paper, or as a half-sheet scrap writing pad. Shirley Ducharme recycles, and re-uses old books to save trees. Sam Verigin says recycling is so easy! Many people can benefit in a community that chooses to sell or give away items that are no longer wanted or needed, yet still can serve a purpose. Looking to recycle something a bit more complex than a piece of paper? Hoping to adopt a lightly used piece of furniture or technology? The Craigslist of the environment, Freecycle connects people that would like to donate items with those that need something. Don't buy new when used will do; find the Penticton chapter online. Laurel Burnham is an adamant recycler. Gary Lee at Town and Country Upholstery has been repairing and re-upholstering furniture since 1972, keeping it fresh and fashionable. The frames are re-used and old fabric is used to extend and tie new materials together. He can also replace springs in cushions and re-upholster seats for motorcycles, tractors and ATV's, or even convert a couch into a love-seat if you're moving into a smaller space. The Stewart Thomas Group recycles toner, and give recyclables to street people, to take back to the depot for

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An individual without information cannot take responsibility. An individual with information cannot help but take responsibility. Jane Carlzon

Miscellaneous
With life's complexity, it is impossible to assign neat categories to every aspect of it. As such, we noticed this with many of the contributions we received. South Okanagan Sustainability is not simply a book for the environment; it is a reflection of how Pentictonites live, and the world we want to see. While every chapter contains innovative ideas, many of the tips presented under miscellaneous surprised us in a great way and defied assimilation. Les Olson of Pacific Brimm Coffee and Tea keeps older appliances, and repairs them. Barry Watson would like everyone to switch from plastic bags to biodegradable ones. Capri Insurance employees bring their lunches in reusable plastic and glass containers. 71

MISCELLANEOuS Marliene Otto has trained her cat to use the instead of a litter box. She uses salt, vinegar, and baking soda around the house instead of harsh chemical cleaners. Meiklejohn Architects creates eco-construct building designs and apply for LEED status on the buildings they work on. They encourage employees to bring a ceramic mug to their coffee shop. Developed in the U.S. In '98, Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) has expanded to include 30 countries Canada included, as of 2003. A third-party evaluation is conducted to determine the height of a building's green rank, from Certified to Platinum. Aside from four different levels, all projects have prerequisites to qualify at all. The level is decided by a point total, which is calculated in categories. These may include Energy and Atmosphere, Indoor Environmental Quality, Materials and Resources, Sustainable Sites, and Water Efficiency. The Meiklejohn Architects office is sustainably built with a wood frame, cork floors, modular carpeting, and green carpet tiles made from nylon and rubber. The Child Development Centre supports locals and a sustainable economy through local maintenance, builders, and advertising locally for staffing needs. Journey to Successful Employment employs citizens, and trains them to be employed locally. Burger 55 prints company t-shirts in town at ECM. They print stickers, gift certificates and signage in town at Print Factory. They hire local trades people. 72

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Taco Time hires locals. While plastic bags are being phased out, paper bags still have their merits. They can be made from recycled paper, are decomposable, and stand up nicely. James Proteau Terry of Smith & Co also owns two sustainability companies - Geothermal Heating & Cooling, and a water filtration Company. P.A.C.E. has implemented a Give and Take Room in their office. Open to anyone, the room has become filled with a variety of treasures. Just a few of these include steel-toed boots, pots, and disinfecting wipes. Brenda Hallworth Penticton and Area Womens Centre staff use reusable cups, and wash them at home. They try to limit the resources they utilize. They wipe down surfaces with water, to be considerate of people with allergies. At home, Debra Webb cuts open toothpaste tubes when they are fully squeezed, and stores it in a lidded container so the toothpaste stays moist. She uses up any toothpaste before throwing it out, and does this with hand lotion as well. Penticton School of Hair students bring their own dishes from home to reuse. South Okanagan Women In Need Society tries to use electronic forms for documents instead of paper. The televisions in Tiki Shores are being replaced with sets manufactured using recycled materials that use less electricity. 73

MISCELLANEOuS

A combined $27.6 million, from the government, the Okanagan College and donors, was put into the construction of the aptly named Centre of Excellence. It was designed to meet the strict environmental standards set out by the Living Building Challenge. The 7,085 m2 building will house over eight hundred new students, giving them access to more than just extra classrooms: the facility itself is an example of many of the cutting-edge, ecologically-focused technologies they will study. Aside from educational programs, the Living Building will be a hub for research and development by numerous organizations, involving students, all with sustainability in mind. The Centre of Excellence has numerous qualities that make it an environmental benchmark for future Canadian developments. What follows is only a few examples of many. Net Zero energy status A hot water system powered by solar A green roof Ground source cooling and heat pump Lightweight construction The use of wood from trees killed by the pine-beetle Architecture designed to limit the necessity of preservatives and adhesives Much of the materials used in construction were locally sourced A petri dish on the rooftop for the purpose of experimentation

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SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy Eleanor Summer sees a problem with electronics being treated nowadays as throw away products, due to planned obsolescence. She would love to see this changed. SOWINS developed the Wisdom and Energy program to bring together our older and younger citizens. They will be sewing products such as pet beds, collars, bags, and purses. Eleanor Summer would like to see better wet-waste pick up and management methods implemented, waste-diversion jobs created, and the development of a re-store for others to bring in their old materials for re-use. Employees at Penticton School of Hair carefully track and consolidate garbage into one main bag and throw out only one of those daily (2 only on particularly busy days). The Golden Sands uses cloth towels. The Penticton Alternate School has a unique reminder to be green. The 3 R's on the wall of the school were created and painted by a student who felt they needed a constant reminder to make sure they were doing as much as they could. It is an original "Myshala" masterpiece, and they are quite proud of her efforts. Dave Anderson Mott Welsh & Associates employees use washable cloth dish towels. Organize Green Teams in your office. use initiatives and the competitive spirit to motivate your team to be the most sustainable. An example of one possible challenge: which teams garbage cans are the least full after two weeks? Debbie Oviatt.

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MISCELLANEOuS Being developed by Jennifer and Nicholas Vincent, Little Green Book is a social networking site with an environmental twist. Encouraging businesses to be green, the corporate side allows them to promote their projects and benchmark their competition. The consumers are able to share their personal steps and celebrate those of their friends. Little Green Book helps break the barriers between the businesses and their buyers by education and awareness of sustainable developments. Look out for the sites beta launch in mid 2011. Hilma LaBelle of South Okanagan Immigrant & Community Services believes that newcomers to Canada may lack community knowledge of what to do with finished products, such as old chemical bottles and recycling in general. Starr Elwood uses reusable bags for her grocery shopping. Norm Rempel uses fabric bags. He buys local as much as possible. Many companies use posters and displays in advertising, only to toss them later. Consider instead setting up a draw. Customers can even be asked to donate cans of food to enter, making the benefits twofold. Michael Pearce would like to see research programs to look into the efficiency of consumer products, as well as environmental education at the school level. Education is important as it helps us to make informed decisions in the future. Its all about choices. We cant keep using our resources at the same rate, and in the same fashion we are if we want to have any for future use. Set standards, because standards matter. The government needs to instil strong policies; 76

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy for example: watering restrictions. Vanessa Ash of Vitamin Kings informs us that they encourage and help teach customers about their practices. They also use biodegradable and paper bags. Millie Williams would like to see new city counsellors because it would promote a new, younger point of view. She would also like for wages to be increased, as it would lead to a stronger, more sustainable economy. Penticton School of Hair just bought and installed a new efficient gas hot water tank, and they use small space heaters. They wash cloth towels with cold water. The School already uses energy efficient light bulbs, and they have qualified for the FortisBC FLIP program. This gives them funding to switch to eco-friendly lighting, from chair track lights all the way to door exit signs. The salon and the classroom have R-rated Levelors blinds, which keep heat in during the winter and out during the summer. Suzanne Fry uses fabric bags. Andrew Jakubeit uses fabric bags 95% of the time while shopping. Andrew buys and shops locally when he can. Coles Bookstore charges five cents for plastic bags; the proceeds go to support the World Wildlife Fund . McCoy encourages every business to have an environmental co-ordinator that will gauge their sustainability level, and give them tailored information on how to be more green. Lyndsay encourages everyone to get an annual heat, power and water assessment for their business.

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MISCELLANEOuS Allen Paul suggests people B.y.O.B. bring your own bag. John Vassilaki thinks areas under development need to be properly utilized. Also, cities should be self-sustainable. To support this, he hires locals.He thinks people have to change their attitudes, and think differently of others as well as the community as a whole. Astral Radio hires locally when possible. Chris Cornett, Photography by Chris owner, doesnt use color lab chemicals anymore. All photography is now done digitally due to enhanced technology within the industry. The Sutton-Power 1 Realty office is going digital to reduce paper waste. Janette and Andrea of Spa Tranquila like how holistic Penticton is, in terms of recycling, naturopathy, and reiki. First Strike Training Centre makes sustainable choices by encouraging healthy living and teaching, and encouraging students to be sustainable themselves. They also volunteer for green and sustainable events when possible. They share locations with another business to cut down on power and water usage. Shirley Ducharme uses fabric bags. While any reusable bag is a great improvement over disposable ones, Wendy Dion would like to remind people to pick the cloth bags over their plastic counterparts. Not only is plastic a commodity we must phase out, these bags need to 78

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy be washed regularly to avoid bacteria build-up. A canvas bag will last significantly longer in the rinse cycle than a plastic one. Okanagan Cosmetology Institute uses reusable cups and dishes. They offer local job placements. Bill Barisoff is enthusiastic about any small positive changes: he re-uses wherever possible; he does some canning with his wife; they use re-usable bags. Bill recognizes that if everyone does a little bit, it becomes a lot all together. Bill also thinks we need to teach others; education is the key. Sam Verigin informs all of the tenants that visit her business, Something Special B&B, about her environmental precedents. Heart & Souls business revolves around biofeedback and electromagnetic therapy. By speaking directly to the cells, the L.I.F.E system can treat hundreds of conditions. This form of therapy is all-natural and, being pill-free, a very green form of healing. They teach health-related subjects to both youth and adults at Footprints to Technology. Voth Photography makes sustainable choices by printing less and providing clients photos on CDs or DVDs that are archival. They use digital cameras for taking photographs, eliminating the need for chemicals. Marketing material is smaller sizes, and they hire local printers that are going green in their choices of printing and paper. Adorning the walls of The Bench Artisan Food Market 79

MISCELLANEOuS you will find local artists works featured and for sale, including paintings and photographs, as well as other artisans. Use fabric bags while shopping, and buy what you can from thrift stores. C4Wise, a web design business for artists, focuses on the reduce that comes before recycle. Their entire business is digitally based, lowering the use of paper significantly. Everything from advertising to billing has a paper-free alternative thanks to the huge popularity of the internet.

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Glossary
The environmental movement has grown to such an extent that it has developed its own jargon. Some of these are highly unique, and others have found their way into everyday conversation. To fully contribute to, and benefit from, the green whispers that are permeating the community, you may want to brush up on the language. It isnt complicated; just read through the terms below and you will soon be fluent in eco-linguistics. Welcome to Sustainability 101. Carbon sequestering Also referred to as carbon capture and storage, the sequestering of CO2 goes beyond reducing the damage we do; it is the attempt to reverse it. There are many processes being developed to accomplish this, one of which includes artificial trees that absorb carbon dioxide at an accelerated rate. After removing it from the atmosphere, the carbon is typically reinjected underground. Companion gardening A pesticide and chemical-free way to control pests, pro81

GLOSSARy mote pollination, and encourage nutrient uptake. It is accomplished by planting different crops close to one another, with each aggregation providing different results. A common example is planting vegetation disliked by the pest bothering you, beside the one that is being affected. The internet is a great resource in discovering tried-and-true combinations. Compost A centuries-old technique to dispose of organic matter that, with time, can be used once more. While it can be a multi-step process, composting is simply the harnessing of the natural decomposition process. As the waste is broken down by micro-organisms or composting worms, it becomes a nutrient-rich soil that acts as a perfect, organic fertilizer. Ecological footprint Many calculators have emerged on the internet that can assess your 'ecological footprint'. By inputting a variety of information on things such as your choice of transportation, energy consumption and eating habits, you will receive a number in 'global acres'. This calculation can be an eyeopener, as it includes how many Earths it would require for the entire population to live at the same level. As of 2007, for all to live as the average Canadian, we would need 4.3 Earths to sustain everyone. A similar, but separate measurement, is the 'carbon footprint'. While also beneficial, it only measures greenhouse gas emission, excluding land and water considerations. Gleaning With all of the beautiful vegetation that decomposes on the sidewalks of Penticton every summer, it is clear many of us are unfamiliar with this term. Gleaning, the collection of leftover crops, is an ancient tradition that ensured no food item would be wasted. In modern times, it is typically done 82

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy after an area has been commercially harvested, and it is no longer profitable to collect what remains. Pick away before it rots away! Green roof Also known as a living roof , this term may be self-explanatory. An aspect of sustainability is getting the most out of local resources, and this includes space. With proper support, your ceiling can easily double as the base of your garden expansion. The benefits can go beyond planting vegetation; it makes use of precious rainwater, moderates temperature, and is a more natural home for birds than wooden houses. Grey water While you may not wish to drink dish water, your plants won't mind! Grey water is 'waste water' that is left over from laundry, bathing, and the like. Recycling water is a great step towards sustainability, especially with Penticton's dry climate. Grey water can be used in your toilet's water tank, and as irrigation for vegetation. Invasive alien species This sci-fi-esque term actually pertains to the often annoying, and potentially damaging, plant and animal life that is not native to the area. Some greenery flourishes here as a great advantage to us; others, unfortunately, destroy the local environment to survive. Removing these nuisances is not always simply a matter of pulling the roots from the ground. Educate yourself on the hazardous species in the South Okanagan and report sightings through the Invasive Alien Plant Program's Report-A-Weed. Irrigation A gardening term, irrigation is not as general as 'the watering of plants'. It refers specifically to the artificial addition 83

GLOSSARy of water to the soil, beyond what is provided by rain. Due to water scarcity in the Okanagan, a sustainable choice would be to avoid doing this as much as possible. Permaculture A crucial aspect of sustainability is the proper use of land. Permaculture is an approach to the designing of ecological systems. By accounting for the relationship between all parts of the system, it is developed to be stable, involve the minimal amount of effort and resources, and be as efficient as possible. The origin of its title give insight into its purpose: it is a portmanteau of permanent agriculture and permanent culture. Planned Obsolescence It may be more than just nostalgia that causes people to claim products were made better 'back in the day'. Planned obsolescence is an economic boost for a manufacturer, at the expense of both the consumer and the environment. By designing an item to break down in a given amount of time, the buyer is then required to purchase a replacement prematurely. Environmentalism comes into play with the consideration of resource use, transportation fuel, and excess waste. Disposable does not mean biodegradable; many of these fated products are made of hard to recycle materials such as plastic. Photovoltaics Consider this a fancy way to discuss solar energy. It is the scientific term to describe the method of collecting electricity from the sun, typically by use of solar panels and cells. Solar panels are made up of photovoltaic, or solar, cells. Rammed earth usually a technique, 'rammed earth' can also be used to describe a style of building also. With the influx of environ84

SOuTH OKANAGAN SuSTAINABILITIy mental concern, this old method has found popularity once more. A rammed earth building is constructed with the raw materials of the earth, such as dirt, chalk and gravel. Aside from its sustainable assets, a home made this way is durable and temperate. Semi-arid While not a sustainable term per se, it is one every South Okanagan resident should understand. understanding of our climate is essential to taking care, and living within the means, of our local environment. A semi-arid climate (or 'sub-humid zone') is one that receives little precipitation, though still enough to avoid desert classification. By knowing this, it becomes immediately clear that water preservation should be one of our home's greater concerns. Sustainability Defined as the capacity to endure, this term may seem too broad for our purposes. However, this perfectly reflects the reality that every aspect of our lives is tied into our environment... and the reverse is true, also. To be truly sustainable, our lifestyles cannot require multiple planets to be destroyed. We must break our addiction to oil and be able to provide for ourselves on a local scale. We must find balance in returning to our roots and taking advantage of our technological discoveries. We must unite as a community - a Sustainable South Okanagan. Transition Town Transition Towns are communities that have signed up to become part of a positive, sustainability-focused movement. From TransitionNetwork.org: A Transition Initiative ... is a community-led response to the pressures of climate change, fossil fuel depletion and increasingly, economic contraction. As of 2011, Penticton and Kelowna have both begun devel85

GLOSSARy oping Transition Town initiatives! Upcycle Much like recycling, upcycling involves the use of waste materials. The key difference is that the resulting products tend to be of a higher quality, or of greater environmental value. Xeriscaping The importance of this term is high within the South Okanagan. Xeriscaping, also known as xerogardening, refers to a landscape design that involves as little irrigation as possible. This tends to include a system that efficiently utilizes rain water, and focuses on planting succulent water-retaining plants. 350 With all of this climate change talk, carbon dioxide is getting a pretty bad reputation. The truth is, CO2 is necessary for vegetation to breathe and maintain comfortable temperatures. Nature knows what it is doing. The issue arises when we forgo moderation; this is where the number 350 has come from. Measured in parts per million, a safe amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere was determined to be 350. As of 2010, we have reached 388 parts per million. Fortunately, action can still be taken to reduce this number.

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Katelyn Cole is a purebred Nova Scotian maritimer. She likes music, tattoos, piercings, Facebook ... and the environment.

Carmen McAnulty was born in Kelowna, BC a mere 20 years ago. A self proclaimed passionista, Carmen's heart lies in singing, song writing and dancing. Constantly excercising her love for photography, she's always searching to capture the beauty in simplicity. She plans to travel in the near future, firstly to Thailand to visit her Father, and volunteer at orphanages in the surrounding area. She also intends to study towards becoming a Sterile Instruments Technician. She leaves Sustainable Choices very self aware and motivated, excited and eager to see what her future brings. 87

Alyshia Olsen grew up in Penticton, B.C. Aspiring to be an artist, she has done a variety of jobs ranging from a mural painting to t-shirt and web design. Aside from the valuable environmental wisdom, Sustainable Choices has prepared her for her own literature project - a novel. With a love of art, as well as the written language, Alyshia is seeking freelance work; if you liked the looks of the cover or the voice of the glossary, contact her at a_olsen@live.ca Samir Rodriguez was born in Canada; he worked all Columbia, in South America. For three years, he went from the city of over the world, so Cartagena to the little towns that are Samir and his siblings moved to Venesuela, sustainable: with farms, cowsand even some homes without electricity. then the united States, and into Alberta. It His mom married a man from was there that they became permanent residents of Canada. Some time later, Samir, his sister, and his mother moved to Penticton and bought a home near Skaha. Samir loves to work out, and appreciates being in this great, snowy land.

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Brennon Synnuck, a 20 year old political activist, has helped to develop the South Okanagan Sustainability book along with the other Sustainability Innovators. He enjoyed learning the behind the scenes regarding our governments and their efforts in respect to sustainability and environmentalism, as well as networking with the politicians themselves. Brennon appreciated getting involved and connected to the community. It was very enlightening and enriching for him to get insight into individual citizen's needs and wants. Brennon is hoping this insight into the community will help him in his desired future career in politics. Mark Wall was born and raised in Penticton. He hugs trees. He once helped a frog across the street. In Summer. He loves Summer. And green stuff. And music. Loud music. In the woods. With the trees. He loves trees.

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Natalie Webb has a honours bachelors degree in Economics and English Language and Literature. She is interested in sustainability minded enterprises, and the connection of information about advancements in environmental preservation development. Natalie likes living in harmony with the earth's seasons and eating wholesome, organic, healthy foods. She hopes to work as a press secretary for a business that includes sustainability as part of their business plan.

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Thank you to our sponsors

your contributions have enabled us to print two hundred additional books. A copy of South Okanagan Sustainability is being donated to every South Okanagan School, public libray, and various Penticton waiting rooms.

Some tips from FortisBC Heat only the rooms you use. Avoid heating unused rooms by closing doors and warm air supply registers, or lower the room thermostat for baseboards. Avoid heating non-insulated spaces such as a garage, crawlspace, attic or storage shed. Lower your thermostat. Turn your thermostat down to 20 degrees Celsius during the day and to 17 degrees Celsius at night to save as much as 15 per cent on the heating part of your energy bill. Try getting comfortable by putting on a sweater or slippers instead of turning up the thermostat. Automate, and make it easy. Buy a programmable thermostat to make setting temperatures easy. It will automatically save energy at night and when you're away from home.

Heat can escape from unlikely places. Close the fireplace chimney damper between fires to keep warm air in during the winter and out during the summer. use weatherstripping to seal around door openings and windows. use caulking to seal gaps and holes around non-opening windows, electrical outlets and openings around water pipes and vents. Keep your furnace clean. A dirty furnace filter delivers less air. Ensure yours is clean. Don't crowd your furnace or boiler! Leave space and air around it. Make sure there are no combustible materials stored nearby. Keep things like bleach, cleaning products and aerosols well away. Get a caulking gun. If your exterior entrance door is drafty, you can caulk between the doorframe and the wall. To stop drafts under the door, install a door sweep on the bottom edge. Lighting can account for up to 10% of the energy consumption in your home. Turn off lights when not in use. One of the best ways to conserve energy is to simply turn off lights when not in use or when you leave the room. Try using timers and motion sensors for outdoor lighting. use the right type of light for the job. Instead of illuminating an entire room, use task-appropriate lighting, such as reading lamps.