| It
seems that everyone is talking about all things "Green" these days...and
I think this is fantastic. Perhaps "Green" is seen as "trendy"
and some might be jumping on the band wagon for marketing purposes only. However,
whatever the reason, think of the impact if we all took the time to educate ourselves
even just a bit, and became more intentional about our environment and how we
interact with it. | | | What
do 155,000 Elephants have to do with Real Estate in BC? If
all BC households switched their 5 most used incandescent bulbs, the equivalent
of over 1.3 million pounds of green house gases could be saved - a weight equal
to approximately 155,000 elephants. At Dexter we are working towards creating
a brighter, more sustainable future in BC by giving each Dexter Client 6
free energy saving light bulbs to assist in the greening of BC homes.
For information about how
to recycle your CFL (Compact Fluorescent bulbs) |  | I
am not a "Green" expert, but I am committed to making personal changes
and helping to educate others in order to live a Greener Life. This section of
my website will hopefully help in directing you to the resources to help accomplish
this. My favourite
Green Quote...."
the greenest building is one that is already built"
Carl Elefante, Principal Quinn Evans Architects, AIA, LEED AP |  | | GREEN
RESOURCES (in no particular order!) | | | Natural
Resources Canada - Retrofit Your home and qualify for a grant. Thinking of
ways to make your home more energy efficient? Here's what you can do to reduce
your energy consumption and receive grants through ecoENERGY Retrofit. Visit
this website and you will find a list of improvements covered under ecoENERGY
Retrofit - Homes and the corresponding grant amounts. The maximum grant you can
receive for a home or MURB is $5,000. | Canada
Green Building Council - CaGBC is the leading national industry organization
advancing green building practices for livable communities. The CaGBC represents
1,600 member organizations involved in the design, construction and operation
of buildings, real estate and community development. The Council implements the
LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating
System in Canada. | Green
Building Grant Program - The Green Building Grant Program was established
by the Real Estate Foundation and Vancity Credit Union to minimize the impacts
of climate change and improve sustainable land use practices by supporting green
building initiatives in British Columbia. The overall goal of the funding program
is to reduce CO2 emissions resulting from settlement activity. Each
year, the Program will provide one or more grants (up to $50,000 each) to qualified
recipients, totaling at least $100,000. Applications will be accepted from not-for-profit
organizations, including charitable organizations and cooperatives. | Built
Green - Built Green™ is an industry driven voluntary program that promotes
"green" building practices to reduce the impact that building has on
the environment. It benefits the homebuyer, the community and the environment
and is an opportunity for everyone to choose a "green" future. They
have created a "Checklist" which is a list of "green" criteria.
It includes an energy efficiency requirement, and a menu of options in categories,
addressing a range of "green" items from which the builder can select
to meet the Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum achievement levels. | | BuildSmart
(GVRD) - Greater Vancouver's source for sustainable building information.
BUILDSMART was created in January 2003 to be a resource for the design and construction
industry, helping designers make smart, sustainable choices when crafting the
future of our constructed environment. BUILDSMART
is the Lower Mainland's resource for sustainable design and construction information.
Developed by Metro Vancouver, this innovative program encourages the use of green
building strategies and technologies; supports green building efforts by offering
tools and technical resources; and educates the building industry on sustainable
design and building practices. | Building
Retrofits (GVRD) - The majority of structures that will exist over the next
20 years have already been built. Their structural, electrical, plumbing and mechanical
systems are aging or are already outdated and inefficient compared to today’s
standards.
Building retrofits designed to improve the operating efficiency
of existing buildings can have a direct influence on building comfort, operation
costs, and will reduce the associated environmental impacts our existing building
stock places upon the environment and its natural resources. | | David
Suzuki Foundation - Green is not a new fad for this organization! Since 1990,
the David Suzuki Foundation has worked to find ways for society to live in balance
with the natural world that sustains us. Focusing on four program areas –
oceans and sustainable fishing, climate change and clean energy, sustainability,
and the Nature Challenge - the Foundation uses science and education to promote
solutions that conserve nature and help achieve sustainability within a generation. | Vancouver
Green Business - An enlightening and resource rich blog on all things green.
Blogger, Brent Kane says, "The world is changing and I am awakening to the
notion that I can make a difference in my neighbourhood, my city, my region, and
beyond. Think Globally and Act Locally has never meant more to me than it does
today." | Green
Zebra - Explore the best of sustainable living in Vancouver with the 2008
Green Zebra guide. With over 250 exclusive offers from eco-friendly retailers,
organic restaurants and markets, fitness studios, independent bookstores, bike
shops, museums and more, there's something for everyone to discover. With thousands
of dollars in savings, many Green Zebra passes will save you more than the guide's
$25 purchase price in a single visit!
Green Zebra also answers many of your
questions about living green. Not sure where to dispose of batteries and other
toxic materials? You'll find practical answers and more in this handy compact
guide. Check out Green Zebra's 18 action steps to find simple things you and your
family can start doing today for a greener tomorrow. | The
Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC) - "The Recycling Council
of British Columbia is a multi-sectoral non-profit organization promoting the
principles of Zero Waste through information services, the exchange of ideas and
research." The
Recycling Council of BC (RCBC) is all about reducing waste. Founded in 1974, RCBC
is Canada's oldest recycling council. From expansion of the beverage container
deposit-refund program, to establishing programs for post-consumer paint, pesticides
and electronic waste, RCBC has led BC’s progressive policy of Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR) program development. | | The
Green Pages - "thegreenpages.ca" is a grassroots web phenomenon
that started in the dorm room of an environmental studies student at the University
of Waterloo. It began with a large collection of links and then grew into an interactive
portal highlighting the latest social-economic, environment-related news, events,
and stories from across Canada. The site acted as what is known today as a "blog"
and created opportunities for students, organisations, and community groups to
voice their opinions and share information. Today, the web site is a virtual "library"
of ideas, success stories, snap-shots from the past, and inspiration. | Green
Living Magazine - A Canadian publication. The goal for Green Living magazine
is to inform the "soon-to-be-converted" by providing interesting, hip
and valuable information about organics, health, the environment and eco-consumer
products, as well as celebrity interviews and eco-home style. We promote sustainable
and healthy living that is good for you - and for the earth. Our recently published
book, Green Tips, is an everyday guide to living more lightly on the earth. This
book is being distributed to World Wildlife Fund Canada sponsors as well as through
Canadian booksellers | |
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