Sustainability at home: A house hold Tool Kit

Congratulations on Re-thinking Your Home!

Your home is one of over 1.5 million households in the province of British Columbia1. Every action - small or large - in one of these homes, if repeated, could be powerful. Many people like you are creating healthy, comfortable and affordable spaces to call home. Together with your neighbours and others across the province, you can lead the change toward a more sustainable future - starting right in your very own home.
The word sustainability has become part of everyday language. It's been used to describe everything from energy generation projects to recycling your tin cans. But what does it mean? In 1987, the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainability as "meeting the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." This toolkit is designed to help you put this big picture concept into practice by giving you a framework for making decisions in your home that improve health, increase efficiency, save money, and make your community a better place to live.

To begin, imagine all of the natural resources your house requires: water, energy, food, building materials, and methods to transport yourself and your things. By changing the way you make household decisions you can contribute to increased environmental sustainability. In turn, you will see direct benefits to your family, your community, the planet and your pocketbook. Your choices make a difference.

For example, by choosing to paint a room with non-toxic and eco-certified materials (such as Volatile Organic Compoundfree paints), you're doing much more than changing the room's colour. You are reducing your exposure to potentially toxic chemicals while supporting an emerging industry that values social, environmental as well as economic benefits. Many of the ideas in this toolkit come from examples of British Columbians who have already made changes in their homes, and who have made a positive impact in their own communities. Their success shows how you can begin to make these changes.

Sustainability at Home will provide you with the tools you need to understand and talk about our sustainability challenge, offer some ways to think through everyday household decisions and provide tips to be implemented room-by-room in your home. In the following pages you will also find dozens of resources to look deeper into the issues that matter to you most. The helpful checklist at the end of the toolkit will help you start making changes and to track your successes. For those ready for an extra challenge, you will also learn about the benefits of green home renovation projects and how to transform simple tips into a way of enriching the community around you.

The Benefits of Sustainability:
• Save money over both the short and long-term by making your home more energy-efficient
• Increase the resale value of your home
• Enjoy greater comfort in your home as you create a healthier, more efficient space
• Contribute to the preservation of BC's biodiversity by minimizing your impact
• Help slow or reduce the effects of climate change
• Help BC strengthen its leadership position by moving Canada toward a sustainable future, one that supports social well-being, ecological health, and economic vitality

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