Six Star Magazine Six Star Magazine Summer 2006 | Page 27

cleaning house
cold water. By rinsing in cold water, you can save enough energy for
220 showers per year.
Avoid the permanent press cycle on your washing machine – it
uses more water.
Run consecutive dryer loads to take advantage of accumulated heat.
Clean the dryer lint screen after every load, and at least once
a year, check that the dryer vent hasn’t become clogged. Clogged
vents slow down drying time and are a fire hazard!
drying clothes outside. There’s
nothing like a spring breeze to bring out the best in your clothes.
The great outdoors
There are lots of easy and beautiful touches you can make outside
to change the way you live inside and out. Trees and ivy trellises
provide shade in summer both outside and inside, and do not block
sunlight during winter. When planning your gardens, think about
water usage first. Group plants with similar water needs to make
watering more efficient. Switch from thirsty, exotic grasses to hardy
native varieties, and limit lawns, which need more watering.
Consider the alternatives
With the rising cost of energy, consider solar or wind energy
systems to power your home.
window. In sunrooms, install heat-absorbing floors that retain
heat for later in the day when the sun sets.
collectors to absorb the sun’s energy and convert it into heat.
(PV) energy. Solar cells are a safe, easy and reliable source of
solar electricity.
erecting your own small wind
turbine to generate electricity is a practical and affordable option.
See how easy that was? The best way to make your life a little
greener is simply to adjust your way of thinking. If you can begin to
think greener, then it will be a simple matter to live greener. Plus,
your hydro bill will love you!

Ready to conserve energy and create a healthier home?
Here are some helpful Web sites to get you started:
Ideas for environmentally sustainable living - www.eartheasy.com
Planet Friendly - More great environmental tips - www.planetfriendly.net
EnerGuide for Houses - See where energy is wasted in the home
www.energuideforhouses.gc.ca
Electricity Choices - Explore alternative energy
www.electricitychoices.org
Canadian Energy Efficiency Centre - www.energyefficiency.org

ISO 14001:2004 certification
Taking on the challenge of continually improving the quality of
the environment can be a daunting task. However, that is just
what Subaru Canada, Inc. is doing – we are cleaning house,
too! You may recall in 2004, Subaru Canada, Inc. achieved ISO
14001:1996 certification, an internationally recognized standard
for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Today, we are
proud to report that we not only maintained our certification
after passing our first maintenance audit, but we updated our
system to comply with the new standard ISO 14001:2004.
At Subaru Canada, we believe that corporations
should clearly recognize their social responsibility to
continuously do their part to minimize any negative
environmental impact that may be created as a result
of their commercial activities. Our parent company,
Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), shares our belief. Every
year, top representatives from FHI and various
North American subsidiary companies meet to
present activities and accomplishments, discuss
specific goals and review our collective global
environmental strategies.
And these strategies are significant. Each
member company establishes programs in their local
community and throughout their established markets.
At Subaru Canada, we are actively