invasive-plant-species / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Dog strangling vine invasive species
Landscaping

Avoiding invasive species when landscaping

Invasive plants are defined as plants from other continents, countries or even other regions of Canada. Humans have been introducing foreign plants to new lands since the 17th century, for horticultural, agricultural or medicinal purposes. Due to a lack of natural competitors they can often propagate swiftly and comple...

Urban farming
Landscaping

Urban Farming turns beautiful gardens into a grocery store!

How to grow vegetables & fruits in a garden Plants survived long before humans were around to water them, so we aren't talking about reinventing the wheel here, but rather a sensible choice of plants and basic water management. Native species of plants in a given region have adapted to their own climate and can usu...

Under bed storage
Interior design and furnishing

Storage ideas for small spaces

From underneath a bed, under a subfloor or the underside of the staircase, there are many underutilized areas in a home that can make life in a small home a lot less cluttered. Here are some ideas on how to transform dead space into storage space. Use the bottom of the bed as a storage with drawers on wheels. There...

Insulating crawlspaces as part of home renovation
Crawl spaces

How to insulate crawlspaces properly as part of renovating an older home

Crawlspace insulation - be careful to get it right A crawlspace comes with all the downsides of a basement, but it is just too low a space to be functional either beyond the folded plastic christmas tree and a couple of boxes of baubles. Unless there is a good reason for it, going through the process of pouring a footi...

Crawl Spaces or Slab on Grade Foundations?
Crawl spaces

Should I Build on a Slab on Grade Foundation or a Crawl Space?

What is the difference between a slab on grade and a crawl space? A slab on grade, or ‘frost protected shallow foundation’ is exactly that, a slab of concrete on the ground. There’s more to it of course, but let’s start with a ‘win’ in the comprehension department shall we?  A slab on grade rests directly on the groun...

Why you should Never put Coffee Grounds In the Garden
Exteriors

Why to NEVER put coffee grounds on plants or the garden...

We all know that coffee has many a wonderful benefit, from that ever-so-necessary espresso first thing in the morning, to rubbing it on your skin for a bit of exfoliation (you can thank us later). However, for all its goodness, are coffee grounds really that beneficial to use in the garden? Our initial searches suggest...

Living green wall
Healthy indoor air quality

Living walls: what they do and don't do

It is well-documented that indoor air is filled with contaminants, mostly due to cooking (specifically burning) and improperly vented combustion appliances (woodstoves, gas water heaters, gas ranges, etc.). Following that would be formaldehyde, VOCs and other chemicals in building materials and furnishings. All these f...

Indoor hydroponic vegetable garden
Food production

Growing food indoors

Introducing BioCity's indoor vertical veggie garden. This beautiful installation made with reclaimed wine bottles allows you to grow arugula, chard, strawberries, cherry tomatoes and more all year round in your very own home. Thanks to the craftsmanship and innovation of the folks at Montreal based company BioCity, gro...

Ontario climate change action plan
Grants and incentives

Ontario announces ambitious climate change action plan to reduce emissions

Learn how the Ontario Climate Change Action Plan can benefit you directly.  In June 2016, the Ontario government adopted a new Climate Change Action Plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation, industry and building sectors. This will be backed by an investment of $ 1.9 billion annually over the nex...

Carbon Offset Schemes - Whale Poop leads Nature's Own Way
Lifestyle and environment

Save the Whale's (Poop) - Save the Planet !! (And $2m per Whale)

What do whales listen to?      'Pod' casts...   Talking of which, I listened to a fascinating podcast recently explaining how the carbon capture potential of whales and supporting international efforts to restore whale populations around the world is one of the simplest ways to fight climate change. The podcast was hos...

Mobile tiny house
Tiny house

Is Tiny House living in a cold climate good or bad for the planet?

Are Tiny Houses Worth it? Are Tiny houses a good investment? That depends on your lifestyle and how well you build them. Here are some things to think about before you join the Tiny House Movement and commit to life in an extremely small space.  We have featured a number of tiny houses on our pages over the past few ye...