The cottage is a very sacred place for most Canadians.
It's where we go to relax and spend time with friends and family.
But it's also a place we go to get back to nature.
I'm looking for ways to make my cottage more sustainable,
so I'm heading to my local Home Hardware Building Centre to chat with an expert.
Hey Phil!
Adam, how's it going?
Good, how are ya?
Good!
I'm looking for ways to make my cottage a little more environmentally friendly.
Ah you know what, good for you.
Quite often it's the little things that our customers overlook when they want to be more green.
Little things like changing their light bulbs.
Right, it seems obvious but it's easily forgotten, I know I have.
Well for your indoor lighting needs, LED lights are great.
They use quite a bit less electricity than incandescent bulbs,
so they're obviously going to lower your hydro bills.
Now LEDs produce less heat so they're always cool to the touch, they're pretty much indestructible,
and they are also one of the more environmentally friendly lighting choices there are out there.
Now in most packaging, you're going to see the equivalent of 60 incandescent watts to your LED watts.
This is great, you know what, I'm going to start with my living room and then come back for other rooms later.
Okay perfect, that's indoors.
What about outdoors and solar?
The great thing about solar is its a renewable energy and it produces zero harmful emissions.
Now putting up post caps, deck railing and stair lights, not only illuminates your area but it keeps everybody safer at night.
Now how about if it's cloudy, is it still going to hold a charge?
Well you know what, even on the cloudiest of days, there is a little bit of solar energy coming through for the panels to soak up.
And the nice thing about these reactor solar lights is the fact that they install in seconds.
You have up to 8 hours of run time, they come on automatically at dusk, and you don't have to worry about shutting them off.
And plus I'm not going to have to pay for electricity to light up my backyard.
Exactly.
How about post caps, you said you've got a few options?
We have white post caps and black post caps.
These are designed to fit on a 4 x 4 and they get off a nice warm light.
We also have metal post caps that will fit on a 6 x 6,
but they come with an adapter so that they'll fit on 4 x 4.
And if you want safety on a chain link fence,
we have these round post caps that will fit on garden gates and corner posts as well.
This is cool, I guess I gotta come up with a lighting plan.
Now let's say I want to go off the grid,
is there a solution to keeping those luxury kitchen appliances at the cottage?
Definitely. Some cottages don't have power, and some cottagers don't even want power,
but Home Hardware offers a variety of appliances that will run off propane,
just like your barbecue.
If you're looking for a stove,
we have an off grid propane range, which offers all the same features as a traditional range.
This propane fridge is free venting, with a carbon-monoxide alarming device, and safety shut off.
Or if you're wanting a dual fridge, this one runs on both electric and propane.
If one goes out, you have a back up.
If you have electricity but are just looking for a more energy efficient cook top to use outdoors,
the Kuraidori Induction Cooktop uses induction heat,
so the cooking surface always stays cool to the touch.
And it will even shut itself down if there is no cookware on the cooking area.
It's great for using around the kids,
and also for taking camping, travelling, or even to use as an extra warming plate.
You know what, every cottage needs one of these.
Now I've got another question for you.
After a long, harsh Canadian winter, I like to give my cottage a good clean,
but I don't like the chemicals to get in the ground.
Are there any environmentally friendly options that actually work?
There sure are, right this way.
Home's Activox Siding Plus Cleaner is 100% biodegradable.
It's non toxic, contains no acid, no phosphate, and no chlorine bleach.
It actually unleashes the power of oxygen to help remove algae, mold, mildew, and most common stains.
Now is it only for siding?
No, you can use it on your RV,
you can use it on your patio furniture,
you can even use it to help remove that stubborn algae water line on your boat.
How safe is it for the environment?
Well it's very safe for the environment,
Activox Siding Plus Cleaner breaks down into oxygen and water after the cleaning action is complete,
so it's safe to use around your pool, even on your dock.
Thanks Phil.
You know what, little by little, I'm making my cottage a lot greener.
Happy to help Adam.
Getting expert advice on how to make your cottage or home more sustainable is as easy stopping by your local Home Hardware.