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Join the movement and discover the many ways you can help take action on climate change.
Want to add an action to the spectrum? Send us an email at changeforclimate@edmonton.ca.
Learn about climate change and related resources.
The spectrum of actions is sorted by impact. This tells you how each action contributes to reducing Edmonton's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Actions rated with an * are actions submitted by residents. The impact of these actions is unmeasured.
Did you know that when you do laundry, most of the carbon footprint comes from drying your clothes? In the summer, use a clothes line to dry your items and they'll smell great. During the winter, or if you live in a condo or apartment, purchase a drying rack to save energy year-round.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
Showering accounts for nearly 17% of the water used by an average family. Reduce your water consumption by installing a low-flow showerhead for the same price, or less, as a standard showerhead. Look for the WaterSense label when purchasing.
Impact: 1
Category: Home Efficiency
Aerators screw on to the tip of your faucet and are the most cost-effective way to conserve water. Replace your older faucet aerators with new water-efficient ones to save up to 30% more water from that fixture. Newer fixtures most likely already have faucet aerators in them.
Impact: 1
Category: Home Efficiency
A gasoline-powered lawn mower emits about 48 kilograms of greenhouse gases (GHGs) each season. By switching to a solar or push mower, you'll use no energy and emit no pollution or GHGs. Solar and push mowers cost about the same as gasoline-powered mowers and are just as effective.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
Hot water heating accounts for about 90% of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes. Unless you have heavy oil stains, washing in cold water is just as effective at getting things clean. You can purchase cold water detergent made specifically to help get tougher stains out without using hot water. And make sure you're doing full loads each time.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
By leaving your grass clippings on the lawn after mowing instead of bagging them and having them picked up, you can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Simply remove the bag from your mower. The clippings provide your lawn nutrients and reduce the need for watering and fertilizer.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
Driving slower, getting regular tune-ups including oil changes and reducing your heating and air-conditioning usage can help reduce emissions. Accelerating hard consumes 50% more fuel than steady acceleration and low tire pressure can cause your car to use up to 5% more fuel.
Impact: 1
Category: Transportation
Cook or reheat small meals using a toaster oven. They use up to 50% less energy than conventional ovens and are quicker to heat up to the same high temperatures.
Impact: 1
Category: Home Efficiency
By programming your thermostat to reach a high of 21°C during the day and 17°C while you're away from home or sleeping, you could save about 2% on your heating energy consumption every month.
Impact: 1
Category: Home Efficiency
During summer, give your fans and air conditioner a break by keeping your blinds closed during the day to reduce the sun's heat. In the winter, if you have south-facing windows, let the light shine in. The sun will help heat your home naturally. For other windows, keep blinds and curtains closed during the winter to keep heat inside your home.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
Use fans instead of air conditioning (AC) during those hot summer months. You could cut down your energy use by 23%. Standing fans are easy to install and move between rooms.
Impact: 1
Category: Home Efficiency
Home composting can mean fewer bags on the curb to be taken away every week and a reduction in the amount of garbage that needs to be diverted from landfill. Grass, flowers, fruit, tea bags, egg shells – start learning what's compostable and make the switch.
Impact: 1
Category: Lifestyle
Leaky windows not only let outside air in, they also let heating and air conditioning out. Avoid big energy losses in your home by caulking and weatherstripping all your windows and doors. If you have old, inefficient windows, add window film in the fall.
Impact: 1
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Drain water heat recovery (DWHR) units reduce the amount of hot water needed in your home by up to 60%. The recovered energy is used to preheat cold water going to the hot water tank.
Impact: 1
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Carshare services can help ease congestion, avoid wasted gas and reduce your greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 10%. Plus, you'll save on all operating, parking, insurance and maintenance costs by only using a carshare vehicle when you need one.
Impact: 1
Category: Transportation
Tankless (also called on-demand) water heaters provide hot water when you need it, without the use of a storage tank. This means energy isn't wasted by keeping water heated when you're not using it. You'll enjoy lower operating and energy costs along with easily replaceable parts.
Impact: 1
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
To reduce energy use and experience the same amount of light as your old incandescent bulbs, choose 4 to 13 watt LED lightbulbs. Smart LED bulbs that can be controlled through your smartphone, can further help you conserve energy and manage your light preferences.
Impact: 2
Category: Home Efficiency
If we all commit to commuting sustainably, we can save over 700,000 cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year. Walk, bike, roll or take transit for your daily commute and other trips!
Impact: 2
Category: Transportation
Your basement can account for 20% of your home’s total heat loss. Whether it's uninsulated walls or leaky windows, keeping the heat in and the cold out conserves energy while helping lower your monthly energy bills and making your home feel more comfortable.
Impact: 2
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Changing how you do laundry will have a big impact on your carbon footprint. When it's time to replace your old machine, look for a high-efficiency model to reduce your water and energy usage. Look for the ENERGY STAR label as these meet stringent energy requirements.
Impact: 2
Category: Home Efficiency
Induction cooktops are twice as energy efficient as gas versions, and compared to regular electric stovetops, they're much faster at simple jobs like boiling water. Induction stoves are a safe option, especially for families, since they only emit heat when they come into contact with a steel or iron element.
Impact: 2
Category: Home Efficiency
Did you know that air travel has a bigger climate change impact per passenger than any other mode of transportation? Consider taking a "staycation". From the largest urban parkland in North America to the many museums and national parks all around us, there's so much to explore in your own backyard.
Impact: 3
Category: Transportation
If we all commit to commuting sustainably, we can save over 700,000 cumulative greenhouse gases (GHGs) every year. Walk, bike, roll or take transit for your daily commute and other trips!
Impact: 3
Category: Transportation
Energy efficient windows lower heating, cooling and lighting costs; offer improved performance; and reduce your home's carbon footprint through less energy loss. Look for triple-paned low-e argon-filled glazing with vinyl or fiberglass casings.
Impact: 3
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
If your home is over 10 years old or if you're feeling the cold inside during the winter months, it's time to add insulation. Hire a professional for installation and request at least a 1-inch thickness.
Impact: 3
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Electric vehicles (EVs) produce about 41% less emissions than gas or diesel-powered vehicles and improve air quality for all. An EV will save you money over the long term as it requires less maintenance, no oil changes and no gas. You can charge at home much in the same way as you would plug in your phone! Public charging stations are also popping up throughout the city.
Impact: 3
Rebate: Yes
Category: Transportation
Replacing an older furnace with a new one will reduce your home's greenhouse gas emissions and your heating costs. Aim for a 95 to 98% annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rate when choosing a new high-efficiency furnace.
Impact: 4
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Getting around accounts for more than a third of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with cars making up a large portion. Choose a home that's closer to where you work, study or spend most of your time to reduce the amount you drive and lower your environmental impact. To make an even bigger impact, choose a home that's within a comfortable bike ride, walk or public transit ride to where you need to go every day.
Impact: 4
Category: Lifestyle
Much of the electricity grid in Alberta is coal based. An easy way to reduce your energy impact is to buy renewable or green offsets for your electricity consumption. Call your electricity provider to see if it offers an option to purchase green power.
Impact: 5
Category: Home Efficiency
Installing a photovoltaic (PV) system is getting more affordable and can be installed on new or existing homes. The first step is to contact a solar contractor and collect your utility bills from the last year. The contractor will take care of the rest. From there, the system and meter will be installed and you'll get connected to the grid.
Impact: 5
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Increasing the R-Value of your attic or roof's insulation will help prevent heat from escaping. For optimal energy savings, upgrade or add insulation that's R40 or higher.
Impact: 5
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
By insulating and air-sealing your windows and entrances, you'll reduce the amount of energy escaping outside and limit the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling year-round.
Impact: 5
Rebate: Yes
Category: Home Efficiency
Planting trees, lots of them, can help mitigate the effects of greenhouse gases. Trees capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and provide other benefits such as habitats and food for animals, clean air and shade from the sun.
Impact: *
Category: Community
In Canada, almost 40% of all food produced is thrown away, resulting in food costs of 10 to 20% at the consumer level. Within Canada, Alberta wastes the most food per capita. Make a food plan for the week, and buy only what you need.
Impact: *
Category: Food
Reduce the kilometres needed for your food to travel to get to you by growing your own. Environmental benefits include increased biodiversity and less use of pesticides and fertilizers. Grow edible plants on balconies and front, side and back yards, all without a permit. Note: If you belong to a homeowners or condominium association, be sure to check with them. No space at home? Join a community garden.
Impact: *
Category: Food
Whether it's meatless Mondays or going vegetarian or vegan, cutting back on meat consumption can reduce our environmental impact. Consider checking where your food comes from - different farming practices affect the environmental impact of the food you eat.
Impact: *
Category: Food
From shopping bags and coffee/travel mugs to lunch kits and food containers, there are reusable versions of many items we use on a regular basis, cutting down on the need for single-use bags and containers.
Impact: *
Category: Lifestyle
Idling your vehicle less will save you money on fuel, improve air quality and reduce emissions. Reduce your "warm up" idling time to 60 seconds before driving away, making sure your vehicle's windows are clear first, and consider turning off your vehicle when you’re waiting for a train or in a long fast food or car wash lineup.
Impact: *
Category: Transportation
Access webinars, online courses and other digital-based education tools, reducing or eliminating the need to travel for conferences and other training. Do a web search for the topics you're interested in and see what is available for online learning.
Impact: *
Category: Workplace / School
Each item we own has an impact from production to disposal. Before you purchase something, consider whether you need it, can borrow it, trade for it or make it from something you already own, and see if your neighbourhood has a "buy nothing" group.
Impact: *
Category: Lifestyle
Urban beekeeping can help improve pollination for plants, which in turn helps to improve our city's biodiversity and resilience. Raising hens helps reduce insect pests and provides fresh eggs.
Impact: *
Category: Food
Use a cistern or rain barrel to capture and store rainwater for irrigation. It reduces stormwater runoff and the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with drinking water.
Impact: *
Category: Home Efficiency
Buying locally lowers the carbon footprint of shipping and supports the local economy. Buying groceries from local farmers also helps ensure we have an adequate, stable food supply if there's a disruption in the global food supply.
Impact: *
Category: Lifestyle
Eco-landscaping includes practices that are easy on the environment and your pocketbook. It reduces waste, fertilizer and chemical needs, conserves water and reduces maintenance. It also reduces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Impact: *
Category: Lifestyle
Low-impact development mimics the natural movement of water, bringing water back to the land rather than into the storm drains. Rain gardens, for example, collect, absorb and filter stormwater runoff and allow it to soak into the ground.
Impact: *
Category: Adaptation
Fashion is responsible for 8% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and continues to increase. Mending your clothing, repairing broken items and buying second-hand reduces waste as well as the need to produce and purchase new.
Impact: *
Category: Lifestyle
Energy conservation is better than energy efficiency. Be sure to turn off the lights in rooms that aren't currently being used. And while a device/appliance may be "off", it could still be using "phantom power", power that is wasted while the device/appliance is plugged in but in standby mode. Consider plugging them into a power bar and turning it off when not in use.
Impact: *
Category: Home Efficiency
Make sure your home is safe from floods - get a flood prevention home check-up (EPCOR).
Impact: *
Category: Adaptation