Environmental and climate action requires a new way of doing things. That approach helped a local organization save energy and water when replacing their roof.

Enviro-Stewards Inc., a company that helps organizations find practical ways to be more sustainable, installed a “blue roof” on their Elmira office earlier this summer. The flat surface can hold 23,600 litres of rainwater, which is piped inside to flush toilets and feed a wall of plants.

This type of roof is marginally more expensive at first, but saves money long-term thanks to energy and water efficiency. Evaporation from water stored on the blue roof helps cool the building, so less air conditioning is needed. Reusing rainwater reduces the company’s water consumption and helps reduce flooding that can occur in urban areas during heavy downpours.

Water softeners. You know, those basement machines that eat salt? How do they work?

The short version is that water softeners remove minerals that make our water “hard” by swapping them with salt. Many homes in Waterloo Region have one. But did you know water softeners impact the environment? Softeners “regenerate” regularly, and flush salty water that goes through the wastewater system before eventually ending up in our rivers. Over time, higher salt levels can negatively affect aquatic life.