Alberta cleaning up energy generation

The Redford government is crafting a renewable and alternative energy framework that will govern wind, solar and geothermal electricity generation in Alberta starting next year.

An Alberta Energy presentation at the National Renewable Energy Forum last month shows the province plans to consult Albertans and draft a policy framework in 2013, then “commence implementation” in 2014.

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Recycling numbers holding steady

The city released its annual waste and recycling report for 2012 and the results have shown that not much has changed in the Fort.

Over the last five years, waste removal per household totals have stayed pretty even in the city, hovering between 260 and 280 kg per resident in each of the previous four years and coming to around 270 kg last year.

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Heritage Heights arena going green

New green initiatives at the Heritage Heights arena under construction east of Okotoks come with a hefty price tag and the fundraising committee is trying to raise $1.25 million to pay the bills.

The Scott Seaman Sports Rink — Heritage Heights is scheduled to open on Sept. 1, however, the Dunbow Recreation Board, which is also the rink’s community fundraising committee, has accepted a lofty new task to ensure the facility has a minimal footprint on the environment.

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CANADIAN HOUSEHOLDS INCREASINGLY ECO-FRIENDLY

Judging by the numbers, Canadians are becoming more mindful of their impact on Mother Earth around the house.

According to a survey released by Statistics Canada, an increasing number of Canadian households have installed energy-efficient fixtures. Included in the findings of the Households and the Environment survey, which polled roughly 20,000 homes across Canada, the number of households using low-volume toilets has increased from to just nine per cent in 1991 to 47 per in 2011, a fivefold increase.

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Black Diamond all about going green

Black Diamond is one step closer to being green after installing a solar system on a second town building recently.

The Town invited the public to celebrate the installation of a $32,000 reflect solar system, funded by the Municipal Sustainability Initiative, on its municipal building at a public information session on Feb. 26. The system is expected to produce 20 per cent of the building’s electricity and pay for itself in 10 to 15 years, depending on the price of electricity, according to Mayor Sharlene Brown.

Read more: http://tinyurl.com/b8tqzoj