As warm-weather-loving Canadians, is it any wonder that we patiently bide our time as the frigid months and weeks fall by until the much-loved-and-anticipated sunny days of June.

Is it also any wonder that we tend to move our living outdoors come summertime? Let’s face it, a morning coffee, an afternoon cocktail or an evening burger tastes so much better on the outdoor patio.

It’s believed that cooking outdoors is better for the environment than doing so in your kitchen.  Some say it’s quicker. While others like how it keeps your energy bills down as you don’t need to cool down a warm kitchen.

But as much as we like to cook outdoors and as responsible stewards of our planet we should be doing so in a way that doesn’t harm our eco footprint.  Grilling and barbecuing do one heck of a scorch job on the earth. According to the Sierra Club, a well-known U.S.-based environmental group, some 60 million barbecues occur on the Fourth of July each year. Those cook-outs manage to release 225,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, burning the equivalent of 2,300 acres of forest. What’s more is the amount of charcoal, lighter fuel and gas used on that one celebration is enough to power 20,000 households for one solid year.

So in honour of Father’s Day, let’s take a look at ways to make your next summer cook-out an eco-friendly one.

Solar cooking – This wins the prize for most environmental brownie points. However, know that a solar cooker, while the hands-down champion for its low carbon footprint, has a down side. And that is the cooking is much slower and food will not have the typical grilled taste or appearance. The other point is that solar relies on sunlight which can be challenging during inclement weather.

Gas grills – If solar doesn’t interest you, a gas grill is a good alternative. While propane and natural gas-fueled barbecues do eat up a non-renewable resource, there are some worthwhile benefits. Based on some estimates, propane-powered grills generate three times less greenhouse gas than that of their charcoal cousins. On the negative side, gas grills are more expensive to buy and repair.

Electric grills – Unless you are using an alternative energy source such as solar or wind power, this is not a particularly green option.

Charcoal – While this type of grill will prompt you to recall your childhood days thanks to your food’s smoky charcoal flavour, this kind of grill is a killer when it comes to climate change. Charcoal briquettes contain carbon monoxide and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). If you must use coal, use all-natural lump varieties as they don’t have the chemicals and additives found in briquettes. And the taste imparted on your food is also pretty similar to briquettes.

Pellet grills – They use up compressed pellets of scrap wood that would otherwise be thrown away. Due to this, these types of grills are very eco-friendly and they release a limited supply of emissions. Big-box stores sell a wide array of pellet grills.

Sources: www.growingagreenfamily.com, www.fix.com, www.motherearthnews.com, www.sierraclub.org

We’ve come a long way as consumers, checking in with experts, perusing online reviews, obtaining home inspections and disclosure forms and generally doing our homework on a prospective new house till it hurts.

We should also take that same heightened level of due diligence when it comes to issues that affect the environmental aspects of our homes. How eco-friendly are the appliances, for instance? Has the house had any infestations of mice, rats, cockroaches, termites and other unwanted pests? How well is the attic insulated?

While these may be the dull and dreary facts of home ownership, you’ll be a much more well-informed and prepared homeowner if you go in with your eyes wide open. The following are a number of energy-related considerations you should keep in mind when inquiring about your next new home:

Windows & doors 

As a home ages, so do its windows and doors. There are temporary fixes you can employ but bear in mind that they will not solve your problem permanently. Naturally, dual-paned and triple-paned windows are especially effective at keeping in warm and cool air. R-value or resistance value is also important to note.

Insulation 

The higher the R-value of your insulation the better it is. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, you should look for signs of poor insulation such as cold floors and walls in the winter and hot inside air in the summer. Common types of insulation include spray foam, mineral fibre and fibreglass.

Lots of glass windows and doors 

The views and the setting might be spectacular especially as viewed through all those very large windows and glass doors, but know that living within a all that glass comes at a cost and that will be high energy bills.

How exposure affects energy conservation 

Where your house is positioned in relation to the sun, wind and landscape has an impact on its energy efficiency. It’s said that the best direction for energy conservation is for your home to face either south or east. Each of these exposures gets a significant amount of sunlight, which will help with heating costs come winter.

What age are the home’s big energy consumers

Pay close attention to the big energy users in the home such as heating and cooling systems, which account for nearly half of a home’s energy costs. If they are leaving behind appliances, find out their age. How old is the water heater?

Sources: www.houselogic.com, www.globalnews.com, www.homeguides.sfgate.com, www.chooseenergy.com

There was a time in the not-so-distant past when waiving any and all conditions on an offer was so common it practically became fashionable.

But the market softened and people fortunately regained their senses.

The move to make an offer as attractive as possible meant many condo buyers were removing the condition that required them to approve their status certificate. A status certificate is a legally binding document that tells you about the financial shape of your condo unit and the condo corporation that runs your building.

It’s important not to disregard the status certificate, regardless of how many buyers are competing for the same condo.  This document outlines condo fees, informs you of pending increases, of special assessments being considered by the board and any arrears or liens on a particular unit.

The status certificate also discloses bylaws, budgets, reserve funds, insurance, management contracts, rules and minutes of the last annual general meeting as well as information about lawsuits the condo corporation may be facing. Essentially, the status certificate is a report card on the financial and physical health of your condo.

The status certificate lets you know what extra costs you may incur as a prospective condo owner. So if you do purchase a unit and then learn, say a month later, that you need to cough up $3,000 for new windows, what happens? Well, you have the right to refuse to pay up.

According to the Ontario Condo Information Centre, failing to announce a special assessment or a steep hike in fees or even an important expense against the reserve fund in the status certificate is like trying to sell a car with a rolled-back odometer. “It constitutes false advertising.”

If you’re a bit of a risk taker and you’re really hungry for a particular condo plus you know there could be a feeding frenzy come offer time, why not spend some time investigating potential condos. Do your homework, speak to people who live in those condo buildings you like and learn all you can about its management, finances and physical shape. That way you’ll have much more confidence about your purchase, and if you have to, you can remove the condition, somewhat confident in knowing that the management company has a reputation for doing a good job.

Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s one that may be worth it as long as you do your due diligence.

Sources: www.condoinformation.ca,