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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1997-03-19, Page 26PAGE A-6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19, 1997. Agriculture '97 Environmental plan enlightens agriculturalist By Bonnie Gropp Citizen staff If someone could prove that the way you’re going about your busi­ ness may be harmful to your fami­ ly's health, wouldn't you listen? The Ontario Environmental Farm Plan program encourages agricul­ turalists to do a subjective evalua­ tion of their operation. "It is a risk assessment," says George Thomp­ son, the program representative for Huron County. "Participants arc asked to consider alternatives, then ask themselves if they believe what they are doing is safe." To illustrate, Thompson discuss­ es wells, which, if dug downhill from the farm are at the high end of the risk scale. "It's just common sense. But it gets you thinking. It's encourages a whole different mind set about the way you look at your farm." "Obviously, farmers' biggest issue is production, but an cniron- mental farm plan makes them con­ sider health and safety. The big thing is that they do it for them­ selves, not because others demand it." It was after former Environment Minister Ruth Grier had vowed to clean up the environment, that a coalition of farm groups, AgCare, the Federation of Agriculture, Christian Farmers and the Ontario Farm Animal Council, came up with an agenda. "There was the concern that leg­ islation was not the way to go. It was a bit scary to think of govern­ ment placing prohibitions on some farm practices. The sense was that farmers should set their own agen­ da and keep government off their backs. This program is about peer pressure and farmers helping farm­ ers," Thompson says. He became involved with the Huron program a few years ago. "I A new plan Tom Pollard of RR1, Blyth has found that the completion of an Environmental Farm Plan workshop brings a whole new way of looking at farming practices. had just come back from a trip around the world, where I had looked at many environmental issues. As someone with a young family I was and am convinced of the importance." After completing a test program in the fall of 1993, Thompson was hired to facilitate workshops in the county. Since then results have been favourable. "Huron is proba­ bly one of the most successful in numbers of participants and pro­ duction," he says. An EFP workshop can be an eye- opener for those who have already VENTILATION The Axis-Air Blender • Uniform temperature • Corrosion Resistant • Easy maintenance • Uniform air pattern With An AVC-5 Computerized Controller • Integrated heater control • Programmable temperature reduction • High and low temperature alarms Call Axis Products 1-800-833-AXIS (2947) Axis services Axis Air or Martin Air products Axis Products Ltd., Brodhagen, Ont. NOK 1B0 Fax (519) 345-2575 given consideration to their indus­ try and its impacts on Mother Nature. Tom Pollard of RR1, Blyth completed a workshop in the winter ■of 1994-95. "We had not been as Continued on A-7 Chisholm Fuels had their answers Consider financing at 8.5% up to five years and let the equipment pay for itself with money left over. Lloyd Clark Most people find electric baseboard heating at least ade­ quate, if a tad expensive. But Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Clark could never seem to get com­ fortable in their modem little bungalow at Miliarton on Highway 9. One day Lloyd was in Lucknow and dropped in to see Grant Chisholm at Chisholm Fuels. Could he help? You probably need our Comfort Zone units, Grant told him. In only a day or two Grant's crew installed a Bock oil fired hot waler heater feeding four comfort zone units. Each unit is a small wall mounted hot water coil, just like the heater in your car, with twin, silent blowers. Half inch plastic lines run through the basement and walls as easily as electric wiring. No ductwork is needed. Control is by ther­ mostat. One unit replaces three The Clarks are delighted. Just one Comfort Zone unit keeps them warmer than three electric baseboard heaters, says Mrs. Clark. It's a gentle heat circulating easily through the entire house. And they also get all the hot water they can use! Lloyd says their energy savings will repay the capital and the savings in ductwork easily covered the extra cost of the Comfort Zone units. Tom and Nancy Lambert have a handsome two-storey brick rambling over two levels on Huron Terrace. Delightful place to live, but oh, those heating bills! Last year there was one of $660 "that just blew us away," said Tom. They would like to add a hot tub, and perhaps even heal the driveway, he said. But not by electric furnace! So they consulted Chisholm Fuels. Boiler-air handler For the Lamberts, Kevin Falconer chose an oil fired New York boiler of 90,000 BTU's. Il's about the size of a con­ sole TV and easily located out of the way in the basement. In a sub-basement, 20 feet away, he lucked an Enerzorie air han­ dler. Both are best quality, Canadian made units. The boiler sends water to the coil at 180°, it has an internal coil for domestic water at 130°. The boiler is so efficient it pro­ vides the Lamberts with enough hot water for tub, drive­ way, pool and almost anything else and all the domestic hot water they can use. "Il's great!" said Nancy, "We are so much warmer." Tom thinks they will pay for it on energy savings of about $1,000 a year. Keith Battler is a well known realtor who sells a lot of houses. So naturally he found a nice big home for Linda, himself and their two children. But, though the hundred­ year-old brick is very modem inside it was costing them $2,800 a year for the electric furnace and $600 for propane. And Keith wants to heat a hot tub and pool, in addition to his large basement and office. So he checked suppliers and prices and chose Chisholm Fuels. Chisholm sent out their designer-installer team of Scott Campbell and Kevin Falconer. They pul a New York boiler in one part of the basement and an Enerzone air handler in another. Using "no joint" insulated plastic pipe, they can run these units 100 feet apart. Kept electric tank This boiler will provide all the hot water the Battlers can use for household, heating, pool and other auxiliaries. The elec­ tric hot water tank was convert­ ed to an extra 60-gallon stor­ age. Keith expects a substantial savings in energy costs. In the first 40 days of the season, his oil cost was only $200. An oil heating system may not make his particular house worth more, but it would sell easier—if he wanted, says Keith. Call Chisholm Fuels today for your heating solutions, with 8.5% financing available, (519) 529-7524 or 1-800- 799-3363. For an answer to your heating problems call Grant at...CHISHOLM FUELS KINCARDINE 519-396-8212 GODERICH 519-524-7681 LUCKNOW 519-529-7524 WINGHAM 519-357-2820