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Calling all lesbian, gay, bisexual nansgender residents wmmm'mmm York Region’s Pride Fest is your oppor‘ tunity to come together and promote z positive perception of who you are. “The events of the week send a message to lesbian, gay, bisexual and tmnsgender people across the region that they are not alone," said Barbara Urman, committee oo~chairperson co-ordinator for the York Region [BET Community Ouueach Pro- gram. “(It also) provides an opportunity to gather and learn more about what is avail- Out with the old. . In with the new central AC unit. “Arewepayingfortheentire saeet'sair-conddonirigr’fly husbahdpointedataflgure onourelectrlcltybilllast summeneventhoughthe temperaturewasn'tsoaring. oureleca'lcityblllwastkethe mageOntariammoredian halfofitwasspentkeeping ourhouseatiusttheright temperature.(lfonlylhad knownthenwhatldonow.) That number sealed the fate of our loyal (it had been with us for l2 years) - albeit inefficient - central air conditioner (CAC). It had to go. But what would take its place! I found my answer after spending some time on the intemet. Here's what I learned: energy-efficient units have gotten considerable buzz over the past few years. and for good reason. Aside from being eco-friendly. they are also big money savers. In my case. upgrading my cooling and heating system could shave up to ISX of? our electricity costs.That could translate into roughly an extra $350 per year. Enough to convince me that yes. replacing the old CAC would be worth it Given thelr popularity, locating an efficient CAC unit was easy. The magic words: ENERGY STAR? Find a qualified unit and you‘re guaranteed it's at least 8% more efficient than standard models. Happily, Ontario government-funded rebates made buying our new energy-efficient system cost- easy-to-get. valuable rebate of up to $525 on ENERGY STAR qualified central cooling and heating systems. (Not to mention a $25 rebate on programmable thermostats.) Savings-wise, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Arranging for a simple home energy audit (through an organization licensed by Natural Resources Canada; all the information is on everykilowaacountsca) opensthedoorstoaslewof other rebates. By participating in the eco-Energy Retrofit for Homes (through Natural Resources Canada NRCan) and Ontario’s Homeva Savings Program you can receive up to an additional SL400 in rebates. (Plus.for a limited time NRCan has increased‘their rebates by 25%). Bundled with the COOL SAVINGS REBATE. you efiocdvelaka the COOL SAVINGS REBATE from Every Kllcwact Counts: an can save up to SL950. Read that number again! Not to mention the new Homo Renovation Tax Crodlt (HRTC) that will offer a credit ofup to “.350 on all energy- efficient home renovations in the coming year. Plus.l found no shortage of contractors willing to help make the transition to energy-efficiency less painful. “What’s with all of these government rebates?” my skeptical husband had countered when I showed PrideFesttakesplacefmmllme7to 14 at venues across York Region. includâ€" ing Bruce’s Mill Conservation Area in Whitchurch-Stoulfville, where on Sunday, June l4,therewillbeapicnicandbarbecue for IEB’I‘ people, their friends and family. able in the legion and to bleak down what I refer to as oppression by omission." Formom Infonnafion, p to myodpfldefestcom or contact Barbara Unnan at 905-895-2371. York Region Police Chief Armand La Barge, along with regional chairman Bill Fisch and Canadian author Brian Francis will also be in attendance. him what we could save. I found that the Ontario government in and helps people because consuming less electricity at home means less electricity needs to be produced overall. Ultimately, that helps us all because it's good for the environment and the province. Now. almost a full year after switching over. my family has been saving for months: plus we're armed. efficient and ready for when those hot days of summer come calling once again. Tips to trim down your electricity use this summer from I. Clean your air condidoner's filter every 30 day: or so. 7. Use ceiling fans in the summer to crate a cool breeze. house at 25°C when you‘re home and 28°C when you're away. 3.Duringthehotdays ofsummerkeepyour Stefan Bortolussi, general manager of Stoufiville Canadian Tire puts a smoke detector on the ceiling as Ron Schell (from left) of Schell Lumber, Sandy MacKenzie of State Farm Insurance and Whitchurchâ€"Stoufl'ville fire chief Chris Powers lend a hand. The three are sponsors of the annual smoke detector program. Firefighters have checked 1,200 homes for detectors during the last three years. About 55 per cent of homes complied. This year, crews have a zero-tolerance approach when dealing with homes that have been checked previously. Also, landlords who fail to provide smoke alarms in rental units will be issued a $235 ticket. HOW MANY SPONSORS DOES IT TAKE TO STAFF PHOTOISJOERD WITTEVE E N