Heat pump discussion for retrofitting an older home in BC

New study finds clear‑cut logging can dramatically increase flood risk Published: July 6, 2026 12.11pm EDT The ability of the forests to mitigate or heighten flood risk depends greatly on how logging takes place across an area. (Peter Robbins/Unsplash) In September 2025 Dr. Younes Alila came to Penticton with Daniel Pearce, the director of Trouble in the Headwaters, a documentary of the cause of the Grand Forks floods. Dr. Alila is a hydrologist at UBC and travelled over 20,

So many books tackle the issue of climate for kids of all ages. Summertime is a good opportunity to share reading and have discussions about solutions we all can do. Visit the Penticton Public Library or order books to come to your library from the Okanagan Regional Library or BC Libraries. Check out your local used bookstore and street-level free libraries to see if there are more options. Raising Global Kidizens creates and curates resources to raise the next generation

The Tyee article by Emiko Newman, BC Climate Emergency Campaign co-ordinator offshore oil rig in the waters of Ras Laffan, Qatar. (Anoop PS, Pexels) In the past, excess profits taxes have helped Canadian citizens. The taxes have not harmed industry which makes huge profits for foreign investors. Let's see the government tax big corporations fairly while putting those dollars into climate solutions and towards rebates for Canadians suffering under inflated prices. Emiko Newman

A June 12 article by Kristy Dyer, Natural gas appliances are bad for your health, exposes the risks caused by gas stoves in homes. Gas flame kitchen stove If you flambé, sear, broil or fry in your kitchen, please invite me over for dinner. The Maillard reaction makes the food delicious but it can produce deadly chemicals, not to mention the particulates that set off your smoke detector. If you have a natural gas stove (or other natural gas appliances), combusting natural gas

On May 21, Jaclyn Whittal joined First Things First Okanagan for a Deep Dive in Climate Reporting and how the public is affected by weather events and how news is shared. Jaclyn Whittal is the Founder and CEO of One Earth Communications with nearly 20 years of experience at the intersection of climate science, extreme weather, and public trust. She brings a distinctive combination of scientific expertise, frontline reporting, and executive-level communication strategy. ​ ​A t

BC building codes can create more homes while reducing emissions

The sun was darkened by wildfire smoke in the whole of BC in 2021.

nelsonstar.com By Laura Sacks, West Kootenay Climate Hub, and Dr. Kyle Merritt, Doctors & Nurses for Planetary Health Kootenay-Boundary No reason to feel alone this Earth Day if you care about climate change Wednesday, April 22, 2026 If you are concerned about climate change and the world we are leaving our children, you are not alone. Survey after survey finds that the vast majority of us are concerned and want our governments to do more. Yet most Canadians greatly underesti

Treat yourself to an open conversation about the mysteries and excitement of heat pumps at a Heat Pump Party. It is kind of like a Tupperware party but to demystify how heat pumps can heat AND cool a house. Heat Pump costume for a party "Not many people know what a heat pump is. A bunch of neighbours are gathering to learn the challenges, to extol the virtues, and basically understand why heat pumps are so important in this day and age." Very fun and very informative. Althou

betternorthshore.ca Apr 10 Written By Claudia Cornwall 13–16 minutes This is a continuation of the journey Claudia and Gordon took to retrofit their North Vancouver home. When we were building our new all-electric house, my husband, Gordon, had the idea of getting a house battery for backup in case of power outages. Our old house had a wood fireplace in our living room that we could use for heat during blackouts, when the old gas furnace didn’t work, but the new house relies

saltspringexchange.com Kelda Logan Transition Salt Spring Climate Prayer Flag of Hope Penticton, BC 8–10 minutes Let’s Talk Climate: Power, Privilege and the Planet Part 2: Structural Inequity Conversations about climate change often stall, even among people who share a deep concern for the planet. The silence doesn’t come from apathy; it comes from the weight and complexity of the problem itself. At its core, climate change is not just an environmental issue but a structural

UBC Okanagan upping the heat while lowering greenhouse gas emissions Read more at: https://pentictonwesternnews.com/2026/04/10/ubc-okanagan-upping-the-heat-while-lowering-greenhouse-gas-emissions/ UBC Okanagan is heating up its mission on efficiency and sustainability with a new air-source heat pump district energy system. University of British Columbia – Okanagan Campus Reduce Emissions by 815 Tonnes Per Year (Screenshot from Vitalis website) A tour of the equipment

Clean Energy Canada’s most recent report, “ Back in the Race ” analyzes the cost impact of household electrification (both vehicles and homes) in scenarios across provinces. Jana Elbrecht is Senior Policy Advisor, Clean Economy with Clean Energy Canada. EVs save drivers money over the long-term. "This year is quickly turning out to be a comeback year for EVs. The opening of the market to lower-cost imported models and reintroduction of a rebate already changes the math sig

Climate silence. It’s been creeping into newspapers, social media, government spaces, and our own homes.

Retrofitting a home with solar can save money, improve residents' health, and reduce emissions.

CleanBC review has shortfalls.

Logging trucks (photo CTV) Eli Pivnick argues a new approach is needed to logging in B.C. Eli lives in the north Okanagan near Vernon and has a PhD in insect ecology from Université Laval in Quebec City. He has conducted insect research in the Canadian Prairies for the National Research Council, Agriculture Canada and Parks Canada. from The Castanet Dec 23, 2025 The annual allowable cut is the cornerstone for how the B.C. government manages logging on Crown forested lands. It

"Cuts at Natural Resources Canada ' decimate' wildfire and flood tracking capacity, unions warn", Natasha Bulowski , Dec 05/25 Athabasca Tar Sands (Flickr SkyTruth) How many of you remember in 2011 when Conservative PM Harper cut over $1.1 billion from science & technology ( Watershed Sentinel) , causing the loss of almost 4000 federal researchers from our civil service, closed libraries that held a huge amount of historical information for scientists at the Department o

For a long time, my husband, Gordon Cornwall, and I dreamed of a home that would minimize energy consumption.