Eco-Friendly & Sustainable Living at Skaha Hills

Live sustainably at Skaha Hills! Discover energy-saving tips, waste reduction hacks, and eco-friendly choices for a greener lifestyle.

Visiting Penticton is breathtaking, but living here? It’s life-changing. To ensure future generations can thrive in this healthy place we call home at Skaha Hills, we encourage our residents to take action through green initiatives and sustainable living practices inspired by the Okanagan landscape.

Sustainable living is more than just an ethos—it’s a set of practices that encourage living in concert with the land. So join us and take action today for a better Okanagan through a few of these tips, tricks, and practices.

Energy Efficient Homes in the Okanagan

By calling Skaha Hills home, you’re already investing in the environment. All of our builds include multiple sustainable features that not only benefit the community, but you as a homeworker, because they result in low monthly energy costs. For example, all of the homes at Skaha Hills come pre-plumbed for solar panels so you can easily add them in for an even greener, even brighter future!

At Skaha Hills we use only Energy Star certified appliances and LED lights in our homes and condos. You can take this a step further by:

• Using rechargeable batteries for your remotes
• Unplugging your appliances when not in use
• Hang-drying your laundry in the warmer months

Water Conservation Tips

Water and energy conservation go hand-in-hand here in one of the driest cities in Canada. Penticton is a semi-arid climate with low precipitation, hot summer days, and moderate, mostly cloudy winters. It’s also one of the fourth driest cities in Canada, making water and energy conservation top of mind for sustainable initiatives. Thankfully, it’s as simple as turning off the tap when you brush your teeth!

But one key area to look at for water conservation is your plant and garden beds.

Did you know that a xeriscape garden refers to landscaping with water conservation in mind? The easiest way to do this is by prioritizing native plants that already show resilience to a dryer environment like the Okanagan Valley. You can easily stop by one of the many local garden centres in town for options, like Gardenworks Penticton or Sahara Garden Art Co  for information on the right type of plants for you and your home.

Thankfully, we’ve already set up water conservation as an integral part of the Skaha Hills development. The architectural guidelines for our master-planned community mandate xeriscape garden landscaping—you may already have noticed the use of native plants as a theme throughout the development! Along with electronically controlled drip irrigation to the base of the plant, we limit the use of water and unwanted weed growth.

Green Transportation in Penticton

Our master-planned community includes 550 acres of exclusive hiking trails , and bike routes, so park the car and enjoy these amenities or even take a leisurely stroll to Skaha Lake! Better yet, upgrade your vehicle to a zero-emissions model because  every home and condo in the Skaha Hills community includes an individual garage with energy efficient solar-ready EV charging capabilities.

Reduce Waste and Recycle Right

Penticton itself doesn’t have a composting program, so for those of you relocating from the Lower Mainland, this can be quite a change! However, you can easily make a DIY compost bin yourself. The first step is finding a convenient space on your lot. To easily create your own compost bin, you’ll need a mix of green and wet ingredients and brown and dry ingredients:

• Egg shells
• Grass clippings
• Fruit and vegetable scraps
• Dead leaves
• Dryer lint
• Paper towels or napkins

When it comes to recycling right, always ensure you’ve properly cleaned out your containers before preparing them for pick-up. For a full list of helpful information on what is and is not recycled by the City of Penticton, please visit their website.

Reduce Greenhouse Emissions

Have you ever considered reducing emissions in the kitchen by mitigating food waste? Canadians can easily start to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by focusing on greener kitchens through growing a small garden and purchasing from farmers markets. Thankfully, the Okanagan is full of amazing farmers markets all summer, especially the Penticton Farmer’s Market.

When you invest in local agricultural products, you also invest in community sustainability. And by reducing food waste, we can also reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build a more sustainable food future.

Support Local Sustainable Businesses

Many BC-brands have already mandated sustainability into their business model and thankfully the Okanagan has many eco-friendly places to shop! Apart from the legendary farmer’s markets across our valley, try shopping at organic grocers like the local Nature’s Fare Market on Main.

For re-fill options that keep plastic out of your pantry, the newly opened zero-waste shop, Impactfull, has an impressive selection of organic food, all natural cleaners, and personal care products for purchase in bulk. You can find other incredible refillery options at Apple Plaza Market, along with a bakery and butcher shop for all your one-stop stop needs.

Supporting local businesses who prioritize our environment not only supports the local economy, but the beautiful landscape you’ve chosen to call home.

Why Live Sustainably in Penticton?

Keeping the Okanagan healthy means future generations can enjoy the same beautiful, all-natural wonders our valley is known for. With a combined effort in sustainable tourism, sustainable agriculture, and sustainable living practices, we can ensure Penticton thrives for decades to come.

We’ve already seen the devastation of climate change on our local economy: the disastrous cold snap that caused vine damage across the wine industry, all the way to no cherries or stone fruit last summer, to more mild ski conditions or uneven greens at your favourite golf course. But with community effort we can keep this one of Canada’s most desirable climates for decades to come.

Stay up-to-date on the latest green initiatives by following along to our blog! Sustainable living is top of mind for Skaha Hills, so we’ll always post new information and eco-friendly tips to help you take action at home.