How young people in Saskatchewan are living greener lives on a budget

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By the time they turn 40, Lachlan Wiebe and his wife, Brittany, want to be able to turn off the gas meter at their house.

The couple has 12 years to develop the fossil fuel-free lifestyle of their dreams — and they're doing it without holing up in an off-the-grid cabin or by relying on expensive retrofits to their home.

Like many young people who talk the green talk, this eco-conscious Regina couple is walking the green walk one step at a time — and in affordable shoes. They say the way the world is changing, their goal is completely reasonable and attainable in a budget-conscious way, although a (stronger) leg up from the provincial government wouldn't hurt.

The Wiebes started off their fossil fuel free by 40 journey by taking a sizable chunk out of their emissions: three months ago, they purchased an electric vehicle. Lachlan said he was able to get a Hyundai Ioniq 5 at a decent price thanks to the federal government's $5,000 electric vehicle rebate. (There is currently no Saskatchewan EV incentive.) 

Their car payments are a bit more now, but Wiebe said "especially with gas prices the way they are now, the maintenance costs are next to nothing in comparison." 

The couple used to spend approximately 12 cents a kilometre on their old vehicle. Now, charging costs work out to about three cents a kilometre for the EV. Wiebe estimates hundreds of dollars in savings a year. 

The Wiebes have ditched fossil fuel for their weed wacker and snow blower, too — among other tools they have that are battery-operated. Lachlan encouraged people to use whatever tools they already have for as long as they can. 

"But when you go to upgrade, absolutely look at something better. That's something I've always done is if I'm going to replace something, I want it to be better than it was before," he said. 

"Even if it's just a little bit, everybody doing a little bit is better than everybody doing nothing." 

The couple is growing as much of their own food as they can in an indoor garden using heat lamps, before going bigger outside in the spring, where they'll use collected rainwater. 

They're also looking at redoing their eaves, soffit and fascia to properly vent air through the attic, which helps with retaining heat and airflow through the house. They also plan to eventually install triple pane windows and new doors to seal the house as much as possible. 

Over the long term, the couple hopes to install solar panels on the house, and an electric water heater.

They've created a hashtag on social media — #FossilFuelFreeByForty — to document their journey and encourage others to join the ride.