Aware of the impact humanity is having on the environment, Gilchrist, who authors a “green” column in a local newspaper on environmentally-friendly living in Calgary, has put theory into practise in her 600-square-foot southwest condo by making some minor adjustments to help minimize her eco-footprint.

“I started making more of the little changes in my home that I didn’t really know about before,” she says. Opting for reusable bags, which she keeps by her front door so as to not forget them, was an easy adjustment. Unplugging devices after use, or especially if you’re away for some time, saves energy, she explains, as even if the devices are off, they constantly draw power. “Changing light bulbs is one of the easiest things you can do,” she adds, advocating both the energy- and cost-efficiency of compact fluorescent light bulbs. She also uses natural homebrewed cleaning mixes instead of regular products, which she describes as “toxic waste.”

“I regard my eco-friendly choices as a challenge,” she explains. “Placing things in the recycling pile instead of the garbage takes that little bit of extra effort, as does actually taking the recycling every few weeks. But, to me, there’s really no other option and it’s morally irresponsible not to think of the bigger picture.”

A wackier item in her apartment-style condo is a piece she calls her “landfill chair.” The base of the reclining leather chair broke, but is otherwise undamaged, although non-functioning. “I have to  remember to tell people not to sit on it,” laughs Gilchrist, who is adamant not to get rid of the chair (as it will ultimately end up in the landfill), and instead is seeking out someone who can fix the base.

To top it off, she explains how the decision to live in a condo complex is a great energy-saving choice. “Any multi-family living is environmentally-friendly,” says Gilchrist. For example, she explains that she rarely has to turn on the heat in her apartment-style condo. “I absorb everybody else’s,” she clarifies.

At 23, Gilchrist recently took full ownership of the condo, her first, an achievement she reveals with much pride. To top that, she is also a member of the five-person condo board. “I wanted to be on the board to have a say in managing the property. Board members make a lot of decisions that affect how you live and the value of your property,” she says. In addition, she is trying to use the board as a platform to get a recycling program started. “Nearly every other city has a recycling program,” she laments. “Calgary is lagging behind!” Furthermore, she stresses the inconvenience of having no room to store personal recycling when living in a condo. The only space she can find in her “teensy-tiny” space is on her balcony.

She moved in some two-and-a-half years ago, to be close to her college. Trafalgar House, a 170-unit complex, is located directly alongside Mount Royal College. “It’s a good location,” says Gilchrist, not just because of the proximity to her school, but it’s also just “ten minutes out of downtown with good access to everywhere else as well.”  It’s close to North Glenmore Park, which Gilchrist, a self-admitted sports nut, loves for jogging and blading. “It’s like you’re in the wilderness in a minute,” she says. The Calgary Farmers’ Market, Marda Loop and Lakeview are also all in close proximity.

Her compact unit features an open-plan kitchen cum living room, with large French doors opening onto the single bedroom. “Because it’s so small, I do like the doors onto the bedroom, it makes the place feel bigger,” says Gilchrist. Her bedroom features a walk-through closet to her bathroom, which in turn links back to the entrance area. The condo also has a small laundry-room area, and balcony that overlooks a communal courtyard.

Gilchrist describes her décor choices as minimalist. “My basic beliefs are to know when enough is enough,” she explains. “Opting out of a consumer society where everything is ‘buy, buy, buy’ is really empowering.” Leather couches and wooden furniture appoint the living area, and the bedroom is kept similarly simple and uncluttered. She chose calming colours such as soft pinks and pale blues for her walls.

Trafalgar House at the Park is a project by Magusta Developments. Gilchrist says her favourite part of the complex is the courtyard area, which can be used for entertaining. “It has kind of an English look,” she says, and admits both enjoying being in the courtyard, and looking down onto it from her living rooms windows. Other facilities she appreciates in the complex include an in-house gym and entertaining room, complete with a pool table and big-screen TV.

Photos by Joanne Chang