The availability of potable water, even up here in the Northwest, is decreasing every year.  And with the advancing climate change, water is going to become the coin of the realm.  Multinational corporations are already claiming rights to fresh water as an asset to their portfolios.  That is an ominous sign.
One way to be pro-active on this issue and increase the value of a home is to install a rain water reclamation system on your property.  Where 1 inch of water on 1000 sq ft. roof can collect 625 gallons of water.  Metrically speaking, thats 2,365.8 litres/ 2.54 cm.  Since we average just over 40 inches of rain a year that would be 25,000 gal/year or 94,635 litres/year.  That would be almost 1/2 the amount of water a Canadian household of 4 uses in 1 year.  If conservation methods are incorporated as well, we can reduce our need for ground water (wells, springs, municipal) by about 2/3.  A well engineered rain catchment systems is an asset that will become more attractive as time goes by.  

Living on an Island requires thinking in terms of limiting.  The finite space and resources are more apparent on an Island because you can just about see from side to side. ( the island is actually 27k in length and about 16k wide)  The photos above represent a step toward sustainability.  This construction make use of post and beam, concrete and metal siding to reduce the need for stick frame housing.  Passive solar elements are incorporated into the design to help reduce the need for fossil fuel heating and cooling.  The builder is a young man, raised on Salt Spring Island.  When Green Earth's web site is up and running, I will make a link available here.