Is living a greener, more eco-friendly lifestyle one of your New Year’s resolutions? Are you trying to reduce your carbon footprint? If so, here are some ideas for embracing more sustainable apartment living.
The benefits of these efforts are real and tangible. Reducing the use of electricity speeds society’s transition to renewable energy. Recycling waste reduces the strain on landfills. Plus, when you “reduce, reuse, and recycle,” your greener lifestyle will often save you money as well. Save money and save the planet. It’s a win-win!
6 Steps to Greener Apartment Living
Here are six simple ways to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle. It’s more about the journey than the destination. In other words, living a greener lifestyle is a process. The key is to keep moving forward. Continue to change how you cook, clean, and live.
1. Eliminate Single-Use Plastics
Have you grown weary of lugging those 32-packs of water bottles into your apartment home? Tired of devoting refrigerator space to all those bottles? Well, there is a better way!
Plastic bottles are a problem — a big problem. Most are made from fossil fuels. Not to mention, Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. On average, every person uses 150+ such bottles every year. Some are recycled, but most end up in landfills. Plastic straws present the same challenges. Americans use half-a-billion disposable straws per day. They also wreak havoc on wildlife. Ingesting plastic reduces stomach volume, sometimes leading to starvation.
The news about conventional oil-based plastic is sobering. When it lays out in the open, subject to the sun’s UV light and other forces, it still takes a thousand years to decompose. Embedded in a landfill, it lasts pretty much forever.
If you haven’t already, resolve to switch to reusable water bottles and stainless steel straws in the new year. A stainless steel straw is safe, durable, and easy to clean. Look for a model with stabilizing ridges where the straw touches the glass. There are even collapsible models where the case fits on a keychain. Tempered glass and biodegradable paper are other alternatives to plastic straws.
2. Conserve Electricity
Any energy you save is good for the planet, and it reduces your utility bill. Once you adopt an energy-saving mindset, many of these suggestions become second nature:
-
- Switch off lights and unplug small appliances when they’re not in use
- Use LED lighting whenever possible
- Only heat the rooms you’re spending time in
- Use energy-saving smart devices whenever possible
LEDs typically use 70-90% less electricity than traditional incandescent and halogen bulbs. LEDs generate little heat, meaning they can also reduce your air conditioning costs.
Don’t heat or cool rooms when they are not in use. Use a weighted blocker to prevent air movement under a door separating a heated area from an unheated one.
Smart thermostats, light bulbs, and plugs all save energy. You can often control such devices through specialized apps on your smartphone. LED smart bulbs with motion sensors only turn on when someone enters the room. Some even dim or change color. Save energy and set the mood at the same time!
3. Insulate to Conserve Energy
Insulated window coverings reduce heating and cooling costs year-round. Cellular blinds insulate by trapping air in their honeycomb design. Window coverings backed with reflective material reduce the “greenhouse” effect in the summer. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that “about 76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.” This is a real problem during the cooling season. In the winter, you can retract window coverings to take advantage of this warming effect.
4. Conserve Water
Modest changes in behavior can save a lot of water.
- Take shorter showers
- Turn the water off when you’re brushing your teeth
- Keep water in the refrigerator instead of running it until it gets cold
- Resolve to run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when they are full
Finally, water leaks are very wasteful. The EPA estimates that household water leaks waste a trillion gallons per year. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) has a drip calculator that illustrates how leaky faucets can waste gallons of water. A leaky showerhead can waste 500 gallons per year. If you suspect your apartment has a water leak, be sure to contact the landlord or management to resolve it and any other water wasters.
5. Compost Food Waste
Reducing food waste lessens the strain on the farm-to-table supply chain. Composting is an easy way to reduce waste, and contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a backyard or garden to do it. That means apartment dwellers can take advantage of composting too. A modest-sized compost bin will fit under the sink, on the counter, under a plant stand, or even in the oven. Stir the mix a couple of times a week. The compost can enrich the soil for your plants, whether you keep them indoors or out on your patio or balcony. Alternatively, you can bring your food scraps to a drop-off site in compostable bio-bags.
6. Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products
Some traditional cleaning products contain harmful chemicals that are bad for the environment. Some contain allergens that are tough on people and pets.
Look for brands specializing in all-natural formulations. Alternatively, make your own cleaning products using common compounds like vinegar and baking soda. For example, combine one part vinegar and one part water in a plastic spray bottle. Use the solution on hard water spots, shower stalls, and countertops. For a streak-free shine, clean mirrors with straight vinegar. Baking soda is a mild abrasive. Create a paste using one part baking soda and one part water. Use it to clean tile grout, showers, tubs, and toilets.
There are also green alternatives for your laundry. Consider the use of eco-friendly detergent strips. Dryer balls can reduce electricity use by as much as 25%.
About Draper and Kramer
Draper and Kramer is a family-owned and operated real estate company founded in 1893 that manages properties throughout the central United States, from Illinois to Missouri to Texas. Visit Draper and Kramer today to browse our entire selection of luxury apartments.
