When you’re renting a residential property, it’s easy to think that you’re limited when it comes to implementing eco-friendly practices in your apartment. However, you may be surprised to learn how many simple changes you can make to reduce your environmental impact and transition to a sustainable apartment lifestyle.
The Importance of Sustainable Apartment Living
Sustainable living isn’t just the latest buzzword. It’s a way of life that more and more renters are adopting to reduce their carbon footprints and gain perspective on what’s truly important in our lives. We can all make small changes to our daily routines that ultimately make a large impact on the energy we use, the waste we generate, and the planet we share.
Eco-Friendly Apartment Practices
Grow Your Own Herbs and Vegetables
Growing herbs and vegetables isn’t as difficult as you might think, even in an apartment building! You can easily grow plants on your balcony or anywhere that gets natural sunlight. Hydroponic gardens are a great option, since they use water instead of soil and are often designed for indoor use in small spaces. Homegrown food doesn’t just improve your apartment’s air quality, it instantly reduces your carbon footprint it saves you money and tastes better! You can purchase herbs and vegetables at local greenhouses like Heeman’s right here in London!
Use Natural Cleaning Products
Keeping your apartment clean doesn’t have to come at the expense of the environment. Many conventional cleaning products contain toxic chemicals that pollute waterways and contribute to indoor air pollution. Instead, renters can opt for natural alternatives like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon juice, which are just as effective without the harmful side effects. These eco-friendly cleaning options are not only safer for your health but also biodegradable, reducing their impact on the planet.
Reduce Garbage Production
One of the simplest ways to instantly reduce your environmental impact is to cut down on household garbage. Be mindful of what you throw away and invest in eco-friendly solutions to replace single-use products. Finally, take on a Zero Waste Challenge, like the one Reep Green conducted in Waterloo Region. Grab a 1 litre mason jar and challenge yourself to fit all your single-use waste in the jar for 7, 14, or 30 days. You’ll gain a new understanding of just how much we throw away and develop new ideas for how to reduce your apartment waste!
Recycle
Recycling is an easy way to immediately make your home more eco-friendly. Metal, plastic, and paper can all be recycled, and household goods like cardboard boxes, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles are usually eligible. Be sure to also recycle used batteries and old electronics, as their components can often be used again, and recycling prevents toxic components like mercury from ending up in landfills. To live an eco-friendlier lifestyle, renters should stop using single use plastic bottles at home and on-the-go.
For more details, renters can visit the City of London website to learn helpful recycling tips.
Cut Down on Paper Waste
Making the shift from paper documents to digital ones is another way that renters can live more sustainably. Many service providers, including utilities, internet, and rent payments, now offer the option to receive statements digitally. By making the switch from paper to electronic bills, you help minimize paper waste, conserve trees, and reduce the carbon footprint created by paper production and transportation. If available, opting for paperless documents is a small change that can have a big, positive impact on both your life and the planet.
Dispose of Fats, Oils, and Grease Appropriately
Image courtesy of the City of London
Did you know that one full FOG Cup can be turned into enough energy to power a refrigerator for a day? Every year, fats, oils, and grease (FOG) clog up our sewer systems because of improper disposal down sinks, toilets, and other plumbing. Once in our sewers, fats, oils, and grease congeal into large, unpleasant masses called “fatbergs” that pollute our water and cost taxpayer money to remove. You can reduce the occurrence of fatbergs by disposing fats, oils, and grease into the FOG Cups provided by the City of London and either throwing them in the garbage or delivering them to a City EnviroDepot. The City of London will use the FOG Cups to generate green energy. This is an easy and free way to immediately improve the environment we all live in! FOG cups can be picked up at any City EnviroDepot or your local London Public Library.
Want to know what a fatberg is and how to prevent them? Check out this video from the City of London.
Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
Another effective way renters can adopt eco-friendly habits is by using energy-efficient appliances. Renters should look for apartments with appliances that have an ENERGY STAR certification. Summit Properties makes this even easier by equipping our apartments with essential appliances like a fridge, stove, microwave, and dishwasher. Many of these appliances are designed with energy efficiency in mind, helping tenants reduce their electricity and water consumption without extra effort. Even small changes, like running the dishwasher only when it’s full can make a difference.
Hang Dry Your Clothes
Dryers are among the most energy-intensive household appliances, contributing to high utility bills and unnecessary environmental strain. By hang drying your clothes, you can significantly reduce your carbon footprint while also extending the lifespan of your clothing. Even if you have limited space, you can still create efficient drying areas using creative solutions like collapsible drying racks, retractable clotheslines, over-the-door hooks, or even shower rods without overcrowding your living space.
Use Energy-Efficient Lighting
As a renter committed to sustainability, you should ensure that all lamps in your apartment use efficient LED bulbs and not outdated incandescent lighting. In addition to the energy saving benefits, LED bulbs last longer and generate far less heat, which is safer and protects your home’s wall and furnishings from damage.
Install Thermal Curtains
Installing thermal curtains is a practical and affordable way for renters to improve their apartment’s energy efficiency without making permanent modifications. These curtains help regulate indoor temperatures by blocking drafts in winter and reflecting heat in summer, cutting down the need for excessive heating and cooling. Renters can install them using tension rods or removable hooks, avoiding damage to walls.
Reduce Your Water Usage
Cut down on water usage with simple changes like taking shorter showers, turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, and only running full loads of laundry. If your landlord allows it, you may also install low-flow showerheads or aerators to instantly reduce your water usage.
Another way to reduce your water consumption is by using an ENERGY STAR dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes. Washing dishes by hand tends to be more wasteful since it can use up to 27 gallons of water per load. Whereas an ENERGY dishwasher only uses as little as 3 gallons of water.
Opt for Reusable Products
By replacing single-use plastics with durable alternatives, renters can significantly cut down on waste. For example, using reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones, stainless steel or glass water bottles instead of disposable plastic bottles, and cloth napkins or reusable paper towels instead of paper ones can make a huge difference. These small swaps not only reduce waste but also help renters save money over time, as reusable items are often more cost-effective in the long run.
Try Zero-Waste Cooking
The idea behind zero-waste cooking is to minimize food waste, reduce reliance on disposable packaging, and use reusable items as much as possible. Start by planning meals in advance to avoid buying more than you need and ensure that leftovers are used creatively to reduce food waste.
Some delicious zero-waste meal ideas include hearty vegetable soups or stews that make use of vegetable scraps (like carrot tops or onion skins) for flavour. You can even make vegetable peels into crispy snacks or use overripe fruit in smoothies or baked goods. Adopting zero-waste cooking not only contributes to a cleaner planet but can also inspire more thoughtful meal preparation, encouraging creativity with ingredients and promoting healthier, more intentional eating habits.
Live a Minimalistic Lifestyle
The easiest way to live more sustainably is to simply buy and use less. Living an eco-friendly lifestyle starts with choosing to make purchases with sustainability in mind. Exercise restraint and ask yourself what you really need. When you make a purchase, buy items second-hand from stores like London’s own ReDecor’s Consignment. Or opt for natural, eco-friendly products like those from Reimagine Co. Thrift shopping helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions allowing renters to live a more sustainable lifestyle. When you do need to purchase a new item, avoid cheaply made, disposable products and invest in high-quality, long-lasting options that you’ll get many uses out of.
Shop at Certified B Corporations
Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, represent an opportunity for renters seeking to make a positive impact through their consumer choices. These companies have undergone rigorous assessments to ensure they meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. When renters choose to support B Corps, they’re endorsing businesses that prioritize the well-being of employees, communities, and the environment as integral parts of their operations. By consciously directing your spending toward B Corps, you’re championing a business ecosystem that values purpose, fostering a more sustainable future for all. This is a tangible practice that allows renters to align their purchasing power with their values and promote environmental change.
Discover Your Dream Apartment with Summit Properties
Start living an eco-friendlier lifestyle with Summit Properties. We have the perfect apartment for you! Contact us today to schedule a viewing with one of our leasing agents.