Owning a home is not just a privilege, it is also an important responsibility. As soon as you purchase a property you will be responsible for that land, its impact on the environment and your contribution to a vibrant neighborhood. You’ll start having to manage your own carbon footprint and you’ll become part of a defined community – thus giving you a lot of new important duties that you’ll need to keep on top of. There will be lots of opportunities for you to be more conscientious and to do your part for your community.
Not sure how owning a property puts you in such a position of responsibility? Then read on and we’ll look at some examples of things you can do to be either a more conscientious neighbor.
Appearance
The first thing to think about here is the appearance of your property. While it’s not critical for your home to be extravagant, it is important to keep your home looking presentable on the outside. Home appearance can affect home values in your entire neighborhood. To be a good neighbor, make sure your grass is cut, put in mulched flowerbeds and trees, keep your paint relatively fresh and pickup litter and trash.
Reduce Waste
It’s also important to think about the way you are running your home and the effect that might be having on the environment and ecosystem. One major area here to think about of course is the way you use energy around the home. Are you using too much electricity? Or too much water? And are your appliances as efficient as they possibly could be? Every home creates a lot of waste as you dispose of wrappers, boxes, cartons and more. It’s important to think about waste management – not only how you can reduce the amount of waste you’re creating in the first place, but also how you can better dispose of that waste through your municipal recycling program.
Scoop the Poop
This one easy step couldn’t be more important. Having someone’s pet do their ‘business’ in your yard is one of the most common neighborhood disputes. Not only is it unsightly, messy and potentially harmful to pets and children, it’s also bad for the environment. When rain falls, it travels across our lawns and sidewalks and into storm drains where it is discharged, untreated, into nearby waterways. That stormwater picks up a lot of things along the way – including any poop that was not scooped! Do your part to keep your community and waterways clean by always scooping the poop.
There are so many ways to be a more conscientious homeowner, but these are just a few ideas to get you started. What’s most important is to recognize that owning a home is a responsibility and take it seriously.
Leslie Kramer, is a freelance blogger with Custom Benchtops who uses blogging as a platform to share home improvement and green living tips.