Sustainable living does not have to be time-consuming or costly. Nor is it a lofty goal. It can be easily achieved by making small, committed efforts to maintain homes, businesses, neighborhoods, parks, schools and common gathering areas to lighten the load on the environment. With longer days and pleasant weather, summer is an ideal time to take stock and see what you can do to make a difference where you live.
Check our “Home Green Home Guide,” which takes you room by room and into the yard and beyond with cool tips, advice and links to pages where you can dive even deeper. We hope it will inspire you to try something new or add to your existing “green” checklist!
Kitchen
- Keep a recycling container where people can see it!
- Start smart and recycle right by purchasing items in packaging that can be recycled (paper and cardboard, for instance). When in doubt, use the org Recycling & Disposal Lookup Tool to see which items are accepted for recycling in your community.
- Reduce waste by choosing reusable dinnerware and utensils over disposable plates, cups and cutlery.
- Avoid sewage backups by disposing of fats, oils and greasy food leftovers in the trash, not down the drain. For details, visit org/fat-free-drains/.
- Add a countertop compost container to your kitchen. Use it to reduce food waste and “feed” a garden area.
- Reduce single-use plastic by choosing tap water to drink, instead of bottled water.
- Only wash full loads of dishes.
Bath and laundry area
- Save water by turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
- Conserve water by taking shorter showers.
- Know “what not to flush” (including so-called “flushable” wipes) to avoid sewage backups in the home and on the street.
- Only wash full loads of laundry.
Around the home
- Switch to more efficient LED light bulbs.
- Unplug electronics when not in use.
- Stay tuned for community collections/events for shredding paper, electronics collections, hazardous household waste collections and unwanted household items.
- Reuse or recycle cardboard boxes; recycle junk mail and paper products that are not coated or shiny. To determine what’s recyclable and what’s not where you live, visit the Recycling & Disposal Lookup Tool.
- Avoid wasting water by checking for leaky faucets around the home; repair or replace them as needed.
Out and about
- Skip the plastic straw at the restaurant. For take-home/take-out orders, say “no, thank you,” to plastic utensils.
- Take your tap water to go in a reusable thermos.
- Avoid plastic bags for your purchases by keeping reusable tote bags handy for trips to the store.
- When you are able, walk or bike instead of driving.
- Keep a bag in the car for stowing trash as you run errands.
In the yard
- Remember, “only rain down the storm drain” (not yard waste, lawn fertilizer, trash, etc.) to keep local waterways clean.
- Put rain to work by installing a rain barrel, rain garden or buffer garden to keep standing water away from your home or business. Use any collected water to replenish plants.
- Choose native, drought-tolerant trees, shrubs and plants that are acclimated to Hampton Roads conditions.
- Scoop your pet’s poop … then bag it and trash it!
- Say no to polluted stormwater runoff by using a commercial car wash.
- Don’t feed ducks and geese – it can make them sick and pollute waterways.
In your community
- See litter; pick it up. Sign up for local litter cleanups or organize your own neighborhood cleanup! We’ll provide litter bags, “grabbers” and safety vests! Check https://askhrgreen.org/campaign/time-team-2-clean/ for details.
- Frequent neighborhood “little libraries” for sharing/borrowing books.
- Take gently used clothing and décor items to local thrift and consignment stores.
- Share plants and excess garden supplies with others.
- Sign up to be a “Bay Star Home” or “Bay Star Business” by pledging to adopt low- or no-cost solutions to help run your household or business more efficiently with less impact on the environment.
- Share your “sustainable living” knowledge with others! Word of mouth is one of the best ways to start a trend!
- Follow us on FB/Insta for news, promos and freebies: @askHRgreen.org. And please, share our stuff!
Need more cool tips and advice? Mosey on over to askHRgreen.org!