You know those cheery sales people that you try to avoid eye contact with? Well, thank goodness my friend Noelle stopped to speak with the alternative energy rep at the farmers market back in 2014, or we wouldn’t have discovered the sustainable electricity options at our fingertips.
After that fortuitous encounter, I opted for renewable energy sources for my Upper East Side apartment. My choice felt (literally) powerful. I was relieved to know that the electricity I used wasn’t produced by pollution-causing sources. It also made me wonder: what else in my apartment could I change to be more sustainable?
It can feel like so much is out of our control when living in an apartment. We’re told exactly which utility company to pay. Appliances come with the apartment and may not be the most efficient. Our landlords control the rest of the building. However, we have control over what we bring into our apartments, and how we dispose of items on their way out. (Those discarded Amazon boxes stacked in the corner did not magically order themselves, and cannot teleport to the recycling.)
Where can I start, you may ask? This post will give introductory tips on how your apartment and living space itself can be less wasteful. The mantra of reduce, reuse, and (of course) recycle applies. Remember: whatever you bring into your apartment, will eventually have to go out.
WHAT GOES IN…
Be mindful of what you bring into your living space
Below are the main categories that apply to most apartments. Think about what else is a mainstay in your living space — Clothing? Art supplies? Food? Video games? Books? Get creative in finding other ways to be more sustainable!
Electricity
You know whether your milk is organic, but do you know where your electricity comes from? This is easily overlooked as an apartment dweller, but many electricity providers offer a renewable energy option. The default for electricity in many areas is still fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change. This article offers easy steps for how to find out if you can switch to renewables in your state/city. In many cases the cost is comparable as well.
Water
Yes, you can still have that lovely bubble bath, but there are many ways to be smart about your water usage and have good habits (especially if you live in a drought prone area). There are common-sense tips such as: don’t leave the water running while brushing your teeth; only run the dishwasher and washing machines when you have full loads; don’t take hour-long showers, etc. Recently, I discovered this neat dishwashing trick from Bon Appetit, which seems great for someone (like me) that wishes that dishes could wash themselves.
Appliances
Both energy and water efficiency depend on the appliance itself. When buying new appliances, look for the Energy Star efficiency label, or google search the leading models. Not only is efficiency better for the environment, but it will save you money each month on water & electricity bills. I call that a win-win!
For appliances that came with your apartment, make sure they’re full when you run them and that they are running at full capacity. (For example, I learned late in life that you have to clean the air filters on window AC units both for optimal performance and for health reasons… whoops!)
Furniture
I love interior design. Admittedly, I have taken the easy way out and ordered from Ikea and Wayfair, but there are so many other options. New, cheap furniture is resource intensive to make, and doesn’t last that long — that broken Ikea shelf doesn’t serve much purpose in a landfill. Buying pre-owned furniture can be a fantastic option.
If you’re looking for something specific, try Craigs List or Facebook Marketplace. Another option is AptDeco, which allows you to search for specific items and even takes care of delivery. If you’re in the mood to browse in person or if you’re on a budget, Goodwill, Salvation Army, or the local thrift store can serve up some gems. For special pieces, see if there are antique stores near you (if you’re from New England, you’ll know “antiquing” is a thing).
… MUST COME OUT
Dispose of waste in the most eco-friendly way
It amazes me how often I have to take out the recycling and how full my compost bin gets. Although I’d rather have less waste of all types by reducing and reusing, my secondary goal is to take out recycling and compost more often than trash to the dumpster.
A key to the disposal step is to organize your waste receptacles to make it easy on yourself. I suggest the below categories.
- Recycling (either separate bins or single stream)
- Some areas recycle plastic/glass/paper together, while others require you to separate everything. The Recycling Partnership and Waste Management both have Recycling 101 guides to make things easier for us.
- Compost
- I could talk about the importance of composting for hours, but I’ll be brief. Food waste is estimated to make up about one third of landfills. In landfills, that rotting food produces greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. Alternatively, when food scraps are sent to be composted, the harmful emissions are avoided AND the compost can then be used to grow delicious food (circle of life, anyone?)
- There are multiple composting options available. The options, like electricity and recycling, differ city to city. The three main options to research are:
- City pick-up: your municipality may offer food scrap pick-up along with trash & recycling pick-up.
- Drop-off sites: This could be a private, non-profit, or municipal organization that has drop-off sites at local restaurants or farmer’s markets.
- Private composting company: in many cities that do not compost, companies exist that will pick-up your food scraps for a fee.
- Compost at home: I have not personally tried this in an apartment, but odorless options (as explained in this NYT article) do exist.
- Donate or Sell
- Keep a “give-away” box in your closet to which you add old clothes and chachkis
- Once it’s full, you can either:
- Host a clothing swap with friends
- Donate to a thrift store
- Find a textile recycling for those items that have seen better days
- Trash
- The last resort. See how small of a trash bin you can get away with!
There is always more to think about, but hopefully this list provides a straightforward way to start. Also, a little bonus idea….
BONUS: Small space gardens! I love house plants, but I have not gone full garden yet. This is on my personal bucket list. Small-space and indoor gardens (or windowsill/fire escape gardens) are a cool option. Check out companies like Aero Garden for growing your salads at home.
Sarah Clark-Hamel 