How to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint at Home as a Renter

Apartment living does not limit your ability to change the world. You do not need to own a home to live sustainably. Small changes in everyday choices – especially at home – can make a big difference and help significantly reduce your environmental impact. According to Natural Resources Canada, energy usage at home is a leading contributor to harmful emissions. Here’s a look at easy ways you can do your part at home to make our planet greener and last longer.

Reduce

The easiest way that renters can help lower their carbon footprint is by making small efficiency habits which can lead to large reductions. Simple things like switching to LED bulbs can save between 75-90% of the energy that a traditional incandescent bulb requires, plus they tend to last 25 times longer! Turning off lights when you leave the room and unplugging devices when they’re not in use are all small but simple steps that can be taken daily. Reducing water consumption is as easy as taking a shorter shower or running the dishwasher less often. These small changes can all add up to meaningful reductions.

Reuse

Our global dependency on plastics has been one of the leading causes of environmental pollution. Changing daily habits, like using a reusable shopping bag or water bottle as part of your routine, allow you to not only do better for our planet, but express your style too! Switching to eco-friendly cleaning products are often a better, safer and more effective choice, especially for household chores. It’s about changing our way of thinking and focusing on the long-term. Opting for a reusable water bottle helps in so many ways – cutting the carbon emissions from plastic bottle plants, reducing the amount of pollution overall (especially in our oceans), and lessening the risk of regular microplastic consumption.

Recycle

Want to cut your waste? Then actively take part in your building’s waste reduction programs! At Park Property Management, our buildings all feature detailed recycling guidelines, providing the resources to properly manage your paper, plastics, metals, and glass product recycling. Many of our buildings also have composting programs. Participation in these programs is key. It’s shocking that in Toronto, apartment residents divert only about 27% of their waste. Properly separating waste helps reduce the number of black bins required and significantly aids in pest control. Participating in your building’s recycling program helps reduce landfill waste and ensures everyday materials are given a second life instead of going to waste.

Rethink

Cars create pollution. We know this. In fact, transportation produces about 25–28% of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The simple act of taking public transit can reduce the emissions output of over 3 million cars every year. Motor vehicles are one of the single biggest sources of pollution in Canada, and individual driving habits have a direct environmental impact. In 2019 alone, passenger vehicles emitted approximately 91 megatonnes of CO₂ annually. Park Property communities are conveniently located close to transit, everyday conveniences and in walkable neighbourhoods, making it easier to rely less on a car and lead a more sustainable life.

Reducing your carbon footprint isn’t about making drastic life changes – it’s about consistent ones. Meaningful impact can be achieved through these simple everyday choices. Small changes – like swapping the lightbulbs in your apartment or being diligent in following your building’s recycling program – really do add up!

Small changes start at home. Whether you’re looking for an apartment in London, Toronto, or Southern Ontario, there’s a Park Property community that makes sustainable living easy and lets you feel good about where you live.