Talking About Green

For many renters, going green doesn’t always seem like an option. Short of convincing the landlord to install rain barrels around the house for rent, you won’t have the chance to make any major structure changes if you don’t own the place.

Lucky for you, reducing your carbon footprint is more about changing your behaviors than adding solar panels. If you’re a renter looking to go green, you’ve got to go back to the basics. You know the old mantra. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Now it’s time to put it in action with this simple apartment guide to going green.

10 Simple Green Apartment Living Tips

10. Install low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators

The water pressure might go down, but so will your water bill. Install these items and you will effortlessly decrease the amount of water you consume without you ever noticing.

9. Reduce the water down the toilet

Over 30 percent of all water consumed in the average home gets flushed down the drain every year. One of the simplest ways to reduce toilet water is to not flush the toilet as often, but the old “if it’s yellow, let is mellow” mentality isn’t exactly the definition of sanitary. Instead, try filling a two-liter bottle with water and place it in the toilet tank. The bottle will displace water that would normally be wasted every flush cycle.

8. Recycle your gray water

Old bathwater or dishwater is still useful for outdoor irrigation or houseplants. Before you splash you tomatoes with the runoff from last night’s casserole, make sure you’re using a biodegradable soap to avoid harming your plants or contaminating your water table.

7. Buy Green Power

The next time you pay the utilities for your apartment for rent, contact your electric company and ask about how you can support their clean power investments. While you might occur a small fee, you’ll be supporting renewable energy, which at the very least, should give you a warm and fuzzy feeling.

6. Unplug your appliances when you’re not using them

An estimated 10 percent of energy use in the U.S. is due to dormant appliances drawing power when they’re not in use. You can make simple changes by unplugging small machines like toasters and coffee makers, and you can plug clusters of electronics like computers into a single power strip that can be switched on and off.

5. Replace old light bulbs with CFLs or LEDs

Compact florescent light bulbs produce the same about of light with 75 percent less energy of a traditional bulb, but they do contain trace amounts of mercury, which isn’t the most eco-friendly element.

On the other hand, bulbs with light-emitting diodes can use less than 1/30^th the amount of energy of a CFL bulb, but since they cost so much more, you’ll only see the savings after many years of use. Either way, you’re a sucker if you don’t switch this instant.

4. Recycle what you already have

Recycling doesn’t mean to put everything you don’t need in a blue plastic bin. Try reusing bike parts and other simple household items to reduce your amount of waste and to save a little money in your pocket.

3. Use toilet paper made from recycled material

If everyone in the U.S. swapped just one roll of their preferred brand for a roll of recycled toilet paper, it would instantly save an estimated 424,000 trees, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

2. Buy a water filter

Filtering tap water with a filter is a more environmentally conscious and economically sound option when compared to buying bottled water. Bottled water not only costs more than the price of gasoline, it is one of the main contributors to plastic container waste.

1. Convince your landlord to go green

This is the tough one, but if you can prove to your landlord that going green will save money, he or she might make the change. Simple steps like calking and tinting windows will help them get the most out of air conditioners and heaters. Also, basic eco-friendly changes like chemical-paints and adhesives can cost as little as $150 for a 900 square foot apartment for rent.

Author Bio: Doug Antkowiak is a writer for PadMapper, where you can find the best tool on the internet to make your apartment search.