With more and more people wanting to do their part to be more eco-friendly, being environmentally conscious around the house is becoming more commonplace.
However, trying to live sustainably whilst being a tenant in a rental property can often be challenging, in this blog post, we’ll cover some ways you can be an eco-friendlier tenant.
Consider the location of the property
Location is often one of the biggest factors when it comes to being more eco-friendly. If your living quarters are located miles away from anything, it may be more challenging to be environmentally conscious. Ideally, you want the location of your property to be within walking distance of amenities and close to transport links. This will reduce your need for using a car and therefore reduce your fossil fuel consumption.
Work with your landlord
If you notice any issues or areas in the property that could be fixed and made more environmentally friendly, try and speak to your landlord and see if they’d be happy to address them. Problems such as inefficient heating, bad insulation, and leaky taps are areas that could potentially be fixed with more environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions. If your landlord is receptive to the idea of more sustainable solutions, then you can work with them to be more eco-friendly in the property.
Reuse, reduce, recycle, or rent
Recycling has become a staple in most daily lives, but along with reusing products and reducing usage, it’s one of the best things you can do to improve your eco-friendly efforts.
There are several ways you can be more eco-conscious in this regard. Where you can, try shopping second hand or renting things you will only need temporarily – this helps to reduce the carbon footprint you leave whilst maximising resources and lessening waste.
When shopping, look for items that you’ll be able to reuse multiple times instead of opting for single use products. Not only does this tend to be better for the environment, but it can also allow you to save more money in the long run.
Be conscious of your water usage
It can be easy to waste water if you’re not paying attention to your usage. If you’re trying to be more eco-friendly, it’s important to be aware of how much water you are using and consider ways to improve your water efficiency.
Some quick ways that you can save water include turning the tap off while you are brushing your teeth, taking short showers instead of running a bath, and ensuring the dishwasher is full before putting a wash on.
You can also ask your water supplier directly if there is anything they can provide you with to help cut your water consumption. Water companies are usually happy to send you free tools to help with reducing water consumption, but you’ll need to ask them first.
Make eco-friendly energy choices
Firstly, find an energy supplier that focuses on providing energy from renewable sources. Some providers may use renewable electricity for energy, whilst also supplying gas that is 100% carbon neutral.
It may depend on who you are able to secure as a supplier, but it’s worth looking around and seeing which company can provide you with the best energy deal, both for your own sake and for the planets!
It might not be possible to use a supplier that uses 100% renewable energy sources, so it’s therefore important to just be conscious of your energy usage and make sure you aren’t wasting gas and electricity.
Consider growing some produce (if you are able to)
If it’s possible for you to grow your own produce, then this can be an excellent way of being more eco-friendly. If you live in an apartment or a house share, your options may be more limited for growing your own produce, but you’ll hopefully still be able to grow something, even if it’s just herbs on the windowsill.
Alternatively, you could opt to shop at places that sell locally sourced produce, which is more eco-friendly than buying produce from supermarkets who import from unsustainable manufacturers. It’s often slightly more expensive to shop for local produce, however, it’s almost always the eco-friendlier option when it comes to grocery shopping.
These are just a few ideas when it comes to being more environmentally conscious as a tenant. It may be more difficult depending on your living situation, but even if you’re living as part of a house share, you can help do your bit for the planet by being more eco-friendly around the house.
