Cleaning, recycling & composting, Internet
Apart from solar panels, electric car plug-ins, and so on, there are many other ways to help green your condo. Just a few are listed here. I’d love to hear other ideas, so please add them to the comments at the bottom of this page.
Green Internet options
We think we’re being green when we use the computer instead of paper, but are we? Estimates of the Internet’s carbon footprint vary from 1% to 5% of all CO2 fossil-fuel emissions, and some say it’s exceeded the footprint of the aviation industry. Scientists estimate that the Internet’s energy consumption is growing by 10% each year.
So what do we do? You can check to see what your Internet provider is doing, and if it makes sense, you may be able to switch to a greener option. I was able to bring a green Internet service provider, Webpass, to our complex. The company is powered by wind. In addition, their service is quicker and cheaper than many others — and when you call with questions, you get a real person and quick help.
For now, Webpass is available only in buildings of 12 or more units in the San Francisco Bay Area. But they’re growing, and perhaps one day they’ll be able to serve smaller buildings and even single-family homes.
My hope is that consumers will have more alternatives like this to the larger companies that dominate the industry — and that all of them, large or small, will make an effort to go green.
Please let us know of other green Internet options around the country. Let’s spread the word!
Recycling and composting
Many U.S. cities now have robust recycling and composting programs. In San Francisco, it’s required, even for multi-family dwellings. Some people in our HOA were resistant to composting, fearing that people would leave an unsanitary mess — but since it’s now the law, we had to get compost bins for the complex. It seems to be working fine, and our garbage production has gone way down. Check with your city to see what your local policies are. And please add comments and information here, too.
In addition to recycling paper, plastics, cans, and bottles, it’s important to recycle electronics correctly. Not only do many laptops and mobile devices end up in landfills in developing countries, but your data may not be safe on these, even if you think you’ve erased it. The following recycling resources below include information on how to dispose of electronics, plus much more:
1-800-recycling.com: Information to help make it easy for you to recycle, conserve, reuse, and live wisely.
U.S. EPA recycling page: Information and resources on recycling.
EPA composting guide: Information and resources on composting.
Green cleaning
In addition to using green products to clean your own home, you can check to see what’s being used in your condo complex’s common areas. Following are some resources for products and cleaning companies.
Green Seal: A nonprofit that certifies green products and services.
GoodGuide: A site with information about many green products, including household cleaners.
Green Cleaning Authority: A company that provides green cleaning services around the country.
No Impact Man: The site of Colin Beavan, who spent a year seeing how much he could lower his environmental impact. He notes that the best way to clean sustainably is to make your own household cleaners, and his site has some recipes for making them.
Healthy & Green Living: The section of the care2.com site that’s devoted to non-toxic cleaning. It includes tips on green dry cleaning.
