Sustainable Living Tips for Kamloops Apartment Dwellers

Sustainable living Kamloops

Sustainable Living Tips for Kamloops Apartment Dwellers

Living sustainably protects the earth’s resources and limits our impact on the environment as we go about our daily lives. If you live in a Kamloops apartment, you’ll be happy to know that you’re already ahead of other types of homes where sustainability is concerned.

According to a U.S. Residential Energy Consumption Survey “Households living in apartment buildings with five or more units use about half as much energy as other types of homes.” The survey points out that as older apartment stocks are replaced by modern, more energy-efficient buildings, energy use per unit will continue to decline.

Tips for More Sustainable Living

Following is a list of choices you can make to live more sustainably.

Lighting
Turn off lights that you’re not using. Use energy-efficient bulbs.

Turn down the thermostat and wear a sweater
Turn off the heat when you leave your apartment. Wear a sweater instead of turning up the thermostat.

Waste reduction
Choose products with the least packaging and recycle, reuse, and compost whenever possible.

Green transportation
Buy an electric or hybrid vehicle and take advantage of the BC Go Electric rebate program. Consider carpooling, or choose to walk, ride your bike or take a bus.

Live closer to work, shopping and services
When shopping and services are close to your home, you reduce energy consumption, because it becomes more convenient to walk, bike, or take a bus instead of your vehicle.

Reusable shopping bags and containers
Bring reusable bags and containers when shopping to minimize single-use plastic waste. Use reusable water bottles and coffee cups instead of buying bottled water and using paper cups. When ordering takeout food, choose restaurants that use cardboard containers and specify that you don’t need plastic cutlery, condiments and paper napkins.

Upcycle, repurpose, sell or donate
Repurpose items instead of throwing them out. For upcycling ideas, visit Upcycle That, curator of some great upcycling projects. Sell or donate items instead of sending them to the landfill.

Shop locally
Shop locally to reduce the environmental impact of transportation. Buy produce at the Kamloops Farmers’ Market and support locally-owned businesses.

Don’t waste your leftovers
Save money and help the environment by eating leftovers. View Everyday Leftovers at All Recipes and check out the Taste of Home article “20 Brilliant Ways to Repurpose Leftovers” for other creative ideas.

Environmentally-friendly cleaning products
Create your own natural cleaning solutions or purchase eco-friendly cleaning products. Read the Healthline article “18 Easy and Green DIY Recipes to Clean All Things, Plus the Health Benefits”.

Shop second hand
Shopping second-hand extends the life of goods and uses far less energy than that needed to produce new goods.

Eco-friendly brands
Purchase from companies with good sustainability practices. Discover sustainable brands by category at the Green Hive directory.

Conscious water usage
When washing clothes and dishes, wash full loads using energy-efficient cycles. Take shorter showers and use less water in the bath.

Live More Sustainability at McGill Ridge Apartments

McGill Ridge is a Kamloops apartment community located just steps from TRU. Our apartments use the latest in energy-efficient construction and appliances. With easy access to transit and shopping and services close by, you save even more energy by reducing vehicle use. If you’re interested in renting, complete our Request Apartment Availability form.