Green Living Ideas
EnergyHow to Practice Green Living in a City
Living in a city makes green living both easier and harder. Knowing what the cons are and how to take advantage of the pros will facilitate happier and more effective green living. Even if certain green living practices may be hard or impossible in the city, others become easier.
City Composting
As a city inhabitant trying to practice green living, you may not be able to start a compost pile. But you could still, for example, use some of your old nitrogen-rich coffee grounds in your potted plants or community garden. If you live in an apartment building, you could support green living by proposing a building-wide compost pile behind the building. Perhaps condo fees could pay to have someone come by occasionally to take care of it.
Recycling in the City
Doing green living in a city may mean that you don't have room for an elaborate home recycling center, but you can still recycle. Many cities provide each household with a recycling bucket to be left out with the trash on certain predetermined days in the name of green living. In terms of the personal recycling center in your home, I just put bags on hooks inside the kitchen and foyer-area closets, one for cans and bottles and one for paper goods. This deals with green living and recycling in the city.
Urban Grocery Shopping
Residing in the city and trying to practice green living are sometimes in conflict. Since I don't own a car, I walk to the grocery store and can't buy overly large containers (to save on packaging waste) because they're too heavy for me to carry. On the other hand, it's very much green living because I'm walking or taking public transportation to the store! Also, I need to make more frequent trips to the grocery store because my fridge and freezer are smaller and accommodate less food. This is good for green living as they use less energy.
Hot Time in the City
Finally, trying to practice green living in a city can be very frustrating because you may not have the control to turn down your heat, a significant energy waster. What city residents can do to support green living is ask their landlords or condo associations to put in better insulation. Or, if that's not an option, you could buy plastic to put over the windows in the winter to keep the heat in. This way you'll be warmer and cut down on the heat, a win win green living situation.
