Sustainability Suggestions: How to Live an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle When Renting an Apartment
There’s a lot to love about living in a rental apartment building, but did you know that it’s also one of the more environmentally friendly choices?
Multi-Residential Living is Good for the Planet
The great news is, as a Skyline Living tenant, you’re already reducing carbon emissions and environmental damage in one of the best ways possible—by living in apartment housing. More sprawled types of housing, such as single-family detached homes, are far worse for the environment on average, and by living in a shared building, you’re already playing a great part in helping out.
Living in a shared building means that you are taking up less space than someone living in a single detached home, which means fewer trees cut down, fewer animals’ habitats destroyed, and less sprawl. The more spread out a community is, the more people driving and fewer people walking, cycling, or taking transit to where they need to go. Additionally, apartments use far less energy on a per person basis than low-density housing, including both electricity and natural gas. So, congratulations! By living in an apartment complex, you’re already contributing a lot toward helping the environment.
Walkable Communities = Less Dependency on Cars!
Many Skyline Living properties are located in walkable communities with easy pedestrian access to grocery stores, pharmacies, retail stores, schools, restaurants, parks, trails, and other basic amenities. This also helps minimize your carbon footprint and negative environmental impact by walking rather than driving when running various daily errands.
But if you want to go the extra mile and contribute even further, read on for some tips about how to live sustainably as a renter.
Consider Your Local Public Transit
Selecting an apartment in a neighbourhood with great public transit access is a great first step. The various types of public transit that can be used by Skyline Living residents in their own cities and towns can include buses, light rail, commuter rail, inter-city rail, and even subways. Using public transit in any form is far less harmful to the environment compared to driving by yourself, with rail transit being even less harmful than buses.
So, hop on the train if you want to get somewhere in the most environmentally friendly way, but if there’s no train nearby, a bus is still better than a car! If you don’t know where the public transit stops are in your neighbourhood, consider looking up your local transit authority online or giving them a call for more information. Don’t forget that you can filter for proximity to transit as part of our Advanced Apartment Search if you’re looking for a new apartment!
Get Around by Bicycle
For those who are physically able, cycling can be a great way to get around and also to get some exercise. Many cities and towns even have dedicated bike lanes on the roads that are protected from car traffic. Bike paths and trails in local parks also offer some opportunities for some wheeling fun.
Be Energy Conscious in Your Apartment
There are many little ways in which you can save energy at your apartment. If you aren’t home or if you’re not using a particular room, turn off the lights!
You can also open your windows to let in cool or warm air when the weather allows, or on the other hand, be sure to close them securely to preserve your interior temperatures and prevent costly heating or cooling loss.
If you control the air conditioning or heat in your apartment, consider lowering it when you’re travelling or will be gone for an extended period of time.
Curious what steps Skyline Living is taking to make our apartments and properties more sustainable? We’re glad you asked!
To learn more about our ongoing sustainability initiatives, check out the Sustainability sections on the Skyline Living website and the Skyline Group of Companies website. There are quite a few programs and pilot projects on the go to help us achieve our 2022 Sustainability Goals!
