Adaptation of Sustainable Lifestyles

• Compost food scraps, paper products, and organic material -- avoid adding meat, dairy, and oily foods

  • Use cardboard / cardboard egg cartons to cover compost and protect from rodents

  • Cut holes in the bottoms of trash cans for compost drainage in urban settings

  • 3 bin system is most effective and labor-intensive – use palettes and a tarp

  • Simple tumblers: Orbis Earth Machine, Garden Gourmet, Hot Frog

  • 3:1 brown to green; 30:1 carbon to nitrogen

  • Avoid adding meat, dairy (egg shells are okay), oils

  • Keep moist and aerate at least once per week

  • Consider using an indoor worm bin

• Conduct waste audits 

• Purchase environmentally friendly laundry detergent and hair products 

• Grow organic gardens – raised bed method, homemade greenhouses, indoor survival gardens

  • Embrace permaculture design principles

  • Re-grow vegetables from food scraps

• Purchase hybrid or electric vehicles

• Install water refilling stations

• Encourage reusable water bottles

• Recycle and donate old clothes 

• Buy used clothing

• Donate old furniture to Goodwill

• Use compostable silverware when possible

• Purchase takeout from restaurants with compostable food products

• Minimize aerosol sprays and products with microbeads 

• Avoid using plastic straws

• Opt for used and online textbooks

• Make and use reusable bags for school operations

• Use reusable coffee thermoses

• Buy new products only when necessary

• Cut back on excess paper use and move digital when possible

• Install CFL or LED light bulbs

• Consult LEED certification standards for new buildings

• Monitor energy and water use and find ways of reducing consumption

• Install motion sensor lights in restrooms

• Switch off appliances when not in use 

• Train custodians on green cleaning methods 

• Find out more about recycling in your community

  • What gets recycled and what doesn’t? 

  • What can you do to ensure you recycle as much as possible?

• Dispose of waste properly – e.g. recycle batteries

• Find ways to capture rainwater 

• Support leave the leaves campaigns; reduce leaf blowers

• Encourage carpooling

• Ride bicycles and choose public transportation when possible

• Unplug chargers and other cables not in use 

• Use real dishes and towels instead of single-use ones

• Reduce meat consumption or purchase locally sourced, humanely raised meat; embrace plant-based substitutes such as tofu, tempeh, lentils, veggie burgers, etc.

  • Meatless Mondays

  • Purchase less red meat (esp. beef – 12x the greenhouse gas emissions of chicken)