We know that many residents of our student apartments in Missoula are passionate about the environment, and with good reason! Our planet is precious, and it’s well worth the effort to do what we can to protect and sustain it. While issues related to climate change and the environment often feel larger than us as individuals, there are tangible, impactful choices you can make to do your part every day from our community of student apartments. Missoula is a great place to live—now let’s help keep it that way! Today we’re sharing four ways you can do just that.
Use Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs and Appliances
Every time you buy new light bulbs, appliances, or other electronics, take a moment to see if there’s an energy-efficient option available. For example, LED and fluorescent light bulbs use less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs. You can also find labels on many products that make a special note if they were manufactured using renewable energy.
When it comes to appliances, look for an Energy Star label as a quick way of discerning more energy-efficient appliances from less energy-efficient ones. It’s also worth noting that newer freezers, stoves, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers are considerably more energy efficient than older models, so just by virtue of living in our brand new student apartments in Missoula, you’re wasting less energy than if you lived in an older unit.
Be Mindful of What You Eat
Eating locally and organically can reduce your carbon footprint, as can reducing the meat and dairy you eat and focusing more on plant-based options. It takes a lot of resources to transport food, fertilize produce, and raise animals, especially cows. Clearing space for large farms can also contribute to deforestation. Whenever possible, buy organic produce from smaller, local farms and reduce your use of beef and dairy products.
Walk, Bike, or Use Public Transportation
Our community has the benefit of being within walking or biking distance to downtown Missoula and the University of Montana campus. We’re also within easy walking distance to public transportation for those longer trips. Our central location makes it easy to reduce car usage, which is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and consumes a lot of fossil fuels to get us from point A to point B. Whenever you can’t walk or bike to your desired destination, hop on the bus to get where you’re going. Public transportation has the benefit of reducing the number of cars on the road since it can transport more passengers at a time. When you can’t take public transportation, carpooling is also a great way to reduce your carbon footprint.
Reduce Your Water Usage
Besides shaving off a few minutes from your shower time and turning off the water between steps when you brush your teeth or wash your face, there are a few things you can do to reduce your water usage. If you have a car, wash it less often. Have only climate-appropriate plants at home to avoid the need for extra watering. Maximize the efficiency of your dishwasher and washing machine by avoiding running them when not full.
That concludes our tips for reducing your carbon footprint! We strive to make it as easy as possible for our residents to make energy-efficient choices that are good for our community and the planet! If you enjoyed this post and you’d like to see more like it, go ahead and bookmark our blog page for easy access to future tips, recommendations, and features! And don’t forget that we have an Instagram! Follow us there to keep up-to-date with all things The Sawyer.