December 15, 2022
Promoting Tenant Sustainability During the Holidays
The holiday season is one of the most highly anticipated times of the year. Within all of the festivities and celebrations comes the potential for mass production of waste once the holidays conclude. Research conducted by Stanford University found that household waste in the United States increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day each year.
As a property owner, this may be a time when you are looking into methods to decrease waste production and energy consumption. The best way to promote sustainability for your tenants or residents during the holidays is by providing outlets for them firsthand to make the job less daunting.
Here are some tips for property owners to promote sustainability during the holiday season:
Post weekly reminders to turn off unused lights. It can be common for individuals to leave their Christmas lights on at night, which can increase electricity bills, increase light pollution, and cause safety and fire hazards. Consider issuing weekly reminders encouraging your tenants or residents to unplug whenever lights are not in use. You may do this by posting to your online resident forums, via email, or on flyers within your property.
Provide recycling services. The easiest way to dispose of paper waste is by simply throwing it in the trash. By providing more convenient recycling methods and making it as easy as possible, tenants and residents are more likely to think twice about choosing the more sustainable option. Another idea is to organize resident gift-wrapping services using biodegradable or recyclable materials.
Offer donation platforms. The season of giving is often a time when people want to give back to those in need. During this time, you may choose to organize a canned food drive or toy donation for tenants and residents looking to serve the community.
Aid in Christmas tree disposal. Did you know that one Christmas tree has a carbon footprint of nearly 8 pounds of carbon dioxide? This is equivalent to driving 10 miles in a car! When these trees are sent to landfills, the carbon footprint increases due to the fact that tree decomposition produces methane. Consider offering a tree drop-off for residents and setting up a pickup with your local waste management provider. This will help to ensure that their trees can be reused or recycled.
To discover more about Armada Hoffler’s sustainability efforts, please check out our 2021 Sustainability Report.
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