Sustaining your 2024 sustainable goals!
By Jade Christensen, PCAT
As we indulge in the December festivities, we will also start thinking about what we want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Break from the typical New Year’s trends this year and start thinking about your sustainable goals.
Maine offers a variety of opportunities to practice sustainability quickly and easily.
- Composting! We have said it before and will say it again: composting has become one of the easiest and most sustainable actions we can take. With companies like Garbage to Gardens or town composting, keeping compostable foods out of the garbage is an easy way to reduce your footprint. Not to mention keeping down the cost of paying for city trash bags.
- Switch from hot water to cold when doing your laundry. About 90% of the washing machine’s energy is heating the water (Coldwatersaves.org). That saves around 3.2kWh of energy per load, which adds up quickly with increased electrical prices. It helps to protect your clothes from fading color, protects delicates, and reduces overall fabric damage.
- Turn all of your electronics off when they aren’t in use. It’s time to save the video game and turn off the TV when you finish it, just like when you turn off the lights when you leave a room. Ensure all your TVs, laptops, and video games are powered down. These little things add up fast. So when yelling at the kids to turn the light off, include turning the video game off, too.
- Support the Portland Sustainability Fund! To help the city progress in its One Climate Future goals, the city needs a resource that will advance efforts to reduce energy costs and fossil fuel consumption. These projects could include solar installations, community engagement opportunities, price reductions on electric products, and increasing staff for the city. Support this fund by writing to your city councilor and councilors at large to gain their support for this fund!
Take the stress out of trying to create new habits. You can make small tweaks to your current lifestyle and make a much larger impact that won’t break the bank! Start your sustainability journey now!
FMI
Cold Water Saves: https://coldwatersaves.org/index.php/cool-savings/
Council Bios, City of Portland Maine: https://www.portlandmaine.gov/741/Council-Bios
