You hear a lot these days about climate change and pollution. Many people are becoming more aware that they can be doing more to reduce their individual carbon footprint, but, it can seem overwhelming. It doesn’t have to.
There are many ways to live a lower carbon lifestyle, and at West 5, we know that moving towards a greener future is as easy as making a few small choices every day. We’ve designed our community so that these choices are just second nature.
Park Your Car:
Lowering greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants can be as easy as walking, biking, or taking public transit to get to any of your normal destinations every week. Because we’re building a community that includes amenities like grocery stores, shopping, gyms, and entertainment, it’s easy to leave your car at home.
Energy:
Experts agree that not wasting energy is the easiest way to reduce carbon emissions. West 5’s approach aims to build a green community that uses less energy, water and natural resources and creates less waste. Our homes strive to be “net-zero” meaning that they generate as much energy as they use in a year. Rooftop solar panels, energy efficient appliances, and SMART technologies throughout our homes, help make it simple to save energy.
Want to save even more? Keep electronics like TV’s or computers plugged in to a power switch so that you can turn it off easily. Many common household items like these operate in standby mode that uses electricity even when not in use.
Food:
Many of the products in the grocery store originated in countries all around the world. All of that transportation – cars, trucks, trains and planes – can have a big environmental impact. You can have a huge effect on climate change simply by buying locally grown organic food from the nearby markets, or, by growing your own food in your very own container garden!
Waste:
At West 5 you’ll find a lot of recycling bins throughout the community, that’s because we’re on a minimal waste mission. That’s because we know that the waste we send to landfill is a big contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. By making small changes like reducing your trash output, composting organic waste, and reusing or recycling items you can play a big role in helping to combat climate change, and it’s easy to start today!
