More and more condo associations are making energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conversation improvements a top priority for their communities. As we get ready to celebrate the 51st anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, now’s a great time to advocate for change for the good of the environment.
“Earth Day is a great opportunity to help the environment and engage the community,” says Ana Sanchez Rivero, President and Business Development Coordinator at Allied Property Group. “It’s also a great time to appreciate, reflect, and demonstrate action to protect our common homes— the community and the planet.
How Your Condo Association Can Celebrate Earth Day
While protecting the planet and improving people’s lives are the top priorities of Earth Day, condo associations get a bonus: they can save money. These cost savings may be from taking earth-friendly steps such as converting to more efficient technologies like LED lights and more efficient HVAC systems. And the good news is, even older communities can go green with these simple changes.
Here are other ways your condo association can celebrate Earth Day while promoting environmental preservation and pride in the community.
- Hold one or more in-person or remote events that educate people on green initiatives. These joint community projects can create community pride and a sense of common interest. Recycling and composting are popular topics.
- Encourage residents to practice water efficiency. Of course, periodic watering of common and private areas is necessary to maintain a healthy landscape, but there are low and no-water options that can be adopted. These include using native Florida plants that thrive without a lot of water or incorporating a greater amount of attractive hardscape features.
- Energy-efficient products can use 20 to 30 percent less energy than non-efficient ones. And many come with money-saving rebates your condo association can take advantage of to keep costs down.
- Consider starting a “green committee.” A group made up of eco-minded community volunteers who investigate and recommend initiatives that might benefit their fellow residents. If you have a community website, you can dedicate a page and or community discussion board to the topic.
Finally, you can have an energy audit done to identify areas throughout the community that could be improved. Locating air leaks, inspecting HVAC equipment, and checking insulation to see where changes can be made can help reduce energy costs and usage. These improvements can make your HOA community a more enjoyable place to live.
Get Involved in Other Ways
The official website has a lot more ideas on how to be involved in Earth Day 2021, particularly in light of the pandemic and social distancing requirements. This year’s theme, “Restore Our Earth,” is relevant not only because of the dangers of climate change and other environmental issues but because people need a reason to celebrate what brings us all together.
This April 22, your board has a wonderful opportunity to be a part of making this a better, healthier, and more eco-conscious world!
