As we start making changes at home and realize the positive impacts, we can expand our thinking to our workplace, schools, and neighborhoods.
Today, we will focus on ideas for the “neighborhood”.
This could be our street, our subdivision, our town, or the nearest city.
Start with Some Research
A great place to start before creating a plan is online.
We can search to understand the state of our community and what types of initiatives have the most opportunity for impact.
Four areas to consider are emissions, water quality, toxins, and waste management.
We can type in searches like:
- What are the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions in [your city]?
- What plans are in place for waste reduction in [your city]?
- What are the climate plans for [your city]?
If the results don’t produce any relevant information, try searching for your state instead.
My Story
I had an assignment for one of my sustainability classes last week where we were asked to select a city, evaluate their waste management situation, and suggest opportunities for improvement.
My choice was a local one. I wanted to know the status of my own community. While some of the information was things I already knew, I learned a lot in the process.
One item I noted was the positive impacts that two programs could have – compost programs for both residential and commercial as well as a curbside e-waste program.
Now, as I do presentations in the community and speak to others, I’m making sure I include these higher impact ideas in the conversations.
Your Turn
Are you ready to spread your influence and knowledge outside your home?
Where might you start – your block, your town?
What one thing could you do today to begin to make that impact?