Summer is finally here, so we asked our CoMo coworkers how they plan to have a sustainable summer season. Read on for their stories, tips, and local resources you can take advantage of to have your own sustainable summer.
At-home materials recovery with the family
Lelande Rehard, Environmental Program Coordinator says: “This summer the kids and I will be working to continue the recycling of metal cans in our household. We are designing and building our own in-home materials recovery facility to collect, sort, crush, store, and ship our cans to a local scrap yard. The kids and I are looking forward to providing anti-contamination educational materials to Mom regarding the yogurt containers that keep ending up in our metal collection stream!”
- Reducing the waste we send to landfills not only helps reduce environmental pollution but also reduces our contribution to climate change.
Do you want to start recycling like Leland? Use the latest guidance from the Columbia Solid Waste Utility on how to manage your household waste items.
Intergenerational composting
Subha Khan, Sustainability Analyst, says: “This summer, I’m composting with my family to keep our household waste out of the landfill. I live in an intergenerational home with seven people, including young kids, so a lot of our trash comes from food scraps and, of course, diapers! Since we cook most of our meals at home, composting has made a huge difference in reducing our waste. This summer, we’re adding empty toilet paper rolls to our compost bin, as they're a great addition to a healthy compost pile. It’s been one of the easiest and most impactful things we’ve done together as a family to live more sustainably, and the kids love it!”
- Food scraps add up, and composting them instead of sending them to the landfill to decompose and produce methane is a great way to stay sustainable this summer. Not to mention, your garden will love the compost boost!
Interested in composting like Subha? Take advantage of free CoMo composting resources – including workshops!
Heat safety and native planting
Elise Buchheit, District Planner says: “I'm very sensitive to the heat, so this summer I'll be looking to get my outside time in with early walks or by visiting the splash pads with my son. We will also spend more time in the basement which stays cooler through the day without having to turn up the AC. I'm excited to continue growing my native plant garden by expanding it a little each year. I'll save my clean, unlined cardboard to smother the grass and weeds before planting in the fall or next spring.”
- Following heat safety best practices, like going outside before afternoon heat hits or spending time in cooler parts of the house to reduce AC usage, are excellent ways to stay heat resilient and energy sustainable throughout the summer season. As a bonus, native gardening supports heat reduction and stormwater absorption.
Are you interested in following heat safety tips or starting a native garden like Elise? Explore our heat safety resources and discover the benefits of native landscaping.
Zero waste for the win
Tyler Gerstheimer, Sustainability Specialist, says: “This summer, my partner and I are reducing our inputs to the landfill by reusing our yogurt containers, spice jars, and cleaning product holders. Rather than throwing them out, we're washing and refilling them at Clovers and the Clean Refill.”
- Going the extra step in waste reduction by reusing containers and refilling products is a sustainable slam dunk. Reducing “linear” consumption, e.g., “take-make-waste," and shooting for “circular” consumption, e.g., “consume-reuse-recycle," helps keep materials out of the landfill and cuts down on emissions.
For more ways to have a sustainable summer, be sure to check out the “What You Can Do” page here on the CoMo Climate Action Dashboard.