When I signed my lease last September, I didn’t expect that my new apartment would also have to double as a mini WeWork, small restaurant, and home gym. But this is a reality that many of us are confronting right now.
The transition to working from home has presented different challenges for each of us and while it is difficult to predict with any certainty when quarantine will come to an end, as each day ticks on, I will admit that I have begun to settle into my work from home routine and have even started appreciating the short commute from my bed to my desk (approximately 2 steps). One thing I can say for certain is that social distancing has given me a newfound appreciation for my roommates—all 6 of them.
Another thing I can say for certain is that spending more time at home has gotten me to pay extra attention to my day-to-day energy use and consumption habits. In addition to being wary of a potentially sizeable increase in our electricity bill, I have also come face to face with the amount of waste that my roommates and I accumulate in one week (it's not pretty). Needless to say, BlueWave's Earth Month Challenge has come at a perfect time for my roommates and I, as we could use some extra inspiration to green our household while we're spending so much time here. The challenge also serves as a reminder that a sense of community--whether virtual or emotional--is one of our greatest tools of resiliency in our collective fight against COVID-19.
With the Week 1 Challenge of greening your work from home routine officially under our belts, we've already seen a lot of creative and inspiring engagement from individuals across the BlueWave community who are coming together to celebrate our planet. Here are some highlights from the week.
Week 1’s highlights:
Did you know washing machines spend 90% of their energy heating up water? Try cold washing instead! P.S. notice the re-usable cloth diapers for bonus points.
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Check out this work from home station. Not only is this work desk entirely relying on natural sunlight for lighting, but it’s also using a rechargeable 12v battery to power the laptop.
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See this picture for #CompostGoals.
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Upcycling your closet? How about upcycling old wood planks from your garage and building an ax-throwing target. This one takes the prize for the most creative DIY quarantine project that I’ve seen so far.
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Here’s a nifty way to dry your plastic bag after washing it for re-use. Bonus points for the friendly sponge.
6 More Tips for Green Living
Week 1 of our earth month challenge may have come to an end, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop the sustainable habits that we’ve been cultivating this week!
Here are 6 more tips and resources to help you continue building momentum towards green living:
- Start composting! Many cities have free compost drop off locations. Here are some awesome Boston-based composting companies to check out! Bootstrap Compost, Black Earth Compost, Project Oscar (free drop off locations).
- Request minimal packaging from Amazon. All you have to do is message customer support and they can set you up to start receiving all your packages in more environmentally friendly packaging. Or try out this eco-friendly alternative to Amazon.
- Explore eco-friendly alternatives for detergent and other cleaning supplies!
- Learn what a bioplastic is and get educated on proper recycling habits! Here's a good app to figure out if something is recyclable in Boston or not!
- Check these awesome environmentally-focused podcasts: The Energy Gang, The Sustainability Agenda, SustainabilityDefined.
- Reduce your waste. Conduct a trash audit to see what ways you can cut down on waste. Or check out a zero-waste program like Loop or Unpacked Living.
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BlueWave's Earth Month Challenge
We may be separated right now, but we remain united in our mission to protect the planet. To celebrate the 50th annual Earth Month this year, BlueWave is inviting you to join us in our virtual Earth Month Challenge. Each week we will post different challenges and tips to give you inspiration for small and big ways you can green your lifestyle and fight climate change from the safety of your home. Get involved by posting on your social media accounts about how you're taking action and tag #BlueWaveChallenge.
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