Going Green: Making The Association Earth-friendly

In today’s society, many homeowners are trying to make changes in their daily lives to promote energy conservation and to preserve the earth’s natural resources. Community associations have also begun to try to take part by “greening” up their Associations. There are simple ways that community associations can team up with its owners to get involved.

Take a look at the association’s use of consumable materials like paper. If you send out a community association newsletter, consider sending e-mail versions to residents that are internet capable. For mailings and notices to the membership, use recycled paper and hand deliver the materials, when appropriate, to cut down on envelopes and save the association a few dollars on postage.

The association can reduce energy use by replacing light bulbs with energy efficient light bulbs and encourage members to do so in their homes. In addition, when an Association is replacing major items like air conditioning units (if it is an association responsibility to do so), it would be wise to invest in an energy efficient model to cut down on energy use and electric bills. Encouragement of owner replacement of appliances with energy efficient models can also help.

Many associations already have recycling programs in place, however, if the association does not, a community wide effort to recycle can be instituted. If independent trash pick-up is used, separate recycling pick up can be arranged as well.

On an annual or bi-annual basis the association can organize a community wide collection of used computers, cell phones, and other electronics for donation to local schools or other organizations that accept donations of that type.

Summer is the time for landscaping and lawn care. The association can water lawns later in the evening or early in the morning to avoid water evaporation. If the unit owners are responsible for watering, the association can require (through rule adoption) that watering take place in the evening or morning hours. Lawn seeding and re-seeding can be done in the fall to limit the watering necessary for the grass to grow. There are environmentally friendly mulch products available as well. One such product is made from recycled tires and rubber materials and, as a result, last much longer than the traditional bark style mulch.

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