Earth Day: Doing Our Part

Earth Day comes around every year on April 22nd as a reminder for us to reflect on what we are doing to help the planet and those around us.

However, as the effects of climate change become more apparent in our lives, it’s important to realize that preventing climate change should be a daily focus.

When Lot Sixteen is at the office in-person, we are committed to creating less waste by using reusable mugs, cups, plates and cutlery and by and avoiding single-use plastics such as K-Cups or individually packaged snacks, opting instead to use a traditional coffee pot and snack jars with scoops. Lot Sixteen is also committed to recycling efforts by keeping the fridge stocked with beverages in aluminum cans and bottles instead of plastic, using a water cooler instead of single-serve bottles and using three separate bins for collecting co-mingled recyclables. We also use motion-sensor lighting and a programmable thermostat, as well as plenty of plants to keep air quality levels high.

Since we’re currently working remotely, I asked the Lot Sixteen staff to fill out a survey about their personal conservation habits through some general questions about transportation, recycling, and eating habits. Here are some takeaways:

An area of improvement could be in composting habits. Only three employees currently compost. While composting can seem like a daunting activity, once you order a bin and find a nearby composting site or community garden, it can be an easy way to cut down on trash that ends up in landfills.

This question was one of the most varied responses on the survey. Most Lot Sixteeners drive as their main form of transportation, with some employees using hybrid cars. The rest of the responses varied between taking public transit, biking, or walking.

Here are three conservation areas where Lot Sixteen employees did really well in. The majority of us use reusable bags when shopping, carry around a reusable water bottle or use metal straws, and only get takeout 1-3 times a week. These are all small, yet easy ways to help the environment and reduce the growing amount of waste in our daily lives. 

Overall, Lot Sixteen staff are doing their part to help the environment, not just on Earth Day but every day. As environmental conservation and climate change become increasingly important factors in our lives, it’s important to check in regularly on what constructive (& destructive) habits we’re bringing to our own environmental consciousness, and make adjustments as needed.

Until next time, happy Earth Day!