Issue link: https://www.cominghomemag.com/i/1492999
Upgrade to LED lighting. Upgrading to light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, both indoors and outdoors, has serious advantages. LED bulbs are more energy-efficient and use around 80% less power than traditional fluorescent and incandescent lights. These bulbs also last up to six times longer than conventional bulbs, freeing up time and money from regular upkeep. For even greater savings long-term, think about switching to solar-powered LED lights. Communities might use LED lighting in: • Parking areas • Decorative lighting around trees and buildings • Indoor office areas • Pathways and stairways • Common areas, like clubhouses, pools, or gyms Go paperless. Rethink landscaping. Plant trees. Organize a community garden. Host a community recycling event. While it's easier for you to transition to email notifications and online billing and payments, it's difficult for an HOA with established processes to go paperless. Storing physical copies of meeting records, notices, bills, and other documents may be required by governing documents; however, this wastes paper and can set your community up for identity theft and damage. Encourage your HOA to consume less paper whenever possible. Today, there are HOA-specific digital platforms to help minimize paper consumption while giving residents options to interact. A person's environmental endeavors are often revealed through their landscaping. Similarly, community associations are subject to scrutiny regarding their landscaping maintenance. By over-watering, pushing out local wildlife, or using outdated equipment that spews toxic fumes, an HOA spends more on unnecessary costs, negatively impacts aesthetics, and decreases the quality of life for residents. For homeowners and HOAs alike, there are better, greener ways to maintain your property and approach landscaping, such as: • Using indigenous and drought-resistant plants • Making necessary irrigation system upgrades or installations • Hydrozoning green areas • Understanding weather patterns and adjusting watering schedules • Converting planter bed areas from pop-up spray heads to drip systems Planting trees is an excellent way to provide shade and cut back on cooling bills. Review your community's rules and restrictions to confirm eligibility to plant trees in and around your property. If there's a need for trees in your neighborhood, contact your board of directors and help them get your community involved in something that'll benefit the planet, clean the air, and increase your property value. Before planting, do your homework. Make sure the tree types and placements are appropriate and will thrive in the community. Whether in your backyard or neighborhood, gardens improve the ecosystem and promote sustainable agriculture. A group effort, community gardens do good for residents and the HOA. For residents, it's an opportunity to get some physical activity and connect with neighbors and nature. For the community, these gardens boost access to fresh foods and beautify abandoned lots. Get a team together, keep your board in the loop, and plan how to get your garden idea off the ground. When you plant a community garden, everyone—and every natural thing—benefits. Many HOAs already have ongoing recycling programs, but there are several perks to extending that further. When your community provides additional resources to reduce, reuse, and recycle, homeowners may be more inclined to declutter and rehome things they've outgrown or no longer need. Talk with your peers and work with your board to start a recycling event. Popular recycling event ideas include: • Establishing community drop-off centers for old computers, TVs, and other electronics • Cleaning up parks and common areas and going to the local recycling center to drop off collected bottles, glass, plastic, and paper • Gathering old toys, clothes, books, furniture, and household items to donate to a charitable organization 31