With all the green products and techniques advertised, trying to keep a green lifestyle while renting can seem difficult.  Your best bet is to rent a green or LEED Certified apartment; however, depending on where you live, these apartments can be hard to find.  But with a few simple daily changes, you’ll find a low-key greener lifestyle while living in any apartment is truly easy.

Re-Use
With a little creative thinking, we can re-use many of the products we come across on a daily basis.  By re-sing old items and not purchasing new, we can help green efforts overall.  If you still use plastic grocery bags to carry your groceries home, you can use those bags to line small garbage cans.  Old wine bottles work well as sophisticated vases and candle holders.  Take your daily newspaper and use it as wrapping paper, or use it to wrap packages.  Use plastic butter, sour cream, and take-out containers as a Tupperware alternative.

Unplug
Most appliances continue to use energy even when turned off – this phenomenon is called “phantom load”.  By unplugging your appliances (such as TV, DVD, and computer), you can reduce this phantom load and easily make your apartment more green – and reduce your energy bills!  If you don’t think you can remember to unplug all your appliances, consider plugging them into a surge protector that you can remember to turn off when you’re not using it.

Recycle
If your apartment has a recycling program, recycling can be as easy as sorting your items into the appropriate bin.  If your building doesn’t already have a recycling program (we hope it does!) you can bring the idea up to your property manager.  Otherwise, you can pick up your recyclables (and maybe recruit your neighbors, too) and drop them off weekly at a recycling facility.

Reduce
Cut back on your overall energy consumption. Change your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter, your AC to 72 degrees in the summer. Or, let nature do its work and open a window or two.

Clean
Instead of buying highly processed cleaning agents, learn to make your own green cleaning agents.  These products will work just as well, and are a lot friendly to the environment.  As an essential, all-purpose cleaner, combine 1 tbsp white vinegar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp Castile soap, and1 tbsp Borax.  If you want to deodorize your carpet, combine 1 cup Borax, 1 cup baking soda, and 10 drops essential oils.  These will leave your carpet refreshed.

By following these simple steps, you’ll be on the road to living a green lifestyle, no matter where you live.