Good and Green News & Updates |
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Let's make 2022 the year that we turn our good intentions into good and green habits.
There are a lot of eco-habits you can start this year like reducing your use of single-use plastics (those plastics you only use once then need to dispose), gardening in your backyard, eating less meat and dairy, or reusing old items through new ways to keep items from landfills. The first step is to start where you can! Normally, when you leave the house you might grab your phone, wallet, and keys – now add a reusable bottle and reusable bags and after a while then you're good to go - it will become a habit.
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Showcase Your Artistic Talents to Support Water Conservation! |
Help create awareness about the importance of water in our daily lives and why conservation is important! K-12 Art or Science Classes can now sign up to participate in the 2022 Drop Savers Poster Contest. Sunrise Utilities collects student posters within our Utility Service Area schools including Sunrise, Davie, Weston and Southwest Ranches. A winner from each division is selected by the judging panel based on creativity, clarity of conservation message, use of theme, and originality. The winning poster in each division is sent to the Florida Section of the American Water Works Association to compete at the state level. If you are a K-12 Art or Science Teacher, email sustainability@sunrisefl.gov to sign up your class to participate.
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Save Water Outdoors: Start with a Water-Smart Landscape |
Tighten those taps, eliminate those leaks, and use water wisely! Here in Sunrise, on average, 118 gallons of water is used per person, per day. Of those 118 gallons, it may surprise you to learn that about half goes to irrigation – for the watering of our lawns and landscapes. The average household uses more water outdoors than they use for showering and washing clothes combined. We are in the South Florida dry season, with January typically the driest month, so now is an especially important time to conserve water. Some of the biggest, and easiest, savings can come from reducing your outdoor use! Read our water-saving tips in the January-March issue of Horizons magazine.
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Coyotes – a medium-sized canine related to domesticated dogs, have been documented in every Florida County, including rural, urban, and suburban communities. There have been recent sightings in Sunrise and other Broward cities. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds us that Coyotes are an important part of the landscape in Florida. They help maintain healthy ecosystems by managing populations of rodents, insects and other small animals. By preventing conflicts, we can better exist with coyotes and other wildlife.
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Make a New Year's Resolution to do Something Good for the Planet in 2022 |
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A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.
-The Nature Conservancy
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What's Your Climattitude? Quiz from the United Nations (UN) |
This campaign is an initiative of the UN Climate Change secretariat. It aims to encourage individuals who are willing and in a position to contribute to climate action. Take the climate attitude quiz and learn how you might be able to reduce your carbon footprint.
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Did you know that the City of Sunrise has calculated our Community Carbon Footprint? You can read about the City's benchmark greenhouse gas inventory which calculated both the community-wide and City operation emissions in the Sunrise Sustainability Action Plan (SAP). The Sunrise SAP also sets targets for reducing City emissions, and is a roadmap for increasing sustainability.
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Many of our daily activities - from the food we eat to the water and energy we use and how we get to work - cause greenhouse gas emissions.
Together these emissions make up a household's carbon footprint.
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Climate change has many of us worried these days, and it can feel paralyzing when we think about the enormity of the challenges it presents. So how can you reduce your worry? First, find out how much carbon you’re emitting. Second, identify 1-3 feasible ways you can adjust your habits and lifestyle to reduce your emissions. Third, act on one of those changes you identified.
You can use one of the carbon footprint calculators listed below, or find others, to find out what your carbon footprint is now (Tip: it helps to have your utility bills handy):
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You can make a game or a competition of it by comparing yours with others in your household, friends, family, and neighbors. Once you have calculated your carbon footprint, these sites will provide suggestions for changes you can make. If you make New Years Resolutions, how about choosing one of your actions as your resolution for 2022? Buddy up with someone and keep each other on track to develop a new habit together. Once you’ve developed this new habit, recalculate your carbon footprint and see how much of a difference you’re making! |
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