Earth Day 2024: Planet vs. Plastics
What is our role as designers in the critical fight to reduce plastics in the built environment?
One of the most sustainable design decisions is to repurpose an existing building. It keeps construction debris out of our landfills and captures the embodied carbon already present in the building. UDP prioritizes the adaptive reuse of existing building as a design strategy to not only create greener buildings but also revitalize old buildings with energy retrofits which lower carbon emissions.
As a practical matter, it’s sometimes hard to see the correlation of how saving energy and limiting plastics impacts the environment. Our planet is showing us signs of this ecological damage in melting glaciers, drought, soaring temperatures and harm to animals. We had the opportunity to work with the City of Minneapolis in updating the “Minneapolis Climate Action Plan”. Here’s some tangible things that you can do:
Using reusable water bottles and shopping bags
Gardening and composting to reduce food waste
Installing air monitors and filters to assess and improve indoor air quality
Utilizing public transportation to reduce personal car use
Reducing the amount of goods purchased and practicing sustainable consumption
Changing to LED light bulbs
Eating less meat and switching to a plant-based diet
Enrolling in energy assistance programs for households earning less than 60% Area Median Income
Upgrading household appliances to electric
Using low-flow fixtures to reduce water consumption and energy water treatment costs
Installing energy efficient windows to reduce heating and cooling costs
Increasing insulation within walls and roof to maintain consistent indoor temperatures
Switching to an electric vehicle or electric bike
Working remotely, when possible, to decrease transportation expense
Growing a snake plant indoors or planting trees outdoor to filter air
When we replace, reduce, or recycle activities or things that cause an increase in carbon emissions, we can collectively preserve our natural resources to improve the health and climate of our community. What one thing will you do today to reduce your environmental footprint to sustain our planet for future generations?
