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Housing constitutes a significant portion of a Finn’s carbon footprint, and we hope you will join us in creating a more sustainable tomorrow. We have gathered a few tips that can help each of us contribute to more environmentally responsible living. By taking small actions, we can collectively make a big difference in protecting the environment!
An unnecessarily warm indoor temperature leads to extra costs and environmental impact. Therefore, it’s good for residents to pay attention to heating. In general, a suitable room temperature in living areas is 20-22°C, and a few degrees lower in bedrooms.
If your apartment feels too warm, you can adjust the thermostats to a lower setting. If the room does not warm up and the radiator remains cold, even though the thermostat is open, contact maintenance. This could indicate a problem with the thermostat, the radiator, or the broader heating system.
Ventilating your apartment is a good idea if the indoor air feels stale or, for example, if you notice condensation accumulating on the windows during laundry drying. When ventilating, keep the following in mind:
Your personal actions have a significant impact on water consumption. By saving water, you also reduce energy use, as heating and purifying water consumes a lot of energy. The biggest water consumer in households is the shower. Try to take shorter showers and turn off the water while applying soap. Be sure to check that your toilet is not leaking, as a leaking toilet can waste a considerable amount of clean water and significantly increase your household’s water consumption.
You can easily influence electricity consumption through your daily habits. During the day, electricity use typically peaks on weekdays in the morning from 8-10 a.m. and in the evening from 4-6 p.m. Shifting consumption outside these hours helps maintain balance in the electrical grid and reduces your electricity bill. It’s also easy to cut down on electricity use by turning off unnecessary lights, screens, and other devices. Unplugging unused cords from sockets is also a good habit. When purchasing appliances or lighting, pay attention to the energy consumption of the products.
A lot of recyclable waste still ends up in general waste. Sorting waste is important to ensure that it can be utilized in the best possible way in waste-to-energy plants. In addition to sorting, it’s good to be mindful of the amount of waste generated in your household. You can reduce waste by using reusable bags and paying attention to packaging materials and product durability when shopping.
The most common types of sorted waste are general waste, paper, cardboard, biowaste, metal, glass, and plastic. You can recycle plastic packaging such as empty food containers, plastic packaging for goods, plastic bags, and empty plastic detergent and cleaning bottles. It’s a good idea to rinse dirty plastic packaging before sorting. However, plastic contaminated with cooking oil or other chemicals not meant for the sewer system should be disposed of in general waste without washing. Waste that doesn’t fit or isn’t suitable for your building’s waste containers can be taken to recycling centers. You can find your nearest recycling center here.
Food waste refers to food that was originally edible but, for one reason or another, ends up as waste. According to a study by the Natural Resources Institute Finland, we generate about 20-25 kg of food waste per person annually. For a family of four, this could amount to as much as 500 euros per year.
The environmental impact of food waste doesn’t come from the bio-waste itself but from the greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient pollution from food production. These impacts would be reduced if we made full use of the food produced. By reducing food waste, we can minimize the environmental footprint of food production and save money on groceries.
If you notice any issues in your rental apartment, report them immediately to the maintenance company. Leaking plumbing fixtures can lead to unnecessary water use over time, and unaddressed issues in your apartment may result in significant additional damage.
