Builder
Better Futures: Eco-Friendly Policies for Business and Individuals
By Sam Marquit
The world is growing, and knowledge is everywhere. People are
learning how to significantly reduce the amount of waste in their lives. In
today's world landfills have taken over, deforestation has increased and the
majority of people aren't recycling their waste. There are small and big things
that people and businesses can do to lessen the burden on Mother Earth. In my
work as a contractor, I've seen the green materials market grow to $116
billion. People are more concerned about the environment and what's going to
happen to our planet in just a few hundred years. The market is expected to
grow to $254 billion in 2020, which is hard to believe considering the amount
of pollution and waste that doesn't seem to be avoidable. Many practices that
are seen in a commercial setting can be implemented at the home front.
Millions of people go to Las Vegas every year. They come to this
desert specifically for the promise of a good time. The casinos, luxury hotels
and entertainment are some of the top reasons that travelers will cross-oceans
to visit. Still there is one hotel that is doing something different for the
environment. The Las Vegas Palazzo Hotel and Resort changed some of its policies
to be more sustainable and less wasteful. They included a watering system for
their landscapes that saves eight million gallons of water every year. This
system incorporates drip irrigation, moisture sensors and artificial turf
grass. Because of its sustainable features, the hotel was recently named the most
eco friendly hotel in America.
At home people can change the way that they use water for
landscapes and gardens as well. They can install drip irrigation systems, too,
or they can reuse gray water from showers and washer machines to water gardens.
There are also ways to collect rainwater. People can install low flow toilet
and tank less water heaters to lessen water waste throughout the home.
Recycling is one of the major ways that people contribute to
living green. They are able to reduce most aluminum, paper and plastic products
just with curbside pickup. There are also drop-off locations throughout the
city that will take other items like wood scraps, paint, hazardous chemicals
and much more. The ARIA hotel created a large sorting center to reduce its
waste. Now the hotel diverts 47 percent of waste from going to landfills, and
they send food scraps to local farms. Individuals are learning how to use
compost bins to use food scraps to fertilize their lawns and cut back on waste
as well. Another practice that is gaining popularity is “up cycling”. Instead of
throwing away old or worn out items, people are finding new and creative uses
for those items.
It is important that businesses and homeowners a like continue to
innovate the industry. Vegas sees millions of travelers each
year, staying at the various hotels and casinos. If a city like Las Vegas
can implement green infrastructure, so can a homeowner.
Sam Marquitfmarquitv.tumblr.com
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