Recently I have decided to move away from the place I am currently living at in Big Sandy Mush, for various personal reasons. One of the things I have experienced as a struggle over the years (when looking for residence), is trying to live a fully sustainable lifestyle as someone who is a renter. Moving from place to place every 6 months or once a year is not a very easy or an earth friendly lifestyle in some regards. The reason I know the difference so well is because not that long ago I was a home owner, real estate investor who bought and sold 4 properties...2 of which I lived at for an extended period of time, long enough to see how fast and amazing you could transform a home into something eco. I feel as though as a renter I have made organic gardens everywhere I go, outfitted houses in water filtration systems, and maintained the houses totally non toxic- only to have to leave and go to the next one. While I may have made a lighter footprint where I lived, it always feels as though I am falling short from being able to delve into certain aspects of living a nature friendly life that would be more meaningful to me - aka on a house I am renting I can not invest money into building things like solar hot water heaters, composting toilets, or other huge repairs that could make the place a bit "greener", if i know I will have to leave shortly after. I feel stunted as a renter on so many levels, the lack of freedom can be exhausting and claustrophobic. When I add in the need for a healthy environment to maintain my personal health, it becomes even more layered.
I would love to know what ya'll do as renters (and home owners) to maintain sustainable lifestyles- what kind of situations you are in, how you make it work, things you have discovered?!
I would also love to see links to some DIY solar hot water heater projects, and other cheap,upcycle,easy or free things you did to maintain the homes you live in!!
XoXo
