Each year on April 22 Hollyburn joins in the global environmental movement, Earth Day, to celebrate Mother Nature and encourage transformational change to help save our planet.
How Earth Day Began
Earth Day began in 1970 as an opportunity to bring public awareness to the state of the planet, the impact it has on human health, and to promote more conscious industries and consumerism. By the end of the first year, Earth Day had inspired more than 20 million Americans to protest the harmful effects of industrial development and inspired legislative changes including the National Environmental Education Act, the Clean Air Act, and the Clean Water Act. By 1990, Earth Day was a global movement, “mobilizing 200 million people in 141 countries and lifting environmental issues onto the world stage.”
Now, Earth Day is widely recognized with more than a billion people participating every year to motion for awareness and change.
Learn more about the history of Earth Day at EARTHDAY.ORG.
Hollyburn’s Sustainability Efforts
Here at Hollyburn, we are committed to creating healthy, safe, and environmentally responsible rental communities – and those aren’t just buzzwords. Our business model focuses on decreasing energy consumption, diverting waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the environmental impact of our apartment building operations.
One of Hollyburn’s Directors puts it frankly, “Because we have the opportunity to do so, we have the responsibility to do so.”
Here are some of the ways that Hollyburn works to make our rental apartments green:
- Buildings Close to Transit
- Energy Star Appliances
- LED Lighting Fixtures
- Building Automation System (BAS) Temperature Controls
- Community Gardens
- Car Sharing Partners – shout out to Modo and Evo!
- Water Conserving Plumbing Fixtures
- Water-Based Biodegradable Paints/Cleaners
- Natural Material Quartz Countertops and Porcelain Tiles (they’re beautiful, too!)
- Green Bin Organics Recycling
- Clothing Donation Bins
- Solar Energy Panel Pilot Project
- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Program
- Waste reduction initiatives in partnership with BottleWorks and Karma Cans
- Double-Pane Window Retrofit Program
- Eco-Conscious Hollyburn Perks (think Aspen Clean, Frogbox, and SPUD)
- CMHC Energy Efficient Rebate
- City of Toronto Mayor’s Towering Challenge
- Energy Efficient Boiler Retrofit Program
- Energy Efficient and Motion-Censor Controlled LED Lighting
We are also devoted to making sure our new purpose-built rental developments go above and beyond to prioritize sustainability. So much so that The Lonsdale is 28% more efficient than BC Building Code, and Hollyburn Gardens is 26.5% more efficient!
It’s important to work together and always be improving. If you currently rent an apartment with Hollyburn and have an idea that might help make your apartment more eco-friendly, we’d love to hear from you! Shoot us an email at [email protected].
Learn more about Hollyburn’s sustainability initiatives here.
How to Live Green in a Rental Apartment
When it comes to apartment living, we all play a role in the community’s environmental footprint. Here are 4 simple steps you can take to live more green today!
Be Energy Efficient – Did you know electricity generates greenhouse gas emissions? One of the easiest ways to conserve and reduce your environmental impact is to simply turn off the lights when not in use. With many people continuing to work from home, this is something that can be accidentally overused.
Conserve Water – Shorten your shower. Fill the sink to wash dishes rather than leave the tap running. Invest in a water jug that you can keep in the fridge, so you don’t have to use the tap every time. These simple steps add up to make big impact!
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Hollyburn has recycle bins, organics bins, and cardboard bins in all of our rental apartment communities. Make sure to follow the instructions and wash your containers prior to disposing of them!
Consider the 100 Mile Diet – When it comes to combating climate change there’s a necessity to source things more locally. Did you know the average American meal travels somewhere between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from farm to table? Learn more about the effects of this by reading about James and Alisa’s experience in Vancouver.
This Earth Day, we challenge you to try one (or all) of these initiatives. You might be surprised by how easily they can be integrated into long-term habits and an eco-friendly lifestyle! If you do try them, share your experience on Instagram by using #MyHollyburn!