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Raising chickens, stingless bees and sharing assets are just a few ideas to implement in sustainable condominiums. Check out the full list

Image: "Edible landscaping interns plants veggies at The Salad owl Garden" by Davis Arboretum & Public Gardeno is licensed under CC BY 2.0

You don't have to move (in some cases) to live in a sustainable condominium. It is sometimes possible to make changes to where you live. Have you ever imagined that raising bees, sharing spaces and goods can be sustainable attitudes? Check out how to implement these and other sustainable condominium tips on the list that the eCycle portal prepared:

1. Idealize

David Yu image by Pixabay

The first and most important step is to idealize. Think about what a sustainable condominium could look like and how your ideas could fit into your condominium. In the middle of this process, surprising ideas will emerge.

2. Share your ideas

Image by heinzremyschindler from Pixabay

After idealizing, it's time to share and discuss with the rest of the residents. Talk to the manager and your condominium neighbors informally, seeking their reaction and opinion. Spread posters around the condo and call meetings to show the importance of sharing and discussing ideas together.

3. Be democratic

Felipe Blasco image by Pixabay

When it comes to exposing what you thought, remember that not everyone will agree. Discussing, perhaps, even more cool and sustainable ideas than yours will come up. The important thing is to have democracy. Some will not be interested in your suggestions, others may be strongly opposed. However, the adoption of sustainable practices does not need to be unanimous, if only a portion adheres is already something positive - as long as the changes do not bother the rest and that they are in full agreement with the condominium's new sustainable practices. After a while, seeing sustainability working in practice, it is possible that residents who were against it in the past will end up creating interest in taking part in the new activities.

4. Practice composting

An easy-to-do idea that can be implemented in sustainable condominiums is composting. Imagine transforming food waste into compost and humus and still reduce the volume of waste from landfills and dumps, avoiding the emission of greenhouse gases such as methane? All this is possible with the installation of composters and the collaboration of residents of the condominium, who will be able to deposit their organic waste in an appropriate place and contribute to the maintenance of the compost - which is very easy to do. See the following video:

To understand more details about composting, what sizes are needed and how to make compost, take a look at the article: "Home Composting: How to Make and Benefits".

To learn more about the effect gases studies, take a look at the article: "What are greenhouse gases".

5. Plant your food organically

Ru-Shin Shieh, Umbrella House Rooftop Garden, CC BY-SA 4.0

Planting your own food organically (without using artificial inputs) is a way to save on food expenses and to invest in health.

Starting a community garden in the condominium allows residents to have fresh, tastiest food on hand, free of harmful substances - which are normally applied in conventional farming and during food processing. In addition, practicing agriculture, especially in urban areas, is a way to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, since it avoids the cost of transporting food over long distances. Another benefit, in the case of the condominium, is that the care of the garden is collective, which allows for the division of responsibilities and socialization among residents - which can also function as therapy.

• What are organic foods?

Check out nine tips for setting up a community garden in condominiums. Also know which foods to avoid to combat certain health problems.

To learn about other benefits of organic urban agriculture, take a look at the article "Organic urban agriculture: understand why it's a good idea" and in the video below:

6. Plant the bees' food

Image by S. Hermann & F. Richter by Pixabay

Bees need the nectar and proteins present in flower pollen to stay alive and give rise to new generations of bees. They play a key role in the maintenance of ecosystems and, therefore, contributing to the existence of these small beings is to opt for a sustainable attitude. So, how about spreading flowers around the condo? Bees are very fond of aromatic plants that flower, such as daisies, basil, oregano, sunflower, mint, rosemary, dandelion, thyme, among others.

From the tree category, they like guava, jabuticaba, avocado, lychee, etc. They also need an essential item: water. But, in the latter case, beware of the proliferation of mosquitoes that carry diseases such as dengue, change the water daily. Also be careful with the application of insecticides (even natural ones) and some species of trees harmful to bees, such as the neem tree, as insecticides and some plants can significantly reduce bee populations.

• Learn how to make natural insecticide and pest control in the garden
• Dandelion: plant is edible and has health benefits
• How to plant rosemary?

7. Raise native stingless bees

Bees pollinate more than 70% of the food consumed by humans and are having their populations reduced (30% each year in the US alone) due to deforestation and the application of pesticides. These data alone reveal the importance of taking good care of these beings. So, how about raising stingless (harmless) native bees in the condo? You can start scattering baits, native vegetables and water (but beware: watch out for mosquito larvae that transmit diseases such as dengue, the water change should be daily). You can also contribute to the rescue of endangered bees by registering on the website of the NGO SOS Abelhas Sem Stinger - where there are tips on how to practice meliponiculture (breeding stingless bees).

Demeter, Bee-jatai, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons

Understand more about the importance of bees in the article: "The importance of bees for life on the planet".

8. Install tanks

Image: Tecnotri/Disclosure

The collection of rainwater and the reuse of water from the pool and/or air conditioners in condominiums are sustainable alternatives. There is even a bill in the Senate that makes it mandatory for new buildings to include in the bill the reuse of rainwater for non-drinking purposes. But condominiums already built can also adapt and include cisterns in the water supply system.

The cisterns are reservoirs that capture and store water from rain, swimming pool or air conditioning, providing savings of almost 50% in water consumption. This is because the water captured by the cistern can be used for cleaning common areas, irrigation of gardens, fire protection reserve, toilet flushing, car washing, decorative aquatic systems (we are talking about fountains, fountains, mirrors and waterfalls. 'water - using an aquarium with trapped animals is not sustainable), among others.

To learn how to make a homemade cistern, read the article: "How to make a residential cistern". Read also: "Project to capture rainwater generates savings in condominiums".

9. Revitalize spaces

Biswarup Ganguly, Purna Salabhasana - International Day of Yoga Celebration - NCSM - Kolkata 2016-06-21 4953, CC BY 3.0

Common areas in condominiums are owned by all residents and represent a safe space. Some residents miss an area that really provides social interaction, a learning environment for children, or simply a quiet, pleasant space to spend their free time.

The collective areas of the condominium can include the garage, ballroom, playground, swimming pool, barbecue, gym, leisure area, unused rooms, among others. These areas are usual for Brazilian condominiums. You can take the initiative to make your condominium unique and live in a more sustainable community with better quality of life.

In addition to these areas being used for the installation of gardens, meliponaries and cisterns, they can be used to carry out activities such as yoga, children's games, workshops offered voluntarily by residents, exchange fairs, among others.

10. Adopt chickens

If there is a consensus among the residents of the condominium, why not adopt chickens? Chickens are curious, intelligent and interesting animals. But what not everyone realizes is that their cognitive abilities are, in some cases, more advanced than those of cats, dogs and even some primates. A chicken is able to communicate with others and transmit complex information. Free in spacious condominiums, they form societies in which each one knows its position in the social hierarchy. A hen teaches vocalizations to her chicks even before they hatch. She cackles softly at them as she sits on her eggs - and they chirp back at her and the others from inside their eggs.

Capri23auto image by Pixabay

In commercial egg production, chickens are forced into overproduction (even in those backyard productions). What causes fatal disorders such as tumors, uterine prolapse, bone fractures, total skeletal paralysis, among others. What makes these beings have an early death and end up being raw material for processed foods.

To make this situation less painful - which can only really be improved when we stop consuming and using animals as commodities - there are campaigns to encourage the industry to adopt the production of 'cage-free' hens' eggs. However, these campaigns only seek a mere reduction in the suffering of laying hens by asking that they be removed from the intensive confinement of battery cages.

So how about adopting chickens for the condominium and freeing them from this suffering? As a bonus, they will also carry out the natural control of pests such as ants (which are pests for vegetable gardens), cockroaches, spiders, bed bugs, scorpions, among others. They will be able to eat the food leftovers of the residents of the condominium and will also provide a very nutrient-rich manure for the garden.

To learn how to raise chickens, read the article: "How to raise chickens in the city in seven steps"

It is important to check if chicken farming is possible in your region. In some places in Brazil there are municipal laws prohibiting the creation of these and other animals in urban areas, so find out beforehand.

If you were moved by the information about chickens and even thought about not eating chicken and eggs, take a look at the article: "Vegan philosophy: know and answer your questions".

11. Share goods

Image in PXhero CC0

One way to reduce consumption is to share goods - on top of that, you still save and have a sustainable attitude. One idea is to provide a refrigerator in a common area of ​​the condominium for sharing food. Residents who will travel, for example, can put food that would spoil during the period of travel in the refrigerator for common use. On the other hand, residents who need some ingredient can look in the refrigerator before going to the market.

Another idea is to share clothes and utensils. It is possible to provide a changing table where clothes and utensils not used by some residents can be used by others. If there are items that do not circulate among the residents, they can be given to charity or returned to their respective owners. To better manage exchanges, it is possible to establish idle time limits for the objects made available. This, of course, is a practice slow fashion. Learn more about this topic in the article: "What is slow fashion and why adopt this fashion?".

There are examples of condominiums that also share bicycles for short trips. Generally speaking, it is possible to share everything! All it takes is creativity, willingness, self-management and collaboration.

12. Install solar panels

Free-Photos Image by Pixabay

Solar energy is considered a renewable and inexhaustible source of energy. During the operation of a photovoltaic panel, no polluting gases are emitted, and, compared to hydraulic energy, much smaller areas are required. For sunny regions, this type of installation is feasible. Another advantage is that solar panels can be installed in sustainable condominiums. However, the most frequent disadvantage pointed out is the high implementation cost and the low efficiency of the process, which ranges from 15% to 25%. Another disadvantage is the social and environmental impact caused by the raw material most used to make photovoltaic cells: silicon.

To learn more about this topic, take a look at the article: "Solar energy: what it is, advantages and disadvantages".

13. Implement selective collection

In sustainable condominiums selective collection cannot be lacking. Some housing developments have already made this practice a standard; others, however, still find it difficult to know how and where to start selective collection. The important thing is to make residents aware of the importance of separating waste and apply the necessary changes. To find out how to do this, take a look at the article: "Selective collection in condominiums: how to implement it".

Find out which collection points are closest to your home in the search engine. eCycle portal .

If you want to make a quote for the management of your condominium, fill in the form below and a representative will contact you:

Did you like the ideas and want more inspiration? Then watch the video that shows some sustainable ideas that have already been put into practice in a condominium in Stockholm, Sweden: