Whether you’re a native to Baltimore or a transplant from Towson, Ellicott City, or beyond, you probably know by now that Charm City is surrounded by dozens of historic landmarks and natural attractions. Stunning parks, beautiful bays, and everything in between make up a gorgeous landscape that embodies the spirit of everything East Coasters love about the Mid-Atlantic.
When it comes to touring around the Baltimore area, it’s simple to find great areas to enjoy; however, preserving all these natural and manmade wonders is no easy task. As a resident, you might think there isn’t a lot you can do to help keep Baltimore beautiful – but there are a few painless changes you can make at home to do your part for our area’s natural resources.
Change The Way You Commute
Let’s face it: nobody wants to sit in traffic or pay for parking. Unfortunately, these problems are just part of city life, right? Wrong! From walking and biking to public transportation, there are plenty of options for your commute that can save you time, money, and frustration – and have a positive impact on the environment too!
According to research conducted at MIT, even the most conservation-minded Americans have double the carbon footprint per capita compared to individuals in other nations – so finding ways to cut back on your personal environmental impact is a great way to benefit yourself and feel good about your contribution.
Change The Way You Clean
Water is a limited resource, and many of us take for granted every day the nearly unrestricted access that we have to clean, potable water. We also tend to forget that the Baltimore area is home to one of the world’s most complex, diverse ecosystems – the Chesapeake Bay Watershed – and our water consumption (and disposal) can have a big impact on the environment.
Just as an example, since pressure washing is our area of expertise, let’s talk about cleaning up our driveways, sidewalks, decks, and more. The average flow of a garden hose disperses nearly 20 gallons of water per minute. Compare that to the two gallons per minute consumed by a pressure washer, which arguably does a better job at cleaning most surfaces. Between the actual water usage and the amount of runoff created, using a pressure washer (or hiring a pro) can make a BIG difference in your personal impact on that gorgeous watershed – not to mention your water bill.
Change The Way You Buy
Supporting local businesses isn’t just good for the economy – it’s good for the environment too! Cutting down on the amount of goods that arrive in our area via emissions-heavy freight transportation isn’t going to happen overnight. But supporting local businesses that grow, make, and build their products right here in the Baltimore area can go a long way toward cutting back on the amount of commercial traffic passing through our area.
Plus, tying back into changing your own transportation methods, you can reduce your own carbon footprint by patronizing stores that you can walk or ride a bike too – or, at the very least, that involve a shorter trip in the car.
