Co-ownership is a great way to create and foster your own community through co-operative real estate. We at GOCO are constantly advocating the versatility and benefits of co-ownership and how you can use it to define and choose your lifestyle in your home. Here are five great ways to live sustainably and have a more green and eco-conscious lifestyle through co-ownership.
Gardens!
One of the many benefits of co-ownership is your ability to purchase a home with like-minded people in order to create a community under your own roof. If you and your household want to live more sustainably, gardening is a great way to do that. Many cohousing and co-op communities already have communal gardens with fresh produce available to residents. In a co-ownership arrangement, the whole household can assist and tend to a household garden allowing everyone to benefit from fresh vegetables, herbs and fruits from the comfort of their own home.
Remember to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!
2. Less Waste & More Recycling
Speaking of gardening, a co-ownership community has plenty more opportunities for composting and recycling in a household. These two points go hand-in-hand as a good composting system will drastically improve your gardening plots. With everyone in the household on the same page, it’s far easier to create and maintain a system of sustainable living. Learning how to compost and having everyone help each other to recycle is a great way to live more sustainably.
3. Carpooling
Co-ownership and co-living allow a household to minimise their carbon footprint through the sharing of resources. Sharing a car and carpooling for errands is a great way to save on energy and carbon emissions. Additionally, by carpooling, you’re reducing the potential amount of cars on the road, which further reduces your footprint through passively lessening congestion and traffic. And, of course, having a vehicle allows the household to purchase in bulk and further share resources between the household.
4. Efficient use of space and land
It’s no secret that Toronto has a housing problem. Space is cramped. For a co-ownership arrangement, having multiple parties sharing the same space and land is far more sustainable than if they were to occupy separate spaces. Shared space and land also mean that many resources and common household items are shared amongst the parties in the home. Instead of having four different couches, people are more likely to only have one and share its use.
Sometimes even the small things make a huge difference.
5. Lower Energy Consumption
As we’ve said, co-ownership means sharing a home which also means your energy consumption, water and waste management become more efficient. Your overall impact from your household is far less than living separately. Coupled with all your other efforts, co-ownership overall encourages and facilitates an environment that allows you to be conscious of your impact and reduce your carbon footprint.