What steps has your nonprofit taken to become more environmentally sustainable?
Nonprofits across the country are stepping up their sustainability efforts. From shared workspaces and green audits to creative food repurposing and waste reduction, See how leaders in the Blue Avocado community are finding innovative ways to align their missions with environmental responsibility.
As climate concerns grow, nonprofits are increasingly embracing green practices to align their missions with environmental responsibility.
When we recently asked the Blue Avocado community “What steps has your nonprofit taken to become more environmentally sustainable?“ — once again, nonprofit leaders came through!
Here’s a summary of some of the best answers we received:
Shared Workspace Lowers Costs and Environmental Footprint
Supportive Housing Community Land Alliance (SHCLA) operates from a shared co-working space, eliminating the need for an in-house printer and reducing paper usage.
This arrangement maximizes space efficiency, allowing SHCLA to adjust its footprint based on team needs, share conference rooms, and engage with a community of like-minded businesses and nonprofits.
SHCLA also offers commuter benefits and, by supporting remote work days, helps reduce the number of car trips.
The organization tracks employee commutes and aims for at least 50% of trips to the office to be made via public transit, biking, or walking.
— Teslim Ikharo from Supportive Housing Community Land Alliance
Green Audit Drives Nonprofit Collaboration and Sustainability
As a small nonprofit nature-based preschool, we added a Green Audit to our 3-year Strategic Plan to rededicate our efforts each cycle.
We created a three-prong approach:
- Energy review: electricity and water usage
- Green efforts: amending our organic garden beds with native low-water consumption planting and butterfly attractors
- Food repurposing: exploring how we can repurpose our leftover food
We connected with two other local nonprofits that align with our mission. We donate our organic food scraps to a local children’s garden and donate leftover organic rice, cous cous, and grains to a soup kitchen.
Not only are these efforts good for the environment, but building the giving spirit and connection with the larger nonprofit community speaks to our mission: “to support, strengthen, and inspire the growing child, family, and community.”
— Laura Cruz from The Playgarden, Inc.
Creative Sourcing Reduces Waste at Events
For our smaller events where food will be served, we use real utensils, which we collected through our neighborhoods’ Buy Nothing groups.
— Rebecca Katz from JusticeAccess
Incentivizing Volunteers to Reduce Waste at Parties
When we plan our end-of-trail-season volunteer appreciation parties, we offer a free door prize raffle entry for anyone who shows up with their own reusable plate, cup and utensil.
It’s a way to reduce our single-use plastic and paper product consumption by encouraging people in a positive way, instead of just saying “Bring your own. No paper plates or plastic forks will be provided.”
— Melanie Vining from Idaho Trails Association
Affordable Housing Features Energy-Saving Technology
- Include a solar array for each unit of affordable rental housing
- Include LED lighting
- Include energy efficient appliances
— Frankie Foster-Davis from Home Works USA
Shifting to Organic Methods for Sustainable Farming
We have resorted to using organic farming methods that promotes utilization of natural fertilizers and pesticides
— Mulindwa William from Mmanze Centre For Rural Development And Training
Note: The opinions and product/service recommendations expressed above are solely those of the participants and do not necessarily represent those of Blue Avocado. Submissions may be edited for length and clarity.
Your Voice Matters!
Help other nonprofits grow by sharing your knowledge and insights with a chance to be featured in the next Ask the Blue Avocado Community results.
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About the Author
Blue Avocado is an online magazine fueled by a monthly newsletter designed to provide practical, tactical tips and tools to nonprofit leaders. A small but mighty team of committed social sector leaders produces the publication, enlisting content from a wide range of practitioners, funders, and experts.
Articles on Blue Avocado do not provide legal representation or legal advice and should not be used as a substitute for advice or legal counsel. Blue Avocado provides space for the nonprofit sector to express new ideas. The opinions and views expressed in this article are solely those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect or imply the opinions or views of Blue Avocado, its publisher, or affiliated organizations. Blue Avocado, its publisher, and affiliated organizations are not liable for website visitors’ use of the content on Blue Avocado nor for visitors’ decisions about using the Blue Avocado website.