From Guest Blogger Joanne Peters: Producers and Consumers Seek Mutually Beneficial Sustainability Methods

Going green certainly isn’t a new concept, and unique ways to do so are popping up all the time. However, there are some that are a little easier for companies and consumers to enact together than others.

For example, Daily Camera recently posted an article about a couple outside of Boulder, Colo., who are currently at odds with town officials about ordinances they believe are discouraging sustainability practices. The sustainability practice in question: residential chicken coops.

The couple, Angie and Jesse Seavers, said that a personal brood “can reduce food waste, help recycle old structures for coops and provide sustainably grown food for keepers.”

Now, the Seavers’ coop isn’t being criminalized. In fact, the article states that the town’s current #NedZero campaign is working to make them the most sustainable small town in the United States. But the two sides disagree on the current permitting fee required for the residential coop ($50) along with other laws regulating the practice.

Unfortunately the benefits of this particular sustainability method are slightly one-sided, thus making it difficult for the movement to gain a lot of steam. A hen house full of chickens in a residential area isn’t exactly feasible for everyone, and no amount of fresh eggs is guaranteed to convince your neighbors of the benefits. The Seavers even admitted they didn’t know about city ordinances until a neighbor filed a complaint about the coop. If their problems so far serve as any proof, some sustainability methods just might remain better in theory than practice.

Instead, most eco-friendly practices work best when the benefits to the enterprise and the consumer are mutual. And thankfully there are plenty of ways to initiate a more sustainable lifestyle without turning your backyard into a barnyard—much to the relief of your neighbors.

Recycling, for example, is a standard practice in sustainability that’s mutually beneficial to both parties. Many cities already have established methods for recycling things such as paper, metals, and plastics. In addition to these traditional methods, some businesses are making it easier to recycle more complex products, such as electronics and batteries.

For instance, Verizon Wireless has started a program that allows costumers to recycle their old phones right back to their source. When a customer is ready for a new phone, they can send their old one back to the manufacturer for a gift card. The gift card can then be used to buy a new phone or accessory from any store. Verizon then recycles and/or repurposes parts of the old phone to create other products, allowing for reductions in waste while conserving natural resources.

In addition to recycling, more people are utilizing programs such as Zimride, a site that allows members to sell seats in their vehicle for carpooling. Less traffic benefits the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) by decreasing road damage and accidents. The driver benefits from a little extra income, and the environment benefits from less emissions.

Selling used clothes and goods to resell shops can also be a mutually beneficial experience. One person gets money for their old goods, and the secondhand store makes a profit selling them to a new consumer. That consumer saves money by buying used goods at a reduced price, and the entire process requires little to no additional manufacturing and waste.

It’s a win-win-win.

Of course, these practices could mean giving up a steady stream of fresh eggs every morning, but think of it this way—the indirect impact of enacting your new sustainability methods could help chickens for years to come. Old MacDonald would be proud.