2020-21 Grant: Everyday Sustainability
For our 2020-21 grant program, we want to encourage the development of a more cooperative, more sustainability-focused community. Everyday Sustainability aims to educate and inspire ALL Cherryhill residents to make small, medium and large lifestyle adjustments in order to help conserve natural resources. Through self-assessments, challenges, contests, small group activities and discussions, we hope to inspire neighbors to go from awareness to action.
Our project was initially conceived in response to the devastating Australian wildfires in late 2019/early 2020. Shelter-in-Place restrictions beginning March 2020 prompted us to examine the causal relationship between household consumption/waste production and climate change. Prior Cherryhill grant programs have focused on water conservation and “free-cycling” unwanted items to make an impact in the community. Everyday Sustainability is an extension of our neighborhood’s goal of living in harmony with each other and our surroundings.
Everyday Sustainability primarily focuses on increasing understanding of how to lower our carbon footprint, step by step, household by household. We feel it will build connections between neighbors as we positively challenge each other to live more sustainably. We believe the project will increase pride in Cherryhill as well as increase the quality of life within our neighborhood.
May Activities
May 3-9: ZERO WASTE LIVING
May 10-16: WATER/ENERGY CONSERVATION
May 17-23: CO-OPERATIVE COMMUNITY
May 24-30: TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL
April Activities
All month we’ve been working on defining categories to address on a weekly basis. We folded in feedback from neighbors to come up with the following 8.
- DIET & COOKING
- WATER/ENERGY CONSERVATION
- ZERO WASTE LIVING
- COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY
- GO PAPERLESS
- GARDENING & COMPOSTING
- PETS/ANIMAL CARE
- TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL
Our team divided up leadership duties, each taking 1-2 co-lead positions within a category. We plan to launch the first category, DIET & COOKING, on Monday, April 26th.
March Activities
For the remainder of March, we’re asking residents to brainstorm ideas with us. How do you think we can live more sustainably in Cherryhill? What sustainability issues do you see? Any specific areas we can focus on?
CLICK HERE to access our Everyday Sustainability Brainstorming form.