Have you heard of Zero Emissions Day? How about Clean Up the World Weekend? September is chock-full of honorary holidays such as these, and at Sterling Ranch, we take notice of such special days. Here we value sustainability and stewardship, and we always strive to preserve our land and resources. After all, we’re blessed to live in a breathtaking location, and leaving a legacy for future generations is always top of mind. Won’t you join us in this effort?
Small Actions, Big Results
Living an environmentally friendly lifestyle is among the most responsible and worthwhile endeavors humans can make. The good news is, it’s easy to positively impact the earth — in your community and beyond. It just requires a sprinkle of conscientious actions to embody a sustainability-focused mindset.
When you strive for a planet-wise lifestyle, small actions add up to big results. Read on for some of our favorite ideas. Won’t you join us in this effort?
Cut your emissions
Save the planet and save some green by getting creative with transportation.
- Make it a car-free day: Denver boasts an amazing web of public transit throughout the Metro area. The easily accessible light rail stations just moments from Sterling Ranch are a bonus!
- Bike to work: Trade four wheels for two and pedal to work! The area’s many bike lanes, not to mention neighborhood and nearby trails — appreciated by residents in Douglas County, the nation’s second-healthiest county — offer a safe path to the office.
- Telecommute: One-gig+ fiber optic internet comes standard in every home at Sterling Ranch — and makes working from home an easy proposition.
- Live near work: With its proximity to top employers in the aerospace and health care industries, such as Lockheed Martin and Children’s Hospital, cutting one’s daily commute is achievable for many Sterling Ranch residents.
- Carpool!
Minimize your footprint
Ecologically speaking, we all impact the earth with our footprints — carbon footprints, that is. What does this mean? According to the World Wide Fund For Nature, a carbon footprint is simply “the amount of the environment necessary to produce the goods and services necessary to support a particular lifestyle.” Through your choices, you can minimize your family’s impact. Check out these ideas:
- Consider your lights: Once the sun goes down, how many lights do you really need turned on throughout the house? Flip the switch when you can, and be sure to swap incandescent bulbs for LEDs — they’re far more efficient.
- Turn off the tap: Water sustainability is important in the West. There are many ways to maximize your sustainable usage in the home. Check out this post for easy-to-implement strategies.
- Opt for renewable energy: Did you know every home in Sterling Ranch is solar-ready? When you live in a place that enjoys 300+ days of sunshine, it makes sense — for the planet and for your pocketbook — to opt for this renewable energy source.
- Recycle: You already practice good habits recycling run-of-the-mill paper and plastics; don’t forget to take this a step further and recycle clothing, electronics and batteries too.
- Know your home: The best way to determine if your home is functioning at its greatest efficiency is by testing it. Take advantage of an energy audit by Xcel Energy to truly get a handle on how your home performs.
Beautify your surroundings
When you live in a beautiful place, such as Sterling Ranch, life is just . . . better. Our residents agree. Just ask Lindsey Cox: “I wake up every morning in a beautiful, safe home surrounded by nature. . . . I can’t even begin to imagine how life could get any better than this!” But keeping the land, air and water pristine takes effort. Try these ideas that both help Earth and make the aesthetics of the community pleasant for all:
- Organize a pickup party: Call on friends, family and neighbors to gather and head out for a community cleanup day. Visit sidewalks, pocket parks and trails — and meet fellow residents along the way.
- Plant something: It’s no secret how beneficial plants and trees are for purifying the air we breathe. In the West, landscaping can be both functional and show-stopping, all while adhering to best practices for water conservation (that is, choosing drought-tolerant varieties).
Do Your Part!
In 2020, Sterling Ranch set out to reach an objective established in our technology road map: to identify a path toward net-zero energy usage. Support us in this ambitious goal by doing your part! Join our Crash Course on Energy, a 12-part email program designed to create a big impact from small efforts.
Sterling Ranch: A Community Effort to Take Care of the Planet
At Sterling Ranch, we are dedicated to supporting earth-friendly measures. Residents here are joyful and conscientious and lead sustainable lifestyles, ensuring our community thrives long term, for generations to come. Sound like a neighborhood you’d be proud to call home? We invite you to visit us today and see for yourself what makes Sterling Ranch so special.