Green your Apartment: Find Eco-Roommates

If you rent your little space in the world, many of the commonest green-living tips don’t apply: You can’t keep a garden (much less a compost pile), weatherize your home, or install solar panels. Even remodeling and keeping pets could be off limits. So, when you don’t own the deed, what can you do to go green? This week’s tips tell you what.

Tip #2: Choose your cohabitants wisely. 

It’s that much harder to stay eco-friendly when the people you live with do exasperating stuff like throw a half-full plastic water bottle in the trash. To make sure that your cohabitants know the meaning of the word “recycle,” make sure you’ve chosen the right people. If you’re seeking a roommate, include in your ad that you’re only interested in living with environmentally conscious folks. Here are three good ideas:

1. Type “eco” into Craigslist’s “rooms & shares” search bar

2. Check out Ecoroommates.com

3. Use a roommate-matching service (Roomiematch.com asks about recycling habits, dietary preferences, and “political outlook”).

Tell us: How did you meet the people you live with?