Residents
Top 3 Actions You Can Take to Improve Sustainability
Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. There are a variety of actions you can take to improve sustainability in your community and Nevada. However, it can be daunting or confusing when there are so many options to consider. You may wonder which actions move the needle or where you should even start. To make being sustainable more accessible and practical, we’ve identified three actions that you, as a Nevada resident, can focus on to directly drive sustainability.
- Action 1: Be informed about up-coming legislation related to sustainability and how to comment/get involved.
- Action 2: Be informed about what sustainability-related services and resources are available to you.
- Action 3: Be a responsible and sustainably conscious consumer.
Action 1: Be informed about up-coming legislation related to sustainability and how to comment/get involved.
Regulation and policy can be confusing to the public, especially when changes are proposed. Questions - such as “How do I have my voice heard” and “How can I propose new changes” - are common to think about when the legislative session begins. The Nevada Legislature utilizes a program called NELIS (Nevada Electronic Legislative Information System) to inform the public on legislative proposals and updates. Below are resources to help you navigate NELIS and understand the Nevada Legislature.
Guide to the Nevada Legislature
Guide to the Nevada Legislative Website Brochure
What are the Nevada Revised Statutes and the Nevada Administrative Code?
Visit NELIS to keep up to date on specific sustainability related bills for the upcoming Legislative Session. You can create an account, search by topic (e.g., “solar”), and track bills.
Action 2: Be informed about what sustainability-related services and resources are available to you.
It is fundamental to increase your knowledge and stay informed about what sustainability-related services and resources are available to you. Sustainability is a dynamic field and being informed and aware about current issues and opportunities allows you to find the most productive ways to make a positive change in your community.
The NDEP and the Partners for a Sustainable Nevada have compiled a Library of Resources to help residents locate nearby services and to improve their knowledge of various sustainable activities.
Action 3: Be a responsible and sustainably conscious consumer.
Being a responsible and sustainably conscious consumer involves engaging in the economy with the mindset of wanting to reduce your ecological footprint and be less wasteful. It is about understanding that our actions do make a difference and that we have a shared responsibility to make things better for our environment, our communities, and future generations. While everyone has a role to play in promoting responsible and sustainable consumption, not everyone has the same role. Understanding what you can do based on the resources available to you is a great first step. Every little action matters.
Ways to develop a responsible and sustainably conscious consumer mindset:
- Be aware of how your purchasing habits and consumption of food and other products impact the environment and society at large.
- Know the best and most productive ways to use and reuse products and materials.
- Understand how to properly manage products that do reach the end of their useful life (e.g., using recycling and composting when appropriate for the material) .
- Recognize what you waste and, when possible, change your consumption habits to be less wasteful.
- Build habits, starting first with simple, easy, and little-to-no cost actions such as use reusable bags when shopping for groceries.
For more specific and related sustainability tips and habits, view our Tips for Daily Sustainability.