When we talk about protecting the environment, we often think about reducing plastic use, conserving energy, or driving less. But there’s a hidden environmental issue we rarely connect to sustainability: housing instability—especially for renters without strong legislative protections.

Renters Move More — And It’s Not By Choice

Renters move far more frequently than homeowners. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, renters are more than twice as likely to move each year compared to homeowners. But these moves aren’t always about new opportunities—they’re often forced by skyrocketing rents, lease non-renewals, or landlords selling properties in markets without protections like right of renewal or rent stabilization.

When renters want to stay but are forced to move, the costs go beyond financial and emotional stress—they extend to the environment.

The Environmental Toll: One of Many Costs of Inaction

If we fail to implement policies that let renters stay in their homes longer, we’re not just perpetuating housing insecurity—we’re also fueling avoidable environmental harm:

• Carbon Emissions: Each move contributes approximately 17 to 18 kilograms of CO₂ emissions—and that’s just for short distances. Transportation is already the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA.
• Waste Generation: Moving often leads to dumping old furniture that no longer fits. Americans discard over 12 million tons of furniture every year, most of it ending up in landfills. Add to that the piles of bubble wrap, plastic, and cardboard from every move.
• Resource Consumption: A “fresh start” in a new apartment often means buying replacements—furniture, home goods, appliances—wrapped in plastic and shipped from afar, contributing to pollution and resource depletion (EcoLegit).

The Solution: Stronger Renter Protections = A Healthier Planet

This Earth Day, it’s time to recognize that housing policy is environmental policy.

When renters have protections like:

• Rent Stabilization: Prevents sudden, unaffordable rent hikes.
• Right of Renewal: Ensures renters aren’t displaced without cause.
• Just Cause Eviction Laws: Stops arbitrary or profit-driven evictions.

…the result is housing stability. And stable housing reduces the frequency of moves, cutting down on emissions, waste, and overconsumption.

Cities and states that prioritize renter protections are seeing not only stronger communities but also progress toward sustainability goals.

Why This Matters for Maui

Maui faces a dual crisis: a housing emergency and increasing environmental vulnerability. Without renter protections, local families are displaced at alarming rates—deepening both social inequity and environmental strain.

Implementing renter protections isn’t just about fairness—it’s about resilience. It’s about reducing unnecessary consumption, lowering emissions, and honoring our island’s deep-rooted value of mālama ʻāina—caring for the land.

🌱 This Earth Day, Let’s Connect the Dots

Caring for renters is caring for the environment. By advocating for policies that allow people to stay in their homes, we reduce waste, emissions, and protect both our communities and our planet.

Let’s not allow inaction to pile up costs—on our wallets, our wellbeing, or our environment.

If you believe Maui can lead the way in sustainable, equitable housing, join us at Maui Housing Hui. Together, we can push for policies that keep people housed—and protect the place we all call home.

👉 Learn more and get involved at mauihousinghui.org.