Go green.
Be environmentally conscientious.
Save the planet.
These are all phrases we see often, but when it comes to your actual living space...what does that mean?
Yes - of course - you can hire an eco-friendly builder to build you a solar panel roof and a giant compost in your back yard, but for those of us who want to do our part within reason- how do we proceed?
Being in the real estate field for more than 10 years, I have seen many trends come and go from home décor to architecture, but the idea of ‘green living’ is one that truly benefits everyone and isn’t as complex as some may think.
There are many ways to adjust your home to be more eco-friendly.
Appliances. The new ENERGY STAR appliances are an easy upgrade to existing appliances and make a stand out difference in energy saving. ENERGY STAR is not a brand it’s a government rating that notes which appliances are designed to reduce the most greenhouse emissions and save energy over the long haul. (This even includes HVAC units!!)
Grey Water Recycling Systems. Now this may sound a little gross to some of you, but it’s actually a really efficient way to increase your green living, and one of the most cost savvy. Gray water is your used, non- contaminated, water (ie: from the sink, shower, laundry). The system takes this water and recycles it for use in the toilet and to your garden hoses only.
Energy Monitoring Systems. Not ready for the commitment to solar panels? Try an energy monitoring system. Just like your digital thermostats this gadget records your home’s temperature but it also reports your actual energy usage allowing you to see when, where and how you overuse. Even cooler? You can check your reports from the computer or your Smartphone. (Check out some of the latest models: TED, eMonitor or GE Nucleus )
Green Décor. There are many options to spruce up the inside of your home, new or old, with healthier more eco-friendly products. One of the most popular is the low-VOC paints, stains and sealants. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds which have been noted as some of the most harmful chemicals in these items linked to causing cancer. Other ideas are natural product furniture such as bamboo or eucalyptus which improves air quality. (You can even go as far as doing flooring and cabinets in a natural product.)
Light Bulbs. Changing your old bulbs to the new LED or CFL bulbs really do make a difference. LED seems to be the greener way to go and are evolving to a more livable option in light and price. Good rule of thumb is to change your top six most used lights to LED, if you can’t stand the light use CFLs instead.
There are thousands of tips and tricks to owning, building or renovating a green home and people are investing millions of dollars to turn their homes into eco-friendly green machines. If you aren’t ready for that type of commitment try a little at a time… we could all save a little money and help in our own little way. Don’t forget that many of these ideas and others come with great tax incentives and rebates, check all your options. And if you do go to extremes or are interested check out having your home LEED Certified, or participating in a green house package such as the one Blu Homes offers.
