Why Going Green

You probably hear a lot these days that going green is important. But, have you ever thought about what it really means? The answer will depend on which expert you are asking. Some experts would suggest that it is important to fill your home with non-toxic, natural materials, and other furnishings to make sure you have high-quality and safe air inside your house. Other experts would say that it is important to carefully choose products that have been made from renewable and sustainable sources. And to a great many others, going green is mostly about conservation: saving energy and water in an effort to reduce pollution and help protect out natural resources for future generations. But perhaps most likely of all, the incentive for going green is some combination of these goals.

Whatever you hope to achieve once you have decided to go green, the good news is that you don’t necessarily have to sell your house and build an earth-sheltered hut on the outskirts of civilization. There are so many ways to make an ordinary home greener that we could not possibly encompass then all here. You can make these changes as they seem necessary or perhaps start by tackling a short list of items that are most important to meeting your green goals.

So, what are the principles of green?

In the big picture, the green movement includes all aspects of building design and construction, as well as the operation of a building or home throughout its life. It also considers the destruction of old buildings and the disposal or recycling of used building materials. “Green” means different things to different people, but there are the basic principles common among most green home initiatives:

1. Natural systems.

Increasing reliance on plants, wind, the sun for air quality, cooling, heating, lighting, end electricity.

2. Minimal pollution and the highest air quality.

Ensuring effective ventilation and healthy inside air with the use of non-toxic materials; reducing out-of-doors ecological pollution from landscape equipment, pesticides, and fertilizers.

3. Conservation of water.

Setting up low-maintenance drought-tolerant gardens and landscapes.  Making use of water-saving appliances and low-flow fixtures all through the house.

4. Smart materials.

Choosing finish and construction materials for their minimal ecological impact, recyclability,  durability, low toxicity, and sustainable production.

5. Energy efficiency.

Reducing demand for energy by means of everyday preservation; a well-insulated thermal, airtight envelope or energy-efficient appliances.

Achieving  any or all of these going green goals might sound unrealistic, but it’s taking place right now in numerous cities and local communities around the world. It is not really difficult to see why, as the more people begin thinking green, the more they appreciate that it is just a better way to accomplish what they are already doing. A truly green house is not just better for the ecology, but it is more pleasant and comfortable to live in as it would cost less to run year after year.