Think sustainable home design is just a fad? Think again. Green is growing and growing and growing. In 2017, more than one-third of homebuilders said green building was a significant share of their overall activity. By 2022, this number is expected to increase to one-half, proving that green home building is here to stay (and hopefully bound to become the status quo!).
Every year new products and technologies emerge – raising the bar on the possibilities. And after watching trends in sustainability for nearly two decades, I’m excited to report that the coming year looks better than ever! Hop on board with these 18 trends for sustainable homes in 2018! SUSTAINABLE HOME DESIGN TRENDS FOR 2018#1 – RESILIENCYAfter a record-breaking year of catastrophic destruction due to weather and climate change, and with similar natural disasters expected to increase in intensity and frequency in the coming years, “resiliency” is becoming the new “sustainability.” Not only are durable materials and designs becoming a part of the conversation, non-toxic materials are becoming more important as well as the mass destruction of buildings made from toxic materials essentially creates Superfund sites out of communities – leaving extremely high levels of pollution in the water, soil, and air. Thankfully, many of the materials and technologies already exist, like prefab homes that can withstand hurricane-force winds, cladding materials that are naturally fire resistant, and battery systems that reserve electricity for unanticipated power outages. #2 – EXTREME ENERGY EFFICIENCYFar beyond buying Energy Star appliances (which is still great!), an increasing amount of people are building or renovating their homes using a more holistic energy efficiency approach. Buildings account for 70% of energy use and nearly 40% of CO2 emissions in the U.S., so it’s no wonder builders and homeowners are increasing efficiency in as many ways as possible such as using super-insulating materials and passive solar design. At the farthest end of the spectrum are net zero energy homes that generate as much electricity as they use – and California’s accelerating the adoption by mandating that all new home be net zero energy by 2020 (that’s right around the corner!) Interested in having a net zero energy home? We want you to have one! Check out our net zero hub to learn steps to take, find rebates and pros, and much more! #3 – RENEWABLES EVERYWHEREInstalling renewable energy systems in your home isn’t an anomaly anymore, as more people opt for solar and wind driven systems over fossil fuels. Falling prices have given people greater access to these types of alternative energies, plus numerous PR campaigns have educated us on all of the benefits. “The cost of renewable energy keeps going down, comparing favorably with coal,” writes Erica Gies for Insideclimate News. “Battery technology also continues to improve and get cheaper. And digital technology is making electric markets cleaner and more efficient, as well.” It’s the perfect trifecta for progress across the board – not only is it easier for an individual homeowner to use a renewable energy system on their home or land, it’s also empowering utility companies and local governments to start transitioning to 100% renewables. According to the Sierra Club, across the U.S. over 50 cities, more than five counties and one state, have already adopted ambitious 100% clean energy goals. #4 – ALL ELECTRIC HOMESTransitioning to renewables means phasing out gas as an energy source; thus, the rise of the all-electric home. One out of every four homes in the U.S. is all-electric already, according to the most recent survey from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Taking the place of the gas stove is the induction range. Standing in for the gas water heater is the heat pump water heater. And, kicking the gas furnace to the curb are heat pumps and radiant heating AND cooling. “Right now people understand the benefit of having an electric vehicle, and soon I think they will also understand the benefits of having all-electric homes,” said Rachel Golden, a senior campaign representative at the Sierra Club. #5 HOME AUTOMATIONHave you heard of the Internet of Things? It’s the internetworking of physical devices that allows them to send and receive data. The applications range from health care and transportation to environmental monitoring and, yes – homes. “Smart homes” are quickly becoming the norm in sustainable building. The pros at Pearl Remodeling write, “It seems like these days people expect to be able to turn on their coffee and pre-heat their ovens on the way home. With today’s technology, there is almost nothing you CAN’T control remotely. We don’t see any reason for a decline in that home design trend, in fact, quite the opposite.” Expect to see even more smart devices on the market in 2018, in all price ranges, that will do things like control and automate heating, lighting, and HVAC systems, and even appliances such as refrigerators, ovens, washers, and dryers that can use Wi-Fi for remote control and monitoring. #6 – WATER EFFICIENCYA staggering 40 out of 50 states anticipate water shortages in the coming years, according to a Government Accountability Office survey of state water managers. As such, using water wisely is becoming more important than ever. “Water efficiency efforts have long seen ebbs and flows based on drought conditions,” says Ryan Meres, programs director for RESNET Washington, D.C. “However, with water prices increasing as much as eight percent each year since 2010 consumer demand for more water efficient homes may reach a tipping point in 2018. Builders already getting their homes HERS Rated will soon be able to add a water rating with the launch of the new HERSH2O Index in 2018. With more than 200,000 homes getting a HERS Rating each year, HERSH2O has the potential to transform the water efficiency market.” The Federal Energy Management Program is even encouraging net zero water buildings! #7 HEALTHY HOMESConsidering how much time we spend in our homes, a home that supports good health should be our first priority. As it turns out, going green has plenty of benefits for more than just the planet. Research shows that green buildings have a hugely positive impact on the health (mental and physical) of the lucky people who live and work there. Going green means improving indoor air quality, making use of natural lighting, and using eco-friendly materials — all of which contribute to your happiness, health, and productivity. The main reason why green homes are healthier: They have excellent indoor air quality. Going green means using low- or zero-VOC paints and materials, eliminating respiratory and immune system distress commonly associated with traditional buildings. Plus, green homes typically sport excellent ventilation systems — a steady flow of fresh air into the home means no build-up of stale and polluted air. Tightened building envelopes are another feature that makes green buildings healthier. A tighter seal means less airborne irritants, like allergens and dust. #8 WATER FILTRATIONAdding a water filtration system to your home is a 2017 trend that will carry over into 2018. Rising health concerns and water crises in the news have sparked people’s desire to check out how their water quality measures up and to take precautions to protect and improve it. Healthy living is gaining in prominence, too, and clean water is a key ingredient. Also, despite costing up to 2,000 times as much as tap water (and not necessarily being any purer than tap water), last year bottled water became the most popular beverage sold in the U.S. And the amount of waste it’s generating is staggering. Hugo Tagholm, of the marine conservation group Surfers Against Sewage, told EU media network EURACTIV that the figures were devastating. “The plastic pollution crisis rivals the threat of climate change as it pollutes every natural system and an increasing number of organisms on planet Earth.” #9 – MATERIAL TRANSPARENCYWith increasing concern over toxic chemicals in products, consumers are pushing for ingredient labels on everything. Without government regulation, others are filling the gap with databases like the 10 trustworthy green product databases we featured here. As transparency becomes a competitive advantage, more and more manufacturers are jumping on board. “2018 will be the year when transparency finally becomes practical,” writes Ken Edelstein, green building expert. “Understanding the ingredients of a building the way a chef understands what goes into a recipe is becoming less of novelty and more of a standard way of doing business.” #10 – BIOPHILIC DESIGNHumans evolved in nature, so it should come as no surprise that nature is biologically and psychologically beneficial to us. Still, over the last century buildings have been designed to separate us from nature – biophilic design aims to reverse that by incorporating nature and natural elements into homes. “When buildings capture the movement of the sun through the sky using windows, patterns, and architectural details, these dynamic shadows and pools of light connect us to the time of day, the season, and our inner biorhythms,” writes Amanda Sturgeon, FAIA, and CEO of the International Living Future Institute. “There is a lasting and healing power in these spaces. I started working in architecture over 20 years ago, on a mission to dissolve the walls that existed between the inside and outside. Needless to say, biophilic design has always made inherent sense to me, and I’m so excited to see it begin to emerge as a design trend.” #11 – INNOVATIVE MATERIALSYear after year, innovations in green building materials continue to expand and 2018 will be no different. Recycled and reclaimed products have become widely accessible and mainstream, but manufacturers are expanding into new realms with things like smart-tinting glass, materials made from food waste, and much more. #12 EFFICIENT SPACESAs homeowners increasingly realize that less can be more with a smaller home, the need for multifunctional design is becoming more appealing than ever. Get the most out of your space by turning little nooks and crannies into a mini hideaway or use convertible furniture to transform a room’s purpose completely. And, if you’re considering putting an addition on your home, instead of adding to the footprint, remodel with space-efficiency in mind to be more sustainable. #13 PREFABS AND PREFAB TECHNIQUES“Prefabs” or prefabricated homes were originally popular in the early 1900s when modern building was first becoming mainstream (Sears sold them in their catalog!), and now they’re back with a bang. “Factory-made prefabricated homes have come a long way from flimsy trailer park dwellings,” writes Jackie Craven for ThoughtCo. “Trend-setting architects and builders are using modular building materials to create bold new designs with lots of glass, steel, and real wood. Prefabricated, manufactured and modular housing comes in all shapes and styles, from streamlined Bauhaus to undulating organic forms. (Here are 18 options almost anyone can afford!) #14 – LIVING IN PLACEHomeowners and their families are increasingly staying put, opting for renovations like design elements intended to aid aging-in-place (which continue to top the American Institute of Architects’ quarterly reports). “Not surprisingly, demand for greater accessibility features continues to be strong,” said AIA chief economist, Kermit Baker. “Whether it’s a result of generally lower mobility or the aging baby-boomer population, homeowners are preparing for the future.” And families are sticking together. “It looks like multigenerational living is here to stay,” writes Mary Cook, founder of interior design firm Mary Cook Associates Chicago for Builder Online. “Not since the 1950s have so many families chosen to live with multiple adult generations under one roof, according to Pew Research, challenging designers and builders to maximize efficiency without compromising style. Home builders are learning quickly that privacy and accessibility are two must-haves for multigenerational living.” #15 SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPINGExtend sustainability outside your home this year by making your yard environmentally friendly. While a perfectly manicured grass lawn was once the ideal, 2018 is bringing native, drought-tolerant, low-maintenance plants to replace some of that turf. By creating a less rigid landscape with these types of trees, shrubs, and plants, you can help conserve water, fertilizer, and pesticides – plus help support local wildlife. Another popular option is growing your own food. Utah-based landscape designer Laurie van Zandt tells Builder Online that 75% of her clients now request vegetable and herb gardens. #16 – AFFORDABLE SUSTAINABILITYAs prices drop across the board – from renewable energy options to prefab building techniques to eco-friendly building materials – having a sustainable home is more affordable than ever before. Plus, homeowners are increasingly getting wise to the long-term savings associated with going green: lower energy bills, lower water bills, and fewer upkeep costs. Learn tips and tricks to make your home more sustainable on a budget in this article about the Top 10 Myths About Green Home Remodeling. #17 – STANDARDS, CODES & RATING SYSTEMSDon’t get lost in the acronyms, but at the November 2017 Greenbuild conference in Boston we saw representation from a flurry of certifying organizations including LEED, WELL, SITES, Fitwel, ILFI, GRI, JUST, ISSP, IWBI, BREAAM US, GBCI, and more. “2018 will be a watershed year in the course of green building standards, codes and rating systems,” writes Stuart Kaplow for Green Building Law Update. “There has been no other single calendar year that has seen the breadth of substantive change that is before us…it is clear that the real estate industry is developing out of its green building adolescence. Earlier versions of these green building standards, codes and rating systems were largely written in silos by partisans. What appears to be on the horizon in 2018 is the democratization of green building, in the U.S. and abroad.” #18 – GREEN GOES MAINSTREAMIn the best news of all, green seems to finally have gone mainstream. Yay! “The accelerating adoption of green building practices may transform sustainable construction from movement to norm,” writes Jeff Gavin, LEED Green Associate. “Globally, the green building market is doubling every three years, as revealed in ‘The World Green Building Trends 2016 Smart Market Report’ by Dodge Data and Analytics, New York. While mandates make sustainable building a bigger force abroad, its rapid adoption in the United States is even more remarkable given its voluntary and value-driven approach. Green is now mainstream, which is reflected in ever more stringent codes, communities and states that institutionalize green practices, and owners and the real estate market are endorsing its value.” As you can see there’s a lot to look forward to in regards to sustainable home design as we move into 2018. We can’t wait to reveal even more good news from the green building scene as the year progresses. Happily, green building is moving much more into the mainstream and once things reach a positive tipping point, the wasteful ways of the past will seem as primitive as a steam locomotive. *Sorenson, Janelle. (n.d.) 18 Trends for Sustainable Homes In 2018. Retrieved from, https://elemental.green/17-trends-for-sustainable-homes-in-2017/.
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Being environmentally-friendly in my home is too expensive. Going green is just a fad. Eco-friendly style is just plain ugly.
Chances are you've thought about decorating green, but one of these stereotypes stopped you. It turns out that believing these myths can be harmful to your health. "There's so much in our homes that's not good for us," says green architect/designer Michelle Kaufmann, founder and chairman of Michelle Kaufmann Designs. New home smells are actually toxic; mold inside walls can cause migraines and other health issues; and carpet can off-gas formaldehyde which is known to cause respiratory irritation and even cancer. "But the good news is that we're becoming aware of these things," says Kaufmann, "As we become aware — and as there are options out there — it's just a matter of making choices." Choose to decorate with real sustainability in mind — using less energy, less water and less non-renewable resources while still beautifying your home. Here's why green design is affordable, beautiful and here to stay. Not all green design is pricey."I'm so tired of the green stuff that is so expensive," says Kaufmann. "It sends the message, 'green is for the wealthy'. That's so not right. Green is for everyone!" Consider places like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. For a modern take on old accessories, Kaufmann picks up shapely items at these stores and spray paints them white.
For any style, Kaufmann has a simple way to make your home more energy efficient. Create a water wall with colorful Mason jars on a window that gets a lot of sunlight (preferably west-facing). The water absorbs the heat during the day, keeping the house cooler, and releases it at night. Clear glass jars filled with food-coloring dyed water is another way to make the water wall playfully decorative. By going green, you'll know what your home is made of.Nutrition labels let us know exactly what's in our food. Wouldn't you like to know exactly what's in the materials we use in our homes? "We don't even think about it," Kaufmann says, "when in fact it impacts us to a great extent as much as food does, because we're breathing in whatever these materials are off-gassing," like formaldehyde from carpet. For those with wall-to-wall carpeting, if it's wool and you like it, keep it. Otherwise, Greg Snowden, owner of the Green Fusion Design Center, advises it's best to use modular carpet tiles. Several eco-friendly companies, like FLOR and Shaw Carpet, offer stylish carpet squares that use non-toxic dyes and are made from recycled materials. "Carpet squares are a huge eco-improvement, because they're modular," Snowden says. "When you're done with it, you can ship it back to the manufacturer to recycle." Plus, these squares involve little labor; they are easy to lay down by yourself and don't need support from toxic padding. Eco-friendly decorating has incentives — like tax breaks.If you make eco-friendly improvements to your home, reporting these on your yearly taxes can earn you a tax break. But after remodeling, what should you do with all those materials you ripped out? Rather than taking them to the landfill, contact The ReUse People (www.thereusepeople.org). They check over your refuse for reusable parts, which will be shipped to their warehouse for distribution to organizations like Habitat for Humanity — while you get another tax write-off. (Contributions to this article from Jenny Jedeikin) *Baginski, Caren. (n.d.). Eco-Friendly Decorating Ideas. Retrieved from, http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/design-101/eco-friendly-decorating-ideas We love building custom homes—it’s a unique and exciting construction project; probably the most rewarding that a homeowner will ever undertake. Many of our past clients have told us how amazing they find it to be able to wake up in a home they had built just for them, with everything they wanted it. We truly enjoy the entire process from start to finish, and when it’s all done, our clients do too. Having said that, sometimes during the process, some people struggle with getting overwhelmed as they have to make the choices and decisions that are needed. We call these decisions “selections” and they’re basically just choices a client makes in regard to the way the home will look when it’s finished. This includes deciding what kind of flooring the home will have, the color of the paint, the style of the windows, etc. Since all the homes we build are completely custom, our clients decide exactly what will go on (and in) the home. We don’t have stock floor plans that we tell clients to pick from, and we don’t have “standard” finishes or fixtures either. Instead, we work with an architect to design the home’s layout and specifications, and let the client decide the actual level of finish for the home as we build it. When we build a new home, our project manager will create a “construction schedule”—a Gantt chart that shows our best guess for how long it’s going to take to build your home, and it lists all the steps involved. What I do is take the data from that construction schedule and create a new document—the “decision schedule”—which helps me (and the client) know which selections need to be made, and at what point in the process. This is a very important tool that helps us keep the project on schedule. The process of making selections during a home build can be either exciting and fun, or they can be daunting and intimidating, depending on your personality and whether your builder communicates well and sets proper expectations for you throughout the process. So here’s a list of ten things that I think you might find interesting if you’re building (or thinking about building) a new home anytime soon. I hope they’re helpful! Hint #1: You (The Home Owner) Don’t Have To Know Everything Before We Start Building A mistaken assumption we see sometimes is that people think they need to know everything about what they want for their home before they even contact us or think about building. The good news is that you don’t! When we start a new build, we ask a lot of questions to help draw that out and we’ll be able to figure out what you want over time. A big part of what I do when working with clients is I’ll contact the vendor or supplier that we’ll be working with, and set up an appointment for all of us to meet and discuss the selection at hand (whether that’s flooring, windows, lighting, or other selections). Most of our suppliers have a showroom where we can look at different brands, colors, and finishes, and you can see a lot of options before having to make a decision. Hint #2: You Have A TON Of Selections To Make, But You Have Plenty Of TimeLet’s imagine a hypothetical two-story home with approximately 3,000 square feet. During the building process, the home owners are going to have to make a lot of selections. A LOT. Even with a simple 3,000 sq ft home, there might be 30 different categories of selections that need to be made, such as plumbing fixtures, lighting, cabinets, tile, door hardware, etc. 30 categories might not sound like so much, but each one of these various categories can have 20 to 50 choices within them, such as color, size, style, finish, layout, wattage, etc. So, in all, you’re looking at potentially up to 1,000 or more total selections that need to be made by the home owners. “1,000 decisions?!” you may say… “That’s overwhelming!” I understand. Making this many selections can be overwhelming. But the good news is, with our decision schedule, we make it so that you have sufficient time (and knowledge) to make all these selections, and you don’t need to make all the selections in the beginning. Early on, there are a few decisions you’ll have to make right away, such as: exterior doors, roof color, garage door styles, and things of that nature. These first decisions are all about us being able to “dry in” the house so it becomes weatherproof. That way, we can get the structure built very quickly, then put a roof on it, which allows us to then bring in the wiring, plumbing, furnace, etc. So once you’ve made this first round of selections, we’ll get started building, and you have some time to get to the next round, which includes things like: plumbing fixtures, cabinets, appliances, lighting, shower doors, mirrors, and similar items for the home’s interior. Hint #3: Keep A Paper Trail Of All Decisions And Selections You’ve Made When you’re making the several hundred selections for your home, it can be very easy to lose track of the decisions you’ve made, the decisions you still need to make, and it can be hard to not confuse them with each other. The simple solution to this is to document everything. One of the many sayings we have at Stauffer & Sons is: “‘Oh, but I thought’ are the four worst words in construction.” We want to avoid hearing that dreaded statement as much as we can. If we start building your home with a kind of material you didn’t ask for, or if our painter paints one of your walls the wrong color, that’s obviously a really bad thing. Fortunately, over time, we’ve found a system that works very well in documenting all the selections a client makes. We have an online client login section of our website where home owners can view a list of all the selections they need to make (and when they’re due), as well as all the selections they’ve made (and when they were made). With this documentation in hand, we are able to work with confidence, knowing that our team and the home owners are all on the same page, and we’ll never have to guess or try to remember which decisions were made, and when. Hint #4: Your Selections Aren’t Set It Stone—You Can Change Your Mind (Within Reason) We always try to build our decisions schedules with enough time to accommodate changes that a home owner might make. Sometimes we have clients who spend a few hours visiting a showroom, looking at the options, and then making a selection on what they want, then thinking about it for a day or two and changing their mind. This is fine with us! The decision schedule is flexible enough to allow these changes (within reason), and that’s the way we like it, because we never want our clients to feel rushed into making a decision, especially if they end up picking something they don’t like! Most of our clients are building a home to live in for several decades, and we want them to be able to look around 15 years from now and still be comfortable with the selections they made. While it’s too late to change your mind on the tile color after the tile’s been laid, you generally do have a window of at least a few days to make changes after making a selection. So relax! We don’t want you losing any sleep over this, and if it takes you two tries, that’s OK. Hint #5: Most Of The Selections You Need To Make Can Be Researched Online Since we’re a custom home builder, we don’t have a “show room.” We don’t have standard finishes, and we don’t keep samples in our office for you to choose from. Rather than show you, say, three choices for carpet, and telling you “pick one of these,” we instead work with vendors and suppliers who, (for the most part), have their own show rooms where they display samples of the hundreds or even thousands of products they carry. Sometimes, home owners will find a picture of something they like online, and we can generally work with them to find a comparable item through one of our suppliers. So one of the best ways for you to start making selections is by browsing the Internet and saving photos of your ideas, then bringing them in for us to discuss. We’ll see if we can find what you’re looking for through our vendor relationships. Also, many of our vendors offer online catalogs for your to look at, and if they don’t, often times the manufacturers of products will, so you can browse their selections online and make a note of the ones you like… all from the comfort of your own home. Hint #6: Your Builder Can Help You Narrow Down Your Selection Choices If You Want Some people want lots of options: when looking at paint for their kitchen, some families want to see every hue, sheen and patina under the sun. Other families find this intimidating and don’t want to see every option but still want to make the right choice without feeling limited. That’s where a good builder comes in handy. Andy (Stauffer & Sons company president) likes to tell clients “We’ve never built two homes alike; but at the same time, there’s nothing new under the sun.” What he means by that is: you might be able to find a tint of grout we’ve never seen before, or you may ask for a brand of flooring we haven’t installed in the past, but generally speaking, we’ve seen a lot of homes in the past 15 years, and there’s a good chance that we can help you narrow down your choices based on what we know about you and your taste. If you’d like us to make the process easier for you, we can narrow down your options for paint colors from 350 to the top 10 that we think you might like. Some clients find this to be extremely helpful, because when there are so many options available, people can get a sort of “analysis paralysis” and it’s hard to pick something out of fear of picking the wrong one. So while we’ll never tell you what your selections should be, we can certainly help you make a selection by limiting the options available, based on what we know about your sense of style, the style of home we’re building you, our previous experiences with other families, and more. Let your builder be a resource to you! Hint #7: Tell Your Builder How You Like To Work And Communicate, And How Much Time You Have When we get a new client, I always immediately schedule what I call our “What To Expect” meeting. This is where I meet with the family and ask what their preference is for communication, their desired level of involvement, the time commitment they can make, their work schedule (if applicable), and more. I can work with just about anybody: I can work with a family that wants to be there for every single decision we make along the way, and they can be on the job site every day to see what’s happening; and I can also work with a family that wants to just come in every once in a while and discuss a few things, make a few selections, and leave. Either one is fine with me—I just want to know ahead of time what they prefer. Every client we’ve worked with is slightly different, and they all make decisions in a slightly different way as well. Some clients want to meet with me at a showroom and touch and feel everything, and make decisions in person. Some clients are comfortable picking things out of a book of samples. Some make selections from an online catalog. Again, all of these are fine; I just like to know ahead of time so I can accommodate them. If you want to be very hands-on throughout the process, know that it might require up to 10 hours per week. So if your schedule is a little tighter than that and you can’t devote that much time to the project, that’s fine too—we are the builder after all, and we’ve done this before, so we can just check in with you from time to time without needing daily or weekly meetings. We can build your home with a minimal time investment on your end: maybe requiring 2-3 hours every once in a while. Your communication preference is also important: with some clients, I’ll meet with them once per week here at our office. With some clients, I talk with them over the phone. With some, we send text messages. All of these are great! …just remember that everything we do is going to be tracked, time stamped, and recorded in our online customer portal so that we can always go back in time and see who made which decision, and when. Hint #8: Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff! It’s amazing to me sometimes the way people go about making their selections: some people will spend $15,000 on appliances in less than five minutes by just looking at a kitchen set and saying “These are nice. I like stainless steel and LG is a good brand… I’ll take these,” and then they’ll spend three months agonizing over the shade of one $8 can of paint. It makes me chuckle because the huge, important decisions seem so easy, while the tiniest little details seem overwhelming. I tell people not to worry about the little things! The best way to judge whether you’re over-thinking something is just to ask: “will I even notice this a month after I move in?” My guess is that if you’ve narrowed down your selection of stone to two options, and one has a slight orange hue and the other has a slight gray hue, I really don’t think you’ll notice this minor variation after you’ve moved into the house. Don’t misunderstand: I’m not saying that these don’t matter… but I am saying that it’s really not worth getting caught up in the minutiae of very tiny details at the expense of the bigger context of the entire home. Please, don’t lose sleep over it. We have 21 different options for “white” paint in our color deck, and they’re all great choices. You aren’t going to regret any of them, so just pick one. This is where the unnecessary stress in building a home can start to creep in… don’t over-think things that don’t matter that much in the big picture. Hint #9: Learn Your Sense Of Style And Taste — It Will Help You A Lot The best thing you can do when thinking about building a custom home, or preparing to have one built, is to start thinking and planning, now, about what you want your home to look like. Start thinking about how you live your life now, and the needs you’ll have because of it. Do you have dogs or cats? Do you have grandchildren who stay with you from time to time? What kinds of things do you want to see in your home? Do you grill in the back yard often? The clearer the picture in your mind of what you want your home to look and feel like, the faster we can help you get there. If you have a pretty good idea of the basic colors you like, and other choices that involve personal taste and style (such as: tile vs hardwood, one story vs two stories, brick vs stucco, contemporary vs craftsman, oil rubbed bronze vs brushed nickel, shiny vs matte, warm vs dark, etc), then it should be relatively easy for you to make your selections based on that. However, if you wait until you’re in the throes of building a home to look at wall coverings for the first time ever, you might find it’s more difficult—and time consuming—than it needs to be. Hint #10: If You’re Prepared, Building A Home Can Be Fun! When you look at a set of plans at the very beginning of your home building project, you might not feel an overwhelming sense of excitement. Mainly this is because plans are two-dimensional and it’s hard for most people to envision what the end product will look like. However, if you’re prepared, the process of making selections and then seeing those selections become a part of your home can be very fun! Most people find it exciting when the walls start going up, and the roof is put on, and it’s even more exciting when the house is dried in and you can start to see something like the wood flooring being installed or the fireplace stone being set. There’s a great sense of ownership as the house nears completion, because the selections that were made for that home are your selections. That’s the whole beauty of building a custom home in the first place: it’s your home, so everyone that’s on it and in it was chosen by you! If you’d like to have your own custom home built in Georgia, feel free to contact us and we’d be happy to talk more. We have a great system that tracks all your selections, and our goal at the end of the day is to build your home as quickly and painlessly as possible. *Stauffer, Andy. (April 25, 2014). Making Selections When Building A Home (Without Getting Overwhelmed). Retrieved from, https://www.staufferandsons.com/blog/making-selections-home-without-getting-overwhelmed/ While design trends come and go, having an eco friendly home that is stylish, comfortable to live in and costs less to run will never go out of fashion. Here are four trends about the eco-home movement to inspire you only next year, but for a lifetime.
1. EXPOSED TRUSSES AND BEAMSA sunny, natural light-filled home has always been in high demand, however in 2018 we can expect more homeowners looking at other ways beyond windows and skylights to maximise natural sunlight and create a feeling of openness. Pitched roofs with exposed trusses are increasingly popular as they create a feeling of spaciousness, even in homes on the smaller scale. High ceilings and open plan living will typically create a bright, airy feeling, and by eliminating a light-blocking ceiling, you will be able to harness every bit of sunlight possible. Naturally lit environments increase productivity and comfort and, of course, provide you with substantial energy savings. The look of exposed beams can range from rustic to modern, depending on whether you decide to keep them raw and natural or freshen them up with a coat of crisp, white paint. Metal and cement elements can lend an industrial feel, and creative lighting options are endless. Eco Essence Homes embraces the use of high ceilings with exposed trusses and rafters, which are included in many of their home designs. More than just an architectural feature, they are a key factor in eco-friendly home design due to their ability to harness natural light, channel cool breezes and release hot stale air, therefore reducing the need to rely on artificial lighting and reverse cycle air conditioning throughout the day. 2. GREENERY BEYOND THE GARDEN With more and more homes being built in urban areas, many homeowners are finding that they don’t necessarily have the space for a sprawling garden. Vertical gardens, balcony gardens and green roofs are all great options for adding some greenery to your home, as is bringing potted plants indoors. Varieties such as a spider plant, peace lily or bamboo palm are great choices for their air-purifying qualities, while big, leafy tropical plants will bring an uplifting energy to your home. Eco Essence encourages homeowners to create a healthy and ecologically responsible building by considering green roofs and walls in their home design. Not only will they improve thermal performance and stormwater management, they’ll also encourage biodiversity and local food production. If a green roof or green wall isn’t achievable, we suggest making it about smart design and encourage you to incorporate nature where you can. For example, plant a private garden courtyard off your bathroom, creating a flourishing spa atmosphere. Blur the lines between indoors and outdoors by integrating bi-fold doors and large windows that open onto a courtyard or fish pond. Think about how to use standard building materials in a different way. Sub out a concrete driveway for a permeable grassed driveway, adding a touch of greenery to your home. 3. HEALTHY, HAPPY HOMES Considering the amount of time we spend in our homes, it makes sense to do everything we can to ensure that it’s a healthy place to be. Good ventilation, indoor plants and a regular cleaning regime can go a long way in improving air quality, however choosing the best materials to use from the very start is key to creating a healthy, eco friendly home and space. Eco-buildings have a positive impact on your families’ health, both physically and mentally. Pollutants should be minimised by opting for sustainable, non-toxic products. Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are one of the worst offenders when it comes to air pollutants, so the team at Eco Essence selects paints, glues, materials and finishes that have no – or low – VOCs to ensure homeowners can enjoy the healthiest air possible. 4. MIXING MATERIALS Using a combination of materials, both new and recycled, is one of the simplest ways to integrate sustainability into eco friendly home design and create a unique facade. Reclaimed wood in particular is filled with character and each piece tells a story – utilising it in your new home will not only help the environment by saving the material from going to landfill, it will also add a unique look to your home that can’t be replicated. Combine this with the clean, smooth lines of Scyon Stria™ or Scyon Axon™ external wall cladding for a contemporary home that is still filled with character. Eco Essence recycles and reuses materials wherever possible, whether it be reclaimed flooring, aged timber posts or recycled benches and shelving. The team also reuses, reduces and recycles 80 per cent of its waste so that it can be reused in future manufacturing of building products. *"4 trends in eco friendly home design for 2018". (Dec. 8, 2017). Eco-Essence Homes. Retrieved from, http://www.ecoessencehomes.com.au/4-trends-eco-friendly-home-design-2018/. Home heating is probably our single biggest energy expense. Nearly all of us rely on fossil fuels. How can we accomplish more sustainable winter heating?
1. Find and eliminate draftsOn a windy day, take a piece of string and move your hand around every window sill, door jam, vent, pet door, or anywhere else there might be a draft. If the string continues to hang straight down, all is well. If it starts to blow around, you have found a leak. Use silicone caulk or a foam sealant for window frames or other sources that don’t move. You can get draft gaskets for outlets or light switches on outside walls. For leaks around doors or windows, add weather stripping. Single pane windows will probably be drafty and will conduct heat in the wrong direction even if they’re not. If you’re handy, you can make pelmets, which are decorations something like wooden valences. They also prevent heat loss through convection currents, so you’ll recoup the cost of the plywood. You can also buy pelmets, but they can be expensive. If you don’t have storm windows, you can get a plastic film to cover the window and then shrink it with a hair dryer. Of course, then you have plastic waste in the spring. If you don’t need light through the window hang heavy curtains or blankets over it. 2. Check your insulationDo you have enough insulation? Department of Energy’s ZIP-Code Insulation Program will estimate how much insulation your house needs. Just enter your ZIP-code and select the kind of fuel you use from a menu. If you need more insulation, adding it to the attic is easiest. Adding it to the walls is more complicated. It’s also more effective at reducing costs. What kind of insulation should you use? For sustainable winter heating, go green! Recycled paper, old jeans, and other materials make good insulation. So look for a local company that offers recycled insulation. 3. Use a programmable thermostatIt used to be that the most efficient way to heat or cool a home was to set the thermostat at one desired temperature and leave it there. Nowadays, get a programmable thermostat instead. You can program it for five degrees lower during the day when everyone is at work or school, and at night while you sleep. And then it will raise the heat before you get up and in time for the first person to come home. A programmable thermostat knows what day it is, too, so you can set a different schedule for every day of the week. Some people set their furnaces to a higher temperature in the winter than they set their air conditioners in the summer. That makes no sense! Plan to wear thick socks, sweaters, and other suitable winter clothing and turn the thermostat as low as you can without having to wear a hat and gloves in the house. 4. Use a fireplace, or not, depending on what you haveA gas fireplace looks pretty. It doesn’t heat the room very well. It’s actually cheaper to turn up the thermostat and let your central heating warm the room—and the rest of the house. A better idea? If you’re feeling a little chilly, put on warmer clothes or wrap yourself in a blanket. A wood-burning fireplace, on the other hand, gives off much more heat. It will make the room toasty warm without heating the rest of the house. If you burn scrap wood or wood pellets made from sawdust instead of logs, your fireplace will provide very cost-effective heat. Just make sure that you watch it carefully and keep it serviced. Careless use of a fireplace can burn your house down. 5. Reverse your ceiling fanYou probably use your ceiling fan mostly in the summer. It rotates counterclockwise. The circulation of the air doesn’t cool the room, but it makes it feel cooler. Most ceiling fans have a switch to let them rotate clockwise in the winter. With that setting, the fan will draw down the heat that has risen to the ceiling. It promotes sustainable winter heating by keeping the heat in the room rather than letting it dissipate through the roof. 6. Use a space heaterIf you spend a lot of time in one of the smaller rooms of your home, consider a space heater. It takes less fuel to use it than increase the temperature the entire home with your furnace. Newer ones are safer and more energy efficient than older ones. Put your heater close to where you’ll be sitting or otherwise spending most of your time. But avoid using an extension cord. 7. Take advantage of sunlightUse passive solar heat. In the summer, you can put solar shades on south or west facing windows, or close curtains, to keep the sun from heating your home. In the winter, remove the solar shades and keep the curtains open during the day time; heat coming in through the windows is a good thing in winter. Be sure to close the curtains at night to keep heat from escaping through the glass. 8. Your oven and sustainable winter heatingIt’s a bad idea to use the oven to heat a room, but if you’re going to use it for cooking, you might as well leave the oven door open when you turn it off. You’ve already paid for the energy it’s used. Get double duty from it 9. Skip the exhaust fanYou probably have exhaust fans in your bathrooms and above the stove. In the winter time, think of them as drafts you can turn on and off. Don’t turn them on except at extreme need. They’ll suck hot air out of the house, and your furnace will have to work harder. 10. Keep the humidity high enoughIn bitterly cold weather, the air inside your home can get as dry as a desert. Or maybe drier. Indoor humidity ought to be at least 20 percent, up to 40 percent. Among other dangers of excessive dryness, you’ll feel colder. Turning up the heat will just dry the air more. A humidifier can help with sustainable winter heating, especially one designed to sit under the air intake and humidify the entire house. Lots of houseplants or an aquarium can help, too. Don’t overdo it. If ice forms on the inside of your windows, the indoor air is too humid. Like too-dry air, too-humid air can do structural damage to your home and furnishings. I have mentioned air loss through windows, especially old single pane windows. At some point, you’ll have to replace old windows. And an old furnace. That will be expensive. In the mean time, experiment with these less expensive—or free—ways to reduce energy consumption. Sustainable winter heating is good your finances and the environment. *"10 Tips for Sustainable Winter Heating". (Dec. 15, 2016). Sustaining Our World. Retrieved from, http://sustainingourworld.com/2016/12/15/10-tips-sustainable-winter-heating/ Clear your walk, keep your car in good shape, and heat your home this season without compromising your green values -- and save on utility bills while you're at it. All it takes is a fresh approach to your cold-winter habits. Many of the ice- and snow-fighting products we've used for years present eco-issues that don't get much attention. Take the rock salt scattered on walkways. It contains cyanide, traces of which will likely end up in your flower beds come spring. Then there's antifreeze, a known poison that rarely gets recycled. Meanwhile, coal-burning power plants, outdated wood stoves, and "warming up the car" threaten respiratory health more this season than any other time of year. With these 10 tips, you'll be on your way to a healthier, greener winter.
Choose Safer Antifreeze Just 2 ounces of the standard ethylene glycol antifreeze can kill a dog. Propylene glycol offers a much less toxic alternative (although with fossil fuel origins, it's hardly eco-friendly). Since both kinds pick up hazardous heavy metals like lead, cadmium, and chromium during use, recycle spent antifreeze to minimize impact. Ask your repair shop about on-site recycling or find a local collection facility at earth911.org. Fight Frost Naturally To prevent ice from covering home and car windows, rub the inside of the glass with a saltwater-soaked sponge; dry with a clean cloth. You won't see it, but a residue from the salt will remain to ward off frost. For extra oomph, spray a solution of three parts white vinegar and one part water on the outside of the glass, then wipe dry. Use Better De-icers Steer clear of rock salt (sodium chloride) and urea-based de-icers. Not only can they pollute habitats with plant-killing runoff, but they can also corrode concrete, destroy your lawn (even a snow-covered one), and contaminate water supplies. Better bets? Sand, which provides traction without damaging salt-sensitive landscapes, and calcium chloride, which may still hurt vegetation, but is free of the cyanide present in rock salt. Burn Smarter Start fires with dry kindling to minimize emissions and maximize efficiency. Feed blazes with small loads of hard woods that have aired out ("seasoned") for at least six months. (Well-seasoned hardwood offers a cleaner burn.) Never burn chemical- or pressure-treated wood. Keep flames hot and bright; low, smoldering fires pollute more. When the fireplace is not in use, close the flue to keep warm indoor air from escaping out the chimney. Minimize Idling Don't let your car idle for more than 30 seconds. Beyond wasting fuel, excessive idling strains cylinders, spark plugs, exhaust systems, and engines, which work best in motion -- not in neutral. The best way to warm up the car? Drive it. If your area regularly drops below 20 degrees, consider installing a block heater, which warms essential components without wasting fuel. It can cost a few hundred dollars, but you'll save gas and reduce emissions by up to 60 percent. Upgrade Your Hearth EPA-certified wood-burning stoves produce an average of 70 percent less particulate emissions than their old, uncertified counterparts. If your stove is more than 20 years old, it's probably time for an update. Find a certified professional who can install your new stove properly (so you get maximum efficiency and minimal pollution) through the National Fireplace Institute (nficertified.org). Let the Sunshine In Even in winter, the sun's rays provide a fair amount of warmth. Take advantage of this free heating by opening blinds and curtains on the windows that receive the most light (usually on the east side). At night, draw heavy insulating drapes to help preserve warmth, or invest in "low-e" Energy Star-certified windows (especially on the north side of the house). Learn more at energystar.gov. Insulate Your Pipes To minimize wait time for hot water to come out of the tap in the morning, insulate all accessible hot water pipes. You'll raise the temperature by up to 4 degrees, allowing you to lower the water heater setting (and save energy) without suffering through cold showers. If you don't want to do the whole house, you can still make a big impact by focusing on the 3 feet of piping closest to the water heater. Lower Your Thermostat The Department of Energy recommends turning your thermostat down to 68 degrees while you're at home, and setting it even lower at night or when you're gone for the day. If you turn the heat down by 10 degrees for a daily eight-hour stretch, you could reduce your heating bill by as much as 15 percent. According to Energy Star, a programmable thermostat can save up to $150 annually. What if you leave town for a stretch? Set the thermostat no lower than 55 degrees. Drain your water system before lowering it to this temperature to avoid freezing pipes. Seal Up the Attic Save on heating by plugging up air leaks that lead from the attic down into the main house. If you have a hatch door, make sure to weather-strip and insulate it. Also assess your attic's overall insulation, which slows the escape of heat from your living areas. For the attic floor, if insulation is at or below the top of the floor joists, you probably need more. Log on to energysavers.gov for more guidance on insulating. *"Winter Green: Ecofriendly Ways to Stay Healthy this Season". (January, 2007). Whole Living. Retrieved from, http://www.wholeliving.com/133860/winter-green-ecofriendly-ways-stay-healthy-season. Doing your part to help the environment used to just be a passing interest.
Sure, recycle a few cans here and there. Donate to an eco-friendly charity once in a while. But other than that, most modern households weren’t too concerned with how their actions were affecting the earth. Nowadays however, it’s absolutely essential that we each do our part because frankly, the planet has never been more fragile than it is today. But luckily, being eco-friendly doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style when it comes to your interior design. Below, we’ve put together nine ways to go green while still staying chic. Seek out natural bases made of wood or stoneFew design elements scream out “nature lover” like ones that come straight from the earth like stone and wood. Granite countertops, bamboo ceilings, and reclaimed barn-wood walls not only look amazing, they also cut down on pre-market processing where the bulk of polluting takes place. Prioritize organic materials for your comfort needsThe same principle as above applies to the not-so-structural elements as well. Natural materials like organic cotton, wool, silk, and other natural fibers are all extremely versatile and can be used in pillows, comforters, mattresses and even floor coverings. Keeping your distance from synthetic fibers not only takes some of the energy-intensive manufacturing out of the equation, it also reduces the use of the petroleum-based chemicals which can be required to make them. Take advantage of sunlight as much as you canIf your home is lucky enough to get natural sunlight but you aren’t making use of it, that’s a mistake that could really be holding back your interior design. Sunlight is bar none the best quality light you can get. It brings out colors, isn’t overwhelming, and, of course, is 100% natural. What does that mean for your home décor’s carbon footprint? The more natural light you bring into your home, the less you have to spend on artificial lighting. So go ahead, open up those shades up a bit. Aim for energy-efficient light bulbsWhen you can’t bring the Sun’s radiance into your space, the next best choice for illumination is undoubtedly LED lighting. These bulbs are 75% more efficient than tradition incandescent bulbs and are even more eco-friendly than compact fluorescents. And when you consider all the other environmental benefits of modern smart bulbs today, there are few changes you can make around the house that rival the simplicity and effectiveness of smart lighting. Consider using multi-purpose furnitureFurniture design has changed over the years. And one of the most exciting new developments in the field is multi-purpose design. Through creativity and ingenuity alone, furniture designers all over the world are creating couches that transform into beds, desks that morph into complete dining sets, and chairs that double as storage. Besides being incredibly clever, these creations help to take advantage of space and cut down on production materials too. Read your labels carefullyEnvironmentally friendly production has actually become a selling point for a lot of companies. And that means materials of all sorts will tell you whether their processes are eco-friendly. Some even come with a VOC (volatile organic compounds) rating right on the packaging so you know if they contain harmful air pollutants. So next time you’re picking out a new paint shade to add some character to your living room, be on the lookout for eco-friendly choices. You probably won’t have to search too hard. Pop in a few plantsThis one shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. What’s more pro-environment than plants anyway? In addition to adding a splash of color to your space, plants help to filter your air by removing fine particulates and absorbing carbon dioxide. If you’re looking for a fresher feel for your interior design, bring mother nature into the equation. Secondhand furnishings are chic and eco-friendlyThere was a time when brand new furnishings were the peak of elegance. But, as you’ve probably noticed, secondhand objects are starting to take over as the pinnacle of style. Whether it’s the story behind a driftwood-carved coffee table that was found in a thrift store or the character conveyed by the slightly-off stitching in your family room rug, the charm of secondhand furniture is putting it in first place. Shop and ship local whenever possible And finally, try to get as many materials as you can from vendors who source their products locally. The less fuel it takes to bring those products to you, the better. *"9 Eco-Friendly Interior Design Tips to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint". (July 12, 2017). Flux Smart Lighting. Retrieved from, https://www.fluxsmartlighting.com/blogs/news/9-eco-friendly-interior-design-tips-to-reduce-your-carbon-footprint. If you're trying to be eco-friendly while building your dream home, you might think there's no way you can compensate for the carbon emissions and resources that you use. However, if you stick to using green companies and you choose your building materials carefully, you could stand to create a truly environmentally friendly home.
Make sure you use materials such as the following: 1. Bamboo Bamboo is an incredibly eco-friendly building material that can be used for a variety of building jobs. Whether you choose to go the whole hog and create your entire house out of bamboo (which has been done in China) or you use it to craft certain aspects of your new property, you're sure to enjoy this building material. Bamboo is incredibly fast-growing, which means it can be replanted and reforested very quickly. It can be grown across the world as well, so you don't need to have it shipped in from across the globe. 2. Reclaimed lumber If wood is a central aspect of your building plan, you should use reclaimed lumber rather than choosing freshly felled wood from an environmentally unfriendly source. This wood has been reclaimed from demolished structures and products, and has been reworked into new wood. It's just another form of recycling that can help you on your way to sustainability. 3. Recycled metal Mining has caused many terrible environmental impacts, such as sinkholes, soil contamination and disturbances to natural habitats around the world. Many metals can easily be recycled though, so there's no need to be against the mining industry. Iron, aluminium and copper are the three most recycled metals in the world, meaning you could easily include them in your building design. 4. Dimension stone Dimension stone is a natural building material that can be sourced with relative ease. It is preferable over certain metals, glass and plastics that can pollute the environment, which often use a lot of resources to create. Dimension stone can also be reclaimed, which could be an even better option for your building. 5. Sheep's wool When planning the insulation for your property, choosing an eco-friendly option such as sheep's wool is always preferable. It's completely sustainable and natural, and it has better insulating properties than some manmade options. For instance, it is usually thicker than glass wool cellulose and mineral wool insulation, and uses less energy to manufacture. Choosing eco-friendly building materials is often the first step to creating as green a property as possible. Do you know of any other materials that you could use in a green construction plan? This article was written by Aurora Johnson on behalf of Flat Pack Houses, a specialist in wood products for building projects. *Meyers, G.R., (n.d.), Top 5 Eco-Friendly Building Materials. Retrieved from, https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/ex/sustainablecitiescollective/top-5-eco-friendly-building-materials/128721/ New Year's Day is fast approaching, and along with it, all those resolutions. This year why not resolve to make a few simple lifestyle changes that could have a huge impact on the earth? To help you get started, here are 10 easy "green" New Year's resolutions:
1. Ditch the plastic. Carry a reusable bag with you for groceries, shopping and take-out food. 2. Tuck in your computer at night. Turn off your screen saver and cut even more energy that your computer uses by putting it in sleep mode when it isn't in use. 3. Clean with green. Clean your home with non-toxic and natural cleaning products. Just about anything can be cleaned with white vinegar, baking soda and a few drops of lemon. 4. Be good to your vehicle, and it will be good to you. Inflate your tires once a month or as necessary. Replace the air filter and tune up your engine regularly. A new air filter can get you 10 percent more miles per gallon, and a tune-up can boost miles per gallon from 4 percent to 40 percent. 5. Think globally, buy locally. Buy locally grown food that's in season. Food that hasn't traveled thousands of miles to your plate is fresher and tastier, and buying local food drastically cuts down on global-warming pollution. 6. Coffee — it's not just for drinking anymore. The next time you brew a cup of fresh coffee at home, don't toss the used coffee grounds into the trash. First, spoon some warm grounds into your hands and mix it with your favorite hand soap, then scrub away. The grounds will exfoliate dead skin and the soap will render your hands squeaky clean. Scatter remaining grounds around your evergreen shrubs and trees — it's an energizing fertilizer for them. 7. Start composting today. A compost pile or composter turns your food and lawn wastes into rich mulch. It's a great way to reduce your trash production, and if you start today, you'll have rich compost in time for spring planting. 8. Don't be a drip. Fix leaky faucets. A faucet that drips once each second can waste over 8 gallons of water per day and more than 3,000 gallons per year. 9. Turn dollars into sense. Save on energy consumption and your electric bill by turning down your thermometer and throwing on your favorite fuzzy pajamas. 10. Ease up on the pedal. Slowing down from 75 to 65 miles per hour will drop your highway gas consumption by about 15 percent. *"Tips for a Green New Year", (n.d.). Home and Garden Television. Retrieved from, http://www.hgtv.com/design/decorating/clean-and-organize/tips-for-a-green-new-year Green is one of the traditional colors of the Christmas season, but the green we have in mind is the environmentally friendly kind. Here’s a list of some eco-friendly, energy saving tips that will put you at the top of Santa’s nice list this holiday season.
1. Use LED LightsThese small Light Emitting Diodes use 80% less energy and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, plus they’re cool to the touch. Look for the Energy Star seal for ones with the highest energy efficiency rating. 2. Limit LightingTurn Christmas trees on only when you’re in the room to enjoy them. Turn outside decorations off before you go to bed at night, or put them on a timer that will remember to do it for you. 3. Send E-CardsReplace snail mail cards and letters with e-cards and e-mails to save paper and mailing expense. It also will reduce your carbon footprint since it eliminates the fuel used for transporting standard mail. 4. Shop OnlineRather than burning gas driving around searching for that perfect Christmas present, shop online instead. Having your gifts shipped directly to out of town recipients saves even more energy by minimizing transportation costs. 5. Give Green GiftsConsider giving eco-friendly or homemade gifts to those on your shopping list. Purchased green presents include:
An even greener option is to buy a live Christmas tree then plant it in your yard after the holidays are over. 8. Make Natural DecorationsRather than buying plastic ornaments, wreaths, and decorations shipped from overseas, make your own from pine cones, holly, seashells, river stones, and evergreen branches. Christmas tree lots often will give away branches they’ve trimmed off the bottom of trees. 9. Recycle DecorationsAfter the holidays, but sure to recyle your Christmas tree and other natural decorations rather than sending them to the landfill. 10. Reduce TravelBetween shopping, trips to visit relatives, and the flurry of parties and other activities, the holiday season often involves a lot of travel, which in turn adds more pollutants to the atmosphere. Every gallon of gasoline used by your car releases 19.4 pounds of CO2, and air travel is equally bad. So if you really want to go green, consider limiting your travel plans this year. 11. Save EnergyWhile saving energy is a good idea anytime of year, it’s especially important to address during the holidays with a long winter ahead. Here are some ways to reduce your energy bills while helping the environment at the same time:
Further Information
*Erickson, Ben. (n.d.). How to Have an Ec0-Friendly Green Christmas Holiday. Retrieved from, https://www.todayshomeowner.com/how-to-have-a-green-eco-friendly-christmas/ |
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August 2019
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