Make My House Eco-friendlier On A Budget, Yes Please
Common misconceptions about living green and creating an eco-friendly home may deter people from making small changes contributing to the future reduction of climate change effects. People may believe sustainability is too expensive, green homes cannot be cute and stylish, sustainable living is for tree huggers (my personal favorite) and being energy efficient is just too hard. Well, together we are going to debunk these myths.
Of course, certain aspects of sustainability can be more expensive and require budgeting. However, there are many small inexpensive changes that can bring forth green living. Switching to LED lightbulbs over time, refusing to buy disposable bottled water, starting to compost, eating less meat, using fewer paper towels, turning off lights and unplugging unused electronics, and washing your clothes in cold water then hanging them to dry outside.
Green homes can be beautiful and stylish while also being energy efficient. We are seeing some innovative modern buildings implementing energy efficiency keeping the aesthetics pleasing to the eye. Livable Buckhead’s commitment to greenspace maximizes real estate values through the proximity of community parks and recreation events. With Atlanta being a leader for other cities to live sustainable, green home builders have been constructing beautiful homes for years. A few of the green homebuilders include Green Source Homes, Eco Custom Homes, Earthcraft, and Patrick Construction Inc..
In the past, tree huggers correlated to ‘off the grid hippies’ eating granola and bathing in rivers. I have been called a tree hugger countless times throughout my life. While I do like a good granola mix and love to hug an occasional tree, I do not live off the grid or bathe in rivers. Trees are cool and beautiful. Trees provide shade and store carbon creating more oxygen. With the planet warming at an alarming rate, trees now more than ever are a valuable part of minimizing climate change. So, trees are the bee’s knees and deserve a hug.
With our lives busier than ever, it can be overwhelming to add one more thing to your schedule. I understand, but never fear! We can do this together. Start with small changes. Pick one or two easy things you can accomplish such as, buy a reusable water bottle. A statistic stating every second in the U.S. someone is opening a bottle of water should encourage us to do away with these superfluous waste producers. Adding a meatless Monday or super green Sunday to your week can reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions.
All of this can seem overwhelming but, we can do this together! I have been tasked with renovating a 75-year-old home on a budget. When I say, ‘I have been’, I mean just me and occasionally my 15-year-old son. While I continue this project, I am adding fun small sustainable budget friendly changes to my environment. Follow me and together we can do small things to initiate change for the future of our planet. We will create a recycle area, build a compost station, learn to make natural cleaning products, plant a pollinator garden, build our very own rain barrel, and put up a clothesline to dry laundry! Join my green home party!
Teresa Perkins is a climate change and sustainability journalist, who is creating research-based climate change content pertaining to sustainable energy at local, national, and global level for publication and distribution. She partners with non-profit organizations for innovative ideas and sustainability projects and connects global UN Climate Change reports to local initiatives.
