The 'Green' Homeowner
The past decade has seen a sharp rise in the number of homeowners considering ‘Green' issues. As environmental issues have come to the forefront of the global political stage, everyday consumers have begun to take responsibility for improving their surroundings.
The debate over global warming and its effects on the environment is still rife. World leaders can not reach a common direction on how to tackle the problem and some countries do not even recognize the problem. This debate has not however deterred homeowners from trying to change their habits to aid the prevention of global warming and move towards living in a ‘Green' manner.
Recycling has been taking place for many years now and has grown from being an optional choice to a necessary practice in many regions. Local authorities now provide trash bins to separate plastic and paper and in some regions in the UK , homeowners are fined if they fail to comply with recycling laws. Recycling is only the tip of the ‘Green' trend. Homeowners have become ‘Green' savvy and have identified new ways to become more environmentally conscious.
This trend has become very noticeable in the builder channel. Green building and remodeling has become very popular with the homeowner. Building a home considered green can include simple elements such as using recycled resources for fixtures and finishes, to considerable changes such as moving towards powering your entire home with solar or wind energy. Making the move towards using renewable energy is a lifestyle change that many homeowners are taking on. In fact, you can even have your home or business certified green by the U.S Green Building Council ( http://www.usgbc.org/ ).
For the homeowner not looking for such a drastic change in lifestyle, there are still many affordable ways to become a green consumer. Treehuggers.com defined a green product or service as,
“One that is both environmentally and socially responsible. That is, they are accountable to, and respectful of, the places and people that provide and use them.”
This definition confirms that bringing a green product into your home can be a lot simpler than many homeowners thought. Here are a few product ideas that can be introduced into the home and can be considered green.
Find Out More
Reclaimed Wood
Cork Flooring
Low Energy Light Bulbs
Energy Star
Considered Floor Warming?
Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood offers a way to recycle and to create a unique look for your kitchen. Using reclaimed wood conserves natural resources, preserves eco systems and can be a more affordable option. Reclaimed wood also uses less energy to manufacture than new woods or other materials. This provides a way to give your countertops or cabinets a rustic and individual look and also preserve the environment around you.
Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is a popular green option for the homeowner. Cork is much more renewable than wood and provides the same strength and durability whilst also being allergy-friendly. Cork is made from tree bark which is harvested every nine years. This means that no harm is done to the actual tree. With a variety of finishes and colors available, it is easy to see why cork is becoming the popular choice for flooring and other uses.
Low-energy light bulbs
This could be considered the easiest change to implement for any homeowner looking to become energy-efficient. Using low-energy light bulbs in the home will save money and contribute to saving non-renewable energy sources. This move is so easy to apply and affordable to everyone. Energy efficient light bulbs come in an array of sizes and features. For more information please go to http://www.environmentaldefense.org/ . This site gives advice on what light bulbs to use and also calculates the savings each household can make by changing to low-energy.
Energy Star
Another way for the homeowner to improve energy efficiency and show commitment to green issues is to use products with the ‘Energy Star' logo. The US Environmental Protection Agency collaborated in 1992 with the US Department of Energy to create the ‘Energy Star' certification. Energy Star aims to save the average household about a third of the cost of their energy bill by promoting products that use less energy and create less pollutants. A large number of household appliances now have the Energy Star logo (a list of products can be found at www.energystar.gov ). By opting to buy a product with the energy star logo the homeowner saves money on their own energy bill whilst also doing a little to save the environment.
Considered Floor Warming?
Homeowners looking to conserve energy should consider electric radiant floor warming. Not only does floor warming provide a benefit to indoor air quality, but it is also energy efficient. Consuming about the same energy as two 75-watt light bulbs floor warming systems such as WarmlyYours floor warming system provides comforting heat for only pennies per day. Equipped with an Energy Star rated programmable thermostat allows for precise temperature control through the day ensuring peak performance and energy savings.
Electric radiant floor warming is also one of the few ways to add supplemental warmth to your home using energy generated from renewable resources such as solar and wind power. Converting 100% of energy into heat makes electric floor warming one of the most efficient methods of supplying comfort and energy savings to your home.
So as you can see, there are so many ways to introduce a green lifestyle to your home. This article shares just a tiny fraction of this with you. As the homeowner begins to recognize the need to become green, the green building and remodeling industry will boom. But as shown above, introducing just a simple change such as a light bulb can help to improve the power consumption of each household… imagine if every household in the United States changed to energy-efficient light bulbs! By every homeowner making a small difference, we will see a big change.
Although global warming may not be fully recognized as a major issue around the world, a fraction of homeowners have realized its importance. If we all contribute a little to become greener, we can make a difference to the future of our environment.