Currently, making "green" decisions with respect to homes isn't as straight forward as it may seem. There are many options and opinions, and unfortunately it's difficult to know where to begin. Building or renovating a home into a "green home" can mean a lot of different things. It's not a new concept and over the years many companies and organizations have each had their ideas about what makes the best "green home." There are countless blogs and news articles speaking to what homeowners could be doing to make their home more "green," but offer few resources on where to find and actually purchase the products.
This ultimately leads down a rabbit hole of research for those serious enough to invest the time. It's up to the homeowner to determine what path to take and how/where to purchase products that align with their personal values or views of what is important. Searching the internet will bring up a range of concepts from earthen floors to solar panels, extreme efficiency walls to uniquely engineered heating/cooling systems.
Let's start off by saying that there is no one-right-answer to what homeowners should be doing in every scenario, though there are plenty of things most homeowners could be doing if they want to do better for the environment and their health.
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Today, there is no easy or straight-forward way for homeowners to source many eco-friendly building materials. That's the main problem and the reason why they aren't more widely adopted. A simple, familiar online shopping experience would allow homeowners the ability to find these products to purchase at a reasonable price so they can feel great about making better decisions for the environment and their health.
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Mainstream retail channels that are available to homeowners today don't typically align themselves wholeheartedly with green initiatives. They may have some green products in one area or another, but don't prioritize them to help customers make better decisions. In the case of building materials, the best natural/eco-friendly products are but a small fraction of their overall available inventory. They're often overlooked for that reason, in favor of traditional products which maintain front and center positioning in the marketplace. This all results in making it more difficult for homeowners to find green building materials for their home projects.
Perhaps the homeowner has done their research and now can't find the eco-friendly products they were looking for at their local hardware store or big-box-store; they go back to the internet to try to find sources for what they want. It likely leads them to a confusing distribution network, and almost always requires them to deal with multiple vendors to source the materials for one project. This takes time, a massive amount of research and effort, and is not a great overall experience. On top of that, it can lead to cost-prohibitive markups, making eco-friendly materials seem inaccessible to many homeowners.
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Another thing for homeowners to consider is the balance between energy efficiency and being natural. The push to create ultra high efficiency homes is a good movement in many ways. It's created awareness and an urgency to reduce energy consumption, therefore lowering (potentially significantly) the carbon footprint of a home. That said, it's also created demand for products that have equally poor consequences in terms of the homeowners health and long term environmental impacts. Making prudent choices of materials is still necessary. You can be energy efficient while maintaining a high standard of natural and eco-friendly materials - both should be strived for.
What is really exciting to think about, is that it's not an all or nothing proposition!
Homeowners can feel really great about taking even small steps toward being more green - just like they are doing in other aspects of their lives. Reusable water bottles, natural skincare products, organic foods, hybrid vehicles, etc. are all examples of the ways people are adopting certain products for environmental and health related reasons. It's not to say that a homeowner must go 100% green when renovating or building, but so long as they know they have the option to make small changes and to switch out a product here or there - that's what is important and how we as a society can make strides toward progress. It can be up to the homeowner to decide what aligns with what they think is the most valuable substitute from the "traditional" in their home. Any and all steps are important - while being able to be both energy efficient and natural! (We'll talk more about specific product recommendations in future blog posts - subscribe to our email list or follow us on our social platforms to stay informed!)
The more information that is learned and shared throughout society will ultimately lead to better homes, less impact on nature, and healthier living environments. It is a social movement - tied together by the overall concept of mitigating climate impact created by humans.
Ultimately, if homeowners are given the resources to plan their renovations with thoughtful intentions, they will be able to build better homes, and live better lives.
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Plan well. Build well. Be well.
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