The Benefits of Moving To A Sustainable Home

In the United States, we have no end of material luxury, especially compared to many other countries around the world. Unfortunately, we aren’t always wise with all of our options and belongings. Instead, we make choices that hurt the planet, our society, and ultimately ourselves.

Choosing to move to a sustainable home is a big step in the other direction — away from consuming mindlessly and toward a life of awareness. Being mindful of your carbon footprint and economic impact helps you start making choices that help the planet and your fellow humans.

Fortunately, there are a lot of people that are starting to think this way. As a result, more and more homes are being built sustainably. If you’re a home buyer looking to reduce your environmental impact, read on to discover how choosing a sustainable home can make a difference.

Consider Building an Eco-Friendly Home

If you have the opportunity, the most sustainable option is to build your own home from scratch. It will take longer, but you’ll be able to choose materials, layout, and other factors that will maximize the ecological benefit of the property.

When you build yourself, you can use energy-efficient, recycled, or renewable materials. This can reduce your home’s impact on natural resources both during the build and afterward. Building green includes using locally available materials, which can save both money and time compared to buying from out-of-state. 

You can even use a prefabricated kit to create a green home that’s safer, cheaper, and better for the planet than a traditional building. Finally, using green materials helps protect your health. Traditional building materials have carcinogens, irritants, and toxicants that can impact your land and your family over time.

Buying? Think Small and Efficient

If you’re buying an existing home, you can still make eco-friendly choices. Look for communities that have been developed with sustainable policies built into their planning and zoning codes. These communities will not only be amenable to green building, they will likely already have it available to purchase. Consider how much space you truly need, and don’t give in to the temptation to overbuy. Not only will a smaller house use less energy and impact less of the environment, but you’ll also save money on a lower mortgage as well!

If you don’t have a growing family, you might be able to get by with fewer bedrooms and less square footage. You can also look for homes that use energy-efficient appliances, green materials, and renewable energy. 

A smart home, while not something that’s traditionally considered “green,” may also be a great option. Smart homes allow you to control temperature and other factors remotely. They also have automated systems that maximize comfort while minimizing energy use. You can save significantly if a smart home makes it easier to be intentional with your energy use.

You can also prepare your move in an environmentally-friendly way. Consider packing with reusable containers, or recycling your cardboard boxes after your move. When you can reduce or reuse your packing materials, you’ll send less to the landfill.

Green Renovation of Your Home

Maybe you’re not in a position to move to a new property, but you still want to make a difference for the environment. There’s a lot you can do when it comes to updating your home that will reduce your carbon footprint.

One excellent idea is to reduce your reliance on traditional energy by choosing renewables. You can install solar panels on your home to create electricity, or there might be a wind farm nearby you can purchase power from.

You can upgrade your appliances to use less energy or even use more efficient light bulbs. Every small step matters. Make the difference you can today while you plan for bigger changes in the future. 

If you DIY your changes, make sure you’re keeping your projects sustainable. Measure carefully to avoid waste, upcycle existing materials when you can, and buy local. You can also compost organic waste to use in your yard or garden rather than throwing it out.

Renovating your home may not be as exciting as moving, but it allows you to take advantage of what you already have to improve the state of the planet — and that’s the foundation of green living!

Sustainable Living Changes Matter

Some people look at the state of the world, both politically and ecologically, and feel helpless. There seems to be nothing they can do to make a big difference, so they struggle to find the motivation to do anything at all. 

The truth is that any step you take toward sustainable living matters. Whether it’s riding your bike to work one day a week or composting instead of throwing out your leaves and food scraps, small steps add up. You can also support businesses that commit to renewable and sustainable practices. Every effort matters.

Over time, you can save up the money and resources you need to make more substantial updates, whether that means building your own green home or adding solar panels to your existing house. Don’t give up on making a difference just because you aren’t ready for that yet. Start small and make a big difference!