How a Green Home Design Can Benefit You

Everyone knows that going green can be good for the environment, but they often don’t know how it can benefit them personally. If you are interested in making your home a little bit greener it can help to have the motivation of a little bit of added benefits. Going green comes with many great positives for you, your neighbors, and the whole world, so it can be worth the initial costs to make it happen. 

Do Your Part for the Environment 

First things first, it definitely feels good to be participating in making the world a better place. And as more attention is being put on having a smaller carbon footprint, it is important to know that your efforts can help the earth to be a little happier. Sometimes it feels nice to be a part of the solution, rather than a part of the problem. That’s why you want to make sure to think about your environmental impact when you are making decisions about your home, its features, and its design. If you can start doing a little more for the environment now, you will start to see further benefits as time goes forward. 

More Durable 

A big part of living greener is decreasing waste and using things for as long as they work. That means that green features are designed to last forever and to be more durable than less green alternatives. Having more durable features in your home is great because it means you won’t have to expend the extra costs of replacing and repairing faulty materials. No one wants to be constantly worrying about when elements of their home are going to break, so the more durable your home is, the easier it will be for you to maintain. This will also give you extra time to focus on other elements of your life that are more fun and exciting. 

Lower Costs 

Many people worry about the initial costs of going green, and those things can be expensive, especially up front. However, over time you can make your costs go down because you will have less energy dependency on the grid. For some people this means going off the grid completely while others simply lower their dependence on energy companies to power their homes. You can even sell energy back to the grid if you produce enough. Even smaller green decisions like energy efficient windows can save you money and help your home to be more comfortable whether you are on the hottest day of the summer or the coldest day of winter, and that is a pretty awesome thing to have . 

Use Fewer Resources 

Going green is often about getting by with only what you need and that is a great goal that comes with a huge benefit to your use of resources. No one wants to be wasteful, and it can be nice to know that you are helping to conserve resources. It can also be easier on your pocketbook, which is a huge benefit to anyone dealing with the costs of home ownership. Take for example saving water, even just small things like maintaining a lawn can take a bunch of water each day. However, with more eco-friendly options you can have a beautiful front yard that doesn’t take a ton of water. There are many types of gravel that can take the place of your lawn. 

Being Healthier 

A huge benefit of going green is that it can actually have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. If you want to live a healthier life, you can start by making greener choices in your home. Smart options like planting a garden, canning your own food, and eating the things you grow can all impact your health and get you more interested in eating healthier options. You can build this into the design of your home by making sure that you plan out a garden space in your backyard. 

Reduce Toxicity in Your Home 

Going green is all about reducing problematic impacts of home building. There are some traditional home building materials that are known to have toxic elements that can have a negative impact on your life and the lives of your family members. By choosing to go green you can decrease your exposure to those elements and make sure that your home is full of clean options that keep you safe and healthy. Leading a greener life is about more than just reducing energy use, it is about having a more positive impact on yourself, your family, and the world around you. 

Increase the Value of Your Home 

Going green can also help your home to be worth more when you eventually sell. Homeowners are always trying to find ways to increase their home’s value and choosing green options for your space is an easy way to make this happen . Even just simple steps like upgrading to greener fixtures throughout your home can be spun in a positive way to increase the value of your home and increase interest in your home from potential buyers. Most buyers will opt for a green home over a traditional build when they make the choice to buy. 

Better Quality of Life 

You may be surprised by how much better your life feels when you are making the effort to go green. Green decisions impact every area of your life and by making them in your home you can ensure that you and your children have a better quality of life and a brighter future as you move forward. And when you live better every day , you start to have even more great things to live for. 

Going green doesn’t have to be a huge decision all at once. Instead, it can be something that you do slowly over a series of small decisions to make your life a little better and a little more sustainable. Start with one small green decision today and see what that brings you as you move towards a brighter tomorrow.

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