We all want to be green these days. Helping to preserve the environment has become a top priority in the lives of many people. Becoming environmentally conscious can give you both peace of mind and extra money in the bank. It’s become quite well known that conserving energy and saving money go hand in hand; most environmentally aware changes that we make also result in reduced energy bills.
Water is a scarce commodity. We are slowly depleting our underground aquifers, and global warming is affecting the surface bodies of water that we use for our water supplies. As it becomes more scarce, the importance of saving water is becoming ever more essential to the earth’s survival. While there are many ways we can save our water, there is a way to increase our water supply for free—by collecting rainwater from roofs and using it for some of our household needs.
When many people think about xeriscape, they think of a yard full of rocks that’s devoid of plants. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Xeriscape is all about an all natural landscape that extensively uses natural vegetation, instead of unnatural, resource intensive vegetation. It’s about harnessing the natural beauty of the environment while rejecting the plants, fertilizers and the chemicals that harm the local environment.
If you’ve started to look into building green, you have no doubt come across the name LEED. The LEED certification name is referenced by manufacturers, builders, retailers, and consumers alike in promotional, editorial, and casual conversations. But what is LEED certification? Who issues it and what are the criteria used when considering what is a LEED certified building?
Earthships are sustainable homes designed to interface with their environment. Traditionally, they are built in a circular or U shaped layout and constructed using recycled tires packed with dirt, which weigh about 350 pound each when packed properly. The idea of Earthship housing was created by Mike Reynolds, founder of Earthship Biotecture, in the 1970’s as a response to his desire to live off the grid and help the environment. For this to be possible he felt that his house had to do three things, first he had to provide a sustainable existence while using recycled building materials indigenous to the planet, secondly, he would have to generate his own utilities, and the last thing was to make sure the average person could duplicate his design without having prior construction knowledge.