analysis: Green Home: How to Make It More Sustainable

Solar panels

Notes:

• The price of solar panels has gone down considerably since their introduction decades ago. Hence, it’s the reason you see more of them on the roofs of homes and businesses. In fact, in locations where there’s ample sunlight year-round, state and local governments offer substantial rebates.

For instance, New Mexico commercial solar companies currently sell their products to residences. Organizations like NM Solar Group not only provide panels but other energy-conversion materials. These items allow you to absorb a good amount of natural energy to power your home.

• Advantage of going solar:
  • reduces electricity costs
  • renewable energy source
  • energy independence
  • diverse applications
  • low maintenance costs

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Gardens instead of grass

Notes:

• Lush grass yards have been a cornerstone of homes for decades. Yet, they don’t do much to sustain your residence. Especially if you treat them with toxic chemicals to keep away weeds and insects.
• Instead of a wide swath of grass, convert some of the lands into gardens. Not simply a small area you maintain in the backyard. Rather, fruits, vegetables, and herbs that grow around the outside of your home.
• With the right planning, you can make the gardens look lovely while they produce food for your family.
• Some ideas from the photo above: [ scroll back up ]
  • convert your lawn by extending out your patio
  • using concrete pavers that can be easily installed
  • convert the grass around the patio perimeter into a lush garden
  • add junipers, Japanese maples, and other plants to create an oasis
  • convert the lawn behind the extension into a vegetable/fruit garden

• junipersjapanese maplejapanese maplehostas

     some ideas to view and compare      

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Xeriscape

Notes:

• If you don’t want to fill your yard with fruits, vegetables and garden plantings, then consider reducing the amount of grass through the art of xeriscape. This form of landscaping requires little or no irrigation. Thus, you increase sustainability with a reduction in water use.
• There are different ways to xeriscape. Some homeowners mix small patches of grass with rock gardens. Others use rocks of different sizes along with succulents — plants that require little water to grow.
• Some ideas to consider from the photo above: [ scroll back up ]
  • note the pathway with stepping stones insert into gravel sand
  • landscape a rock bed that borders the pathway; mulch for the rest of the lawn area
  • plant drought-tolerant green and flowering plantings in the rocks and mulch
  • use gardening pots up by the porch that can be easily maintained and watered
  • build stone border walls around the trees

• rug junipersolar path lightingsucculents

     some ideas to view and compare      

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Indoor plants

Notes:

• Indoor plants aren’t only for design inside the home. Many varieties also clean the air of toxic chemicals. For example, the bostom fern, peace lily, and the spider plant remove carbon dioxide and formaldehyde from the air.
• The best purification plants are those that don’t require a lot of hydration. Bamboo is a good example of this type of flora. Furthermore, bamboo stalks can be transformed into several sustainable products.
• Some of the plants from the picture above: [ scroll back up ]
  • peperomia
  • arrowhead plant
  • trailing jade
  • areca palm
  • macabre hanging basket

• peperomiaarrrowhead plantareca palmrope planters

     some ideas to view and compare      

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Proper insulation

Notes:

• Proper insulation within your home is another way to make it more sustainable. When this material is lacking in your attic/roof area or walls it causes heating and cooling issues. Some rooms may get too hot in the summer while others are downright chilly in the winter.
• As a result, you continually increase or decrease the thermostat temperature. This leads to higher energy bills. You need to examine your home’s insulation to determine if it needs to be replaced. Do this on your own or hire a professional to lay down or spray insulation into barren areas.

• batt insulationwindow insulation kitpipe insulation

     some ideas to view and compare      

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Tankless water heater

Notes:

• Normal water heaters refill each time hot water is utilized. To reach a certain temperature, natural gas or oil heat is used to warm the liquid inside the tank. This releases a small amount of carbon monoxide into the home. Should there be a leak, this minor level can increase significantly and cause serious illness or death.
• Consider a tankless water heater to maintain sustainability. Instead of constant heating, the water’s temperature is increased while in use. Thus, there’s no need for a huge tank or excess use of heating elements.

• FINAL REMARKS

  When you make your home more sustainable you do it for more than yourself. You do it for your children. If you show them the proper way to treat the environment around them, then they’ll share it with their children. The result will be a further reduction of the carbon footprint and a healthier Earth.

• electric tankless heatergas tankless heatershower water regulator

     some ideas to view and compare      

• What comments can you share about
  your eco-friendly solutions for your home