Finding alternative energy sources and minimizing our impact on the environment are hot topics today, made even more so by the success of former Vice President Al Gore's Academy Award-winning documentary film, An Inconvenient Truth. If you haven't seen the documentary, Gore speaks of the need for all of us to consider ways in which we can cut down on our production of carbon dioxide. He suggests that ‘The average American generates about 15,000 pounds of carbon dioxide every year from personal transportation, home energy use and from the energy used to produce all of the products and services we consume.' (To calculate your personal impact on global warming, go to www.climatecrisis.net/takeaction/carboncalculator/.)
As a REALTOR®, I get requests from buyers to help them find all types of homes. Recently, however, I received a request for help in finding a Green Home. I was unfamiliar with the term, so I did some research and found that a Green Home, in the simplest of descriptions, is an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly home. It will most likely utilize alternative energy sources for heat and power such as solar, wind, battery or bike (as in pedal power). Sometimes recycled materials are used in the building of the home, and the appliances and fixtures will have Energy Star ratings.
The designer of a Green Home will have considered the home's impact upon the environment as well. For example, how will the home affect the existing flora and fauna? Did the lumber used in the building of the home come from responsibly managed forests? And even though we are building larger homes lately, 3000 square feet or more, can we accomplish the same task in a smaller space?
So, as a REALTOR®, why go 'Green'? I believe that our clients will be putting the pressure on the building industry, and on us, to provide homes that have minimal impact on the environment and on our energy resources. The more knowledgeable we are in this area, the better we can help our clients.
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