Going Green in Marin: Picking your Green battles is all about choices and priorities in the new and expanding "green" environment. The buying and selling of homes usually involves some form of home improvement. It might be a new coat of paint, sprucing up the landscaping or updating the appliances. My goal as a Certified Ecobroker and Realtor in Marin is to help my clients make more informed and hopefully "greener" choices when planning these improvements.
According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) "92% of all home buyers consider energy efficiency at least somewhat important, with 46% ranking it as very important when considering a home for purchase".
I recently helped a client obtain bids to increase the insulation in her newly purchased Marin home. Being very energy conscious, she was interested in sustainable and effective ways to improve her homes's efficiency. According to the Department of Energy, space heating and cooling consume 44% of all energy used in the home. Increasing your existing insulation and r-value can reduce your annual heating and cooling bill between 10-30%. Contact me for more information on buying Marin Homes.
The term "green" can be confusing and or overwhelming because it can mean different things to different people. Local, non-profit advocates "Build it Green" (www.builditgreen.org) break the overall concept into 5 more approachable categories:
- Livable Communities
- Energy Efficiency
- Indoor Air Quality
- Resource Conservation
- Water Conservation
Since there is no magic bullet, no perfect product, don't overwhelm yourself trying to satisfy every green recommendation you hear about. The more you know, the more you realize what you don't know and all that information can lead to info-paralysis, where you've overwhelmed yourself into inaction.
The best thing to do is identify the areas that are most important to you and focus on them. Is it saving money on your energy bills? Improving the air you and your family breathe in your home? Renewable resources? You decide.
Government, at the local levels, continue to add efficiency requirements to building codes which gives the homeowner some added guidance when making remodeling decisions. In addition, there are increasingly more and more local and federal rebate programs for things such as increasing your insulation, installing energy efficient windows, purchasing energy star appliances and of course solar heating applications.
Any idea what the top 10 Greenest cities are? Seems there is some debate over the order but here is the list according to Sustainablog.org
http://blog.sustainablog.org/the-10-greenest-cities-in-the-us/
How long will it take before the term "green" is redundant? City governments are implementing programs to reduce waste and save precious resources. Manufactures are also jumping on the green bandwagon by producing products that improve the indoor air quality of homes and lower water and energy costs such as low and no-voc paints, formaldehyde free cabinets, energy star rated appliances and low flow toilets.
When you are out shopping for a new home, ask the realtor if the home has any "green features. Consider the location if "walkability" is important to you. If you have a child with asthma you may want to have the air quality in the home tested. New paint, stains, finishes and carpet can off-gas toxic fumes that have been linked to asthma. Keep an eye our for energy star rated appliances.
It's not necessary or feasible to hit all the five points above. Pick one or two and focus on those. What is important is that we all do something to preserve our resources, improve the air quality and make smarter choices because we can!
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