Minnesota is a unique and special place to live and just one example of this is the Minnesota GreenStar Certification program and other Minnesota programs that help consumers who want to purchase a "greener home" decide what they can do to help maintain our beautiful environment and save money at the same time!
A lot of people use the term green, but what does that really mean? It could mean energy efficiency, use of recycled materials, reuse of architectural elements, or any combination of those and other ideas that are now being incorporated into our homes.
Maybe the first thing you want to ask yourself is what do YOU want it to mean. When you think of building a house out of recycled materials, does the image of a house built out of pop bottles come to mind? If so, then you just might be looking for some information! Old architectural elements such as fireplace mantles, wood trim, tubs, sinks, windows, stained glass, wroght iron, cabinetry, millwork, and light fixtures can be found locally, it just might take a little bit of hunting around to find what you like.
Many old items can be reused. How would you like to have a fireplace like this and also be proud of the fact that you rescued it from the trash heap? So where do you find this stuff? Start by visiting yard sales, antique shops, thrift shops, and flea markets. If you don't see what you are looking for, just ask the local proprietors if they have what you are looking for or if they know of someone who does. Most communities have a small businsses like you see on TV's "Antique Archaeology" that are small "mom and pop" shops and most of them would just love to talk to you. But don't drive to the strip mall expecting to find this stuff, most of the really good stuff (that isn't too spendy) is a bit off the beaten path. So go have some fun and you might just discover something interesting along the way.
And if you are anywhere around the Twin Cities in Minnesota, you might start in some of the smaller older towns like Anoka or Stillwater.
But being Green means so much more. The programs in our state encompass a wide range of approaches to being green. The 5 Principals of Being Green & Minnesota GreenStar Certification:
- Energy Efficiency - Using less energy to run your home.
- Resource Efficiency - Cut back on the amount of materials used and the waste generated in building, renovating, or maintaining your home.
- Water Conservation - Making the most of the water you use in and around your home.
- Indoor Environmental Quality - Ensuring a better indoor environment for your family
- Site and Community Impact - Consciously choosing the materials and methods used to build your home and the impact on the land, environment, and your community.
Check out these great Green Housing Programs: LEED Certified Homes, Minnesota Green Communities, and Minnesota GreenStar.
You can visit the Home Incentive Finder to find rebates, tax credits, and discounts on green improvements.
Minnesota even has an Office of Energy Security that is a part of the Department of Commerce that can help you learn about energy efficiency, renewables, utilities, they have data you can use, resources on how to fund a project and low income assistance. You can even "Ask the Energy Guy" on their website.
And our Governor just recently signed an executive order to create a comprehensive energy saving plan for our state government.
Just a few more reasons why Minnesota is a great place to live!
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