5 Reasons You Do Not Want An Eco Friendly Home

Many of us have good intentions. We want to do what we can for the planet. We've heard all of the dire warnings on the news and we know that we should do something. So why don't we? Because we've talked ourselves into one or more of the myths surrounding going Green. It's time to Bust those Myths.

GOING GREEN IS TOO MUCH WORK
Not True! Going green is not as hard as it may seem. The poet Mary Oliver said "You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting" in her famous poem entitled Wild Geese. It is true that it is not hard or painful to do the right thing. And as long as you make daily strides toward a better future there is no need to repent endlessly for bad decisions of the past.

In particular making your home environmentally friendly is not about making sacrifices instead it is about making better choices. We can all make better choices with the right information.

People are inundated and overwhelmed with information. No one realizes that you do what you can today and tomorrow do more.

#1: GOING GREEN REQUIRES SACRIFICES

Many believe that to "go green" means giving up many of the products and lifestyle choices that shape our lives. Although going green does require change that does not mean you have to give up bathing or using deodorant.

Despite popular stereotypes going green does not mean donning patchouli and eating granola. Every decision we make has an impact on our homes and planet. If you take a conscientious approach to household decisions you can make a change for the better. Look around your home.

What are some things that you know that you can change? It's the little things that matter. Can you make a pledge to forgo disposable shopping bags this month? If 25 percent of the people in the United States cut back 10 shopping bags each month approximately 2.5 billion plastic bags would be saved each year.

#2: GOING GREEN IS EXPENSIVE

If you scan the grocery store shelves you will notice that organic produce is more expensive. Quality "green" cleaning products are often more expensive as well. So it is no wonder that most people believe that doing the right thing for the planet is a big expense. And initially it can be. More efficient products and appliances will reduce utility bills. The important thing to remember is many of the green upgrades you can make will pay for them selves in as little as six week!

The famous three "Rs" of going green are reduce, reuse and recycle. The first two have major financial benefits. Reducing energy and water consumption are two of the most important things that you can do for Mother Earth. Her resources are not infinite. By turning back your central heating thermostat by one degree your fuel consumption is decreased by as much as 10 percent. And insulating your attic can reduce energy loss by as much as 20 percent.

If you reduce usage you also reduce your bill. It is that simple. Again this does not mean that you have to quit bathing, Everyone wants you to be smelling fresh. There are great ways out there to reduce the amount of water you use and in turn the energy used to heat that water. This is a perfect example of where your investment can be paid back very quickly!

#3: GOING GREEN REQUIRES A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION

It is true that there are many radical environmental enthusiasts on the planet. These are the people that devote their lives to an environmental cause, hate leather and shun the rest of the world for using hairdryers. But as with any extreme member of society they are not an example of the only way to be environmentally conscientious.

The famous poet and Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." One step today and one step tomorrow will bring you two steps closer to being greener. If you really enjoy using a hairdryer to style your hair continue to do so but look at another way you can contribute such as purchasing organic or biodegradable hair products.

On average Americans go through an average 2.5 million plastic bottles an hour. Can you image the impact that it would make if only a handful of people would switch from bottled water to resorting to water filtrations system. Again going green is about making informed decisions. For example if every family in America would choose to recycle their newspapers approximately 500,000 trees could be saved.

#4: ALL ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTS ARE THE SAME

Currently, "green" sells. This is unfortunate because many companies are now marketing products as "all natural," "eco-friendly" and "green." When a company spends more money advertising their environmental savvy as opposed to actually implementing any environmental benefits they are green-washing.

Examples of this include changing the name of a product to make it sound more natural or environmentally friendly. Putting images of forests or including the word "eco" in the name of a product are also ways that companies market products as green when in fact they are full of chemicals.

This concept, just like any other marketing trend, threatens to rob consumers of their right to make honest decisions. Today it is more important that ever to know what are buying. Research companies that sell products proclaiming their environmental benefits these "benefits" may not be all they are cracked up to be.

#5: MY CONTRIBUTION DOES NOT MATTER

This is the most unfortunate misconception that people have about saving the planet. Every effort counts no matter how small. It was not one person or even one generation that caused the environmental impact we see today. And it will take more than one person and more than one generation to reverse it. But when in doubt remember the energy saved by recycling just one glass bottle is enough to light a traditional light bulb for four hours. Imagine how much energy could be saved if you make a pledge to recycle all of the glass bottles that is used within your home.

In Summary, what we have learned today is that going green is easy and does not have to be expensive. As a matter of fact, the simplest and easiest changes are the ones that are going to save you lots of money starting on day one. Get started. Today is your day 1!

Remember, Do what you can today...Tomorrow you can do more!