Greendepot Homeowner

For most of us, living green translates to a personal health and wellness strategy – not just for ourselves, but for our families and those we care about. There are practical things that we can all do to live greener; for each of us, it’s a matter of seeking out those small changes in our lifestyles that we can stick with, and can become a part of our routine.

Choosing to live green can include:

▪Using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs)

▪Using solvent-free finishes 

▪Buying recycled-content products

▪Installing more efficient heating and cooling systems

What does it mean to build green? For many people, it means protecting the health and well-being of their families. For others, it may mean reducing their environmental impact or lowering utility costs. Buildings and building materials have a tremendous impact on the environment and our health; consider that:

•Buildings account for 33% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide

•U.S. water users withdraw enough water to fill a line of Olympic size swimming pools reaching around the world EVERY DAY (more than 300 billion gallons)

•An estimated 4 billion pounds of carpet ends up in landfills each year

These days, “green” is everywhere – in the news, at the supermarket, on your “recycled” coffee cup, even in your child’s classroom. Yet through all the hype, you may be wondering why green should matter to you and your family. Let’s take a look at some of the facts:

▪On average, Americans spend 90% of their time indoors

▪Levels of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be as much as 10 times higher indoors than outdoors

▪As many as 15% of Americans are allergic to their own homes

▪The number of asthma cases in the U.S. more than doubled from 1980-1998, reaching 17 million