by Effie Moore Salem

Created on: July 16, 2009   Last Updated: March 09, 2010

Environmentally friendly homes are now in vogue. No one wants to be seen contributing to an already stressed out ecological system. Living with the idea of conserving energy should always be in the forethought of our minds as we figure out the  best way to address recycling and how to use less energy. That means turning off lights when they are no longer needed, utilizing every morsel of food, and using only the amount of water necessary to keep bodies and homes clean and healthy. There are guidelines one can use but basically, these will be ignored if one is not sufficiently oriented toward a sustainable lifestyle.

Passive solar energy is available to most everyone at some time of the year and this is a small way one can use less energy. In the summertime to help keep homes cool, close the shades or drapes in the afternoon and do not allow the sun to overheat rooms. In the wintertime open the blinds and allow the sun to shine in and therefore help keep the interior warm.

Also, turning off air conditioning and opening windows and allowing cross ventilation is a very earth-loving thing to do. (So you are not at the same time inviting in flies and other flying insects, be sure to apply screens in your windows).

Energy costs during winter time is often staggering and most people learn how to use as little energy as possible. That may mean closing off part of the house during cold weather and using only a few rooms. Also, get into the habit of dressing for cold weather instead of turning up the heat. Reverting back to long underwear and heavy socks and sweaters is not out of the question. Certainly one does not want to make their family miserable by keeping houses too cold, but neither should one expect to go without socks or sweaters in cold climates.

The best time to get really friendly with one's environment is when building a new house. The house can be situated, if building codes permit, that will allow the best use of the sun, breezes, and shading and will keep windows toward the sun, or away from it depending on the climate, and will permit cross ventilation that will naturally control temperatures in hot weather. Proper insulation should be installed that will insure the house is kept at the temperature desired, without using the maximum amount of energy.

If location permits, building on a slope where part of the house can be underground, would be an ideal way of maintaining a healthy home and will be extremely beneficial to energy conservation. It all depends on the location and what kind of house one has, but no matter, there are a myriad of ways a house can be used that will not be too detrimental to the environment.

On the outside, trees can be planted to shade areas from the sun. In southern regions where coolness is sought, this is always a preferred option. In windy areas, trees can block strong winds and this can be an effective way of using available resources to their best advantage.

Making your home friendly to its environment is as easy as deciding to find ways of cooperating with it and not adding any undue burden. Thinking first and acting is far better than going ahead without giving any thought to the consequence of one's actions.

Essentially, it all depends on how deeply one feels the need to become at least on speaking terms with the good earth and how one is to go the distance to sustain this friendly gesture toward a sustainable life style, now and into the future.

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