Today’s show topic is very exciting to me. There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for improving eco-friendly living spaces. Everything varies according to your needs, style, and budget!.

Today, Tony Pratte joins us and discusses how we can “green up” our homes! He reminds us of exciting opportunities we all have to reuse or reconstruct previously discarded materials and incorporate them into useful things for our homes; while feeling good about keeping discarded items out of the landfills!

Incremental green

This is incremental green! As you care for, maintain and upgrade your home one step at a time - like painting or replacing do-hickeys with Volatile Organic Compound free paints & products--you’ll be providing an enhanced experience for everyone living in the house by making it healthier, safer (and more comfortable).

Marla’s point-of-view

There are many parts to a home, and lots of things inside every house, so breaking everything down into five different categories is a helpful way to avoid feeling overwhelmed when you’re thinking about all you need to do, to green your home.

The five different categories are:

The place where your home sits on the land.
All the materials and the different products that are brought into the house to make it a home.
Energy
Water
Breathing

Everything that happens outside of your home fits category 1, like windows and natural light, trees for shade, rain barrels, and garden plants and flowers.

Category 2 could be as simple as using reused, recycled, bio-based or wood-based materials in your home, and sourcing your materials locally.

For category 3, make sure that any new appliance you buy has Energy Star, repair whatever you can, upgrade your lighting to LEDs, and buy the kind of plugs that you can turn on and off remotely.

For category 4, you need to do whatever you can to conserve water. Don’t leave the water running when you’re brushing your teeth, shaving, or doing the dishes.

Breathing, in category 5, is all about the indoor air quality in your home. This category is most closely tied to your health and wellness. A good place to start is with the air filters in your heating and cooling units.

Marla’s top 3 green tips:

Use LED lightbulbs
Use only green cleaning products
Use only recycled or non-tree toilet paper so that you don’t end up flushing a forest down the toilet.

Links and resources:

Go to the Green Home Coach website and click on the “consult with me” link for a 20-minute consult with Marla about the product swaps you can do in your home.
Go to the Green Home Coach website and click on the “consult with me” link for a 20-minute consult with Marla about the product swaps you can do in your home.
Everyday Green Home Shop for curated better and green products (link words "Everyday Green Home Shop")
Incremental Green article, County Living Magazine
Green As You Go - Paint by Numbers

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