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Most of us do not realize how often our beliefs, values, and traditions play out in our lives because they are so deeply entrenched.  Working with sustainability and green over the years has taught me a lot about people. I have learned how much our beliefs, values, and even our traditions impact the way we live our lives and how the way we live connects with climate change and sustainability.  I am Marla, the Green Home Coach. Today, I will be focusing on beliefs, values, and the traditions we tend to adopt. I will offer you some alternative perspectives for looking at your home and living in it. I will also explain how the way you think impacts the way you live.  Thinking is changing Mainstream thinking is changing. Ideas around what people consider green, eco-friendly, and environmentally friendly have advanced over the last decade. Raising awareness Climate change, social injustice, and wastage affect all of us. Chemicals, toxicity, and polluted air impact our health, and when things in our homes are off-gassing, that can make us sick. That is why I have become more and more committed, over the years, to raising awareness around those issues. Writing about what matters Over the last ten or twelve years, I have written many articles about what matters to me, like committing to using sustainable building practices and making sure we have comfortable and healthy homes in which to live. Recently, I felt honored when the National Association of Home Builders asked me to write a piece for their blog.  Living green Living green involves our common sense, making mindful choices, and using whatever we have wisely. We need to remember that our choices influence everyone around us and the environment in which we live.  Getting your beliefs and values to work for you Getting your beliefs and values to work for you starts with a personal evaluation. For your home, the first step is to understand that your home influences not only you but your entire community.  Give yourself some grace You cannot do everything right all the time, and none of us are perfect. So learn to be okay with doing whatever you can as much as you can. I do my best to follow how I want to do things 80% of the time and give myself grace for the other 20%. Remember that you also need to give grace to others. A good example I strive to be a good example. I have worked hard to be an example to my children and others in my family. Get to know what you believe in and value Get to know your beliefs and your three most important values. Then, take action and do whatever you can to live up to what you believe and value. Helping people  Helping people has always been part of my life. Part of the reason I became the Green Home Coach was to help people like you learn how to help yourself so that you can help others do the same.  Sharing your superpowers Sharing your superpowers is helpful to others and very rewarding!  A better way Become aware of better ways to do things so that you can live a healthier and more comfortable life in your home. Waste I have worked hard to come up with ways to reduce the amount of waste in my home. I am still working towards finding out how to waste less time, however! My book A few years ago, I wrote a book called Living Green Effortlessly: Simple Choices for a Better Home. I loved having the opportunity to put my beliefs into action! None of the basic concepts in the book have changed since I wrote it. You can ask to join my Facebook group to see a video synopsis of each chapter. Things you bring into your home Everything you bring into your home should be made from natural, sustainable (renewable), or responsible materials. Start small When you decide to take action, start small. Pick three things that you can do better, and stick with them. (I chose to use only LED lightbulbs, green cleaning products, and tree-free toilet paper in my home.) Stay in line with what you believe    Make sure that every decision you make for your home stays in line with what you believe and value.  Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Instagram & Facebook: @greenhomecoach Does Greener Living Support Your Values?  Women Want Sustainable & Healthy Homes — How 4 Female Members Deliver  What does it mean to “be green” anymore?  "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."      

Did you know that reusing stuff is back in vogue again?  People reuse things for many different reasons. When they do, it always reminds me of my grandmother because that is her legacy. She was one of the biggest motivators for me getting involved in the green and sustainable world. I am Marla, the Green Home Coach. Today, my occasional co-host, Tony Pratte, The Green Guy, is joining me to have a conversation about my grandmother’s legacy of reusing almost everything.  In this episode, Tony and I discuss how different generations relate to the notion of reusing things, and we also talk about what we can learn from how our grandparents and great-grandparents did things.   My grandmother My grandmother was born in 1909 in a small town in South Texas. She was a young woman during the Depression. Back then, most communities were small, rural, and self-sustaining. So things were scarce and had to be reused. I remember her telling my sisters and me when we were little to use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.  My mother’s generation My mother grew up simply and frugally. Even though she learned to do without many things during World War 2, it was her generation that brought in the mass manufacturing of convenience and luxury items.  The next generation People from each generation usually want to ensure that those in the next generation will be in a better position than they were. Most parents are willing to work hard so that their children do not have to work as hard. They want to know that their children are well provided for, well-educated, and in a position to make more money than they did.  Resources We need to learn to use all our resources wisely if we want them to be available for the next generation to use. Creating a culture of reducing, reusing, recycling, and refusing The culture of reducing, reusing, recycling, and refusing is becoming more fashionable lately. Especially amongst the younger people. Tony’s family Tony grew up in a working-class family. They lived comfortably but not ostentatiously. They budgeted, planned, and only spent money on necessary things.  Education My parents sacrificed a lot to give my sisters and me a private school education. They saw a good education as a foundation for us to be in a position to do whatever we wanted for the rest of our lives. My sisters and I are very grateful for their sacrifice! Reusing things My grandmother used to reuse things like foil, rubber bands, paper clips, and nails. Some of that rubbed off on me. So when I get a plastic take-out container, I either reuse it or throw it away in the recycling bin. I do not buy zip-lock bags anymore. But if I get one, I wash it out and reuse it. I also save and reuse glass jars.  The younger generation Some younger people do not think they will have the opportunity to live the same lifestyle as their parents did, or to retire, because they have high college debts and do not have high-paying jobs. Prices also keep rising, and they do not budget, so they struggle to put any money aside.  Easing the financial burden There are things they can do to ease their financial burden. Many of them are learning to hold onto things and reuse them. They are also learning to stretch their budgets more. Buying used items I buy as many used items as I can. Used furniture is safer because it has already off-gassed.  Changing our lifestyle My husband had brain surgery a few years ago, and that changed everything for us. Although we live comfortably, we have a simpler lifestyle now and use fewer resources than ever before. Apart from saving money, we now also save time and energy. A fine line There is a fine line between hoarding and keeping everything and being wise about keeping the things you will need.  Neighborhood swaps  Neighborhood swaps are a great way to get what you need when you need it, without having to buy things you only use once in a while, like trailers and gardening equipment. Follow the four Rs Refuse: If you do not need something, do not get it. Reduce: You will use a lot less if you take only what you need. (Like unnecessary packaging.) Reuse: Wash and reuse items like plastic or glass containers. We reuse straw bales that people have used for Christmas decorations in our garden. Recycle: Recycling something will change its form. (Newspapers can be recycled into writing paper.) Packaging has changed Many people have changed their attitudes about reuse because packaging materials have changed so much over the years. Learning to refuse unnecessary packaging, and reusing whatever you can to store things in, is a great way to tackle two problems at once in a sustainable way. Getting only what you need Focus on getting only what you need. Then, when you occasionally splurge on something you want it will feel so much more special!   Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  My fav reusable bags...for everything! (and search "bags") Uncluttering Life "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” Has a New Sibling…Refuse! with Tony Pratte Recycled Crafts: Crafts Made Using Recycled Materials "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."  

Houses and buildings are moving like crazy, but supply chains are still nuts! Remodeling has been affected by all the craziness that is going on with homes and homebuilding. However, when we decide to do a remodel, we have the opportunity to do some amazing things to make our homes even better! I am Marla, the Green Home Coach, and today, my occasional co-host, Tony Pratte, is joining me to have a conversation about remodeling and building. We will cover the building envelope, systems, and changing fixtures and finishes. Build My Future Build My Future is a one-day construction event. It is an interactive job fair designed to give high school students a hands-on opportunity to experience how things get done in the construction industry and skilled trades. I assisted in bringing a Build My Future event to Oklahoma City in 2019. We hosted another event in Oklahoma on October 26th, 2021, and I was both honored and excited to be part of it! Labor shortage The labor shortage keeps on getting worse, but we need people to build houses. That is why events like Build My Future are vital.   People power There appears to be a trend towards making things more and more efficient, but we still need people-power on building sites and behind the brains to make it all work. Commercial building versus home building The commercial environment has done a much better job of adopting healthier, greener, and more sustainable building principles than the home building environment has done. That is so because the homebuilding environment is based on repeatability, while commercial building is based on one-and-done plans. So, with commercial building, everything gets re-engineered, and with home building, there is a set of plans.  The goal The goal of homebuilding is to build as efficiently as possible, using the same plan but with some tweaks. Bridging the gap There are tremendous opportunities in the home industry for adopting greener and more sustainable building principles. People who do what I do help bridge the gap between the home industry and the commercial industry. A labor of love When remodeling a home, we often take products built in a repeatable fashion and tailor them to our specific needs and desires. Remodeling a home is usually a labor of love because it tends to be quite a challenging undertaking! Unforeseen situations Whenever you remodel or redecorate a home, you have to make provision for unforeseen situations. The building envelope The building envelope is what protects the inside of a home from the outside. It includes the walls, the windows, the doors, the roof, the basement, and the foundation slab. That is the best place to start with a remodel or an upgrade if it involves tearing out or removing walls or building an addition to the house.  Some key things to do for the building envelope Do an air-sealing package. That should include the exterior walls, the base or floors, and the ceiling and roof. Caulk the joints if you see any light shining in from the outside. Seal everything up properly. Particularly around the windows, doors, and openings for electrical wires, plumbing fixtures, or anything else that has to go through the walls. When buying sealants, ask the salespeople for advice about the best products to use for each different area of the house. Put in healthier and better insulation than there was before. (You can get a low VOC insulation that will not off-gas as much as others. There is a certification called Green Guard Gold that independently verifies products that do not off-gas much.) Have a conversation with your contractors and sub-contractors about using greener and healthier products. If they don’t want to do things your way, find another contractor. Windows and doors  Buy the best windows and doors that your budget will allow. Remember that windows are harder to replace than to install. Also, make sure that you put in windows and doors with the best insulation rating. It helps to work with an experienced home professional. Roofs Replacing the roof shingles on your house will allow you to choose the best and healthiest options, even if that only means choosing the color. Use your common sense when making that choice. Pay attention to your region, and remember that dark colors absorb light and heat, while light colors reflect light and heat. The choices you make not only need to look good, but they also need to perform well. Renovation loans If you get a renovation loan when buying a home, it will add all your renovation expenses to your mortgage. That means you can get all your renovations done before moving in. Look on www.desireusa.org for incentives and rebates to help you make your home just the way you want it. Systems Modern homes rely on systems for heating, cooling, and ventilation. Remodeling your home will provide an excellent opportunity for you to add a fresh air intake to your heating, cooling, and ventilation system.   Moisture You want to get the moisture out of your house because it could cause mold. So, you need a system that ventilates as well as heating and cooling your home. In some climates, you might also need a humidifier or a dehumidifier. Professionals It is worth spending some extra money on a professional because that will ensure that things get done in the right way. Zoning your system A properly sized and zoned heating… system is achieved by carefully calculating the loads for the home and its occupants. Then it will not have to work as hard to achieve comfort and control. Properly sizing and zoning any system is key to achieving good outcomes and works even better with a high energy system. Water heaters There are various options for water heaters. You could select a tankless water heater, a high-efficiency tank, or even a solar water heater. Remember to look for the Energy Star label! Maintaining your system If you maintain your heating, cooling, and ventilation system it will last much longer. Use the best filters you can and don’t forget to change the filters regularly.  Fixtures and fittings Replace your lightbulbs with LEDs, and whenever you replace your plumbing fixtures, get low-flow fixtures. (Unless you have an automated lighting system where the type of lightbulb you use matters.)  Better options There are better options for flooring, kitchen and bathroom cabinets and countertops, and paint. Always choose low or no VOC paint. You can use sustainable, low or no VOC, or recycled flooring, and use solid wood cabinetry. Always check your sources when using recycled items, and make sure that none of your building products contain formaldehyde.  Remodeling is a labor of love and we’re here to inspire you to make your home everything you want it to be! Referral Links: For some of my fav products for remodeling and redecorating, go to Everyday Green Home and search "paint", "lights", etc. Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  4 Benefits of Green Remodeling A Green Certified Remodel! Lessons Learned From My Own Remodel  The Top 10 Myths About Green Home Remodeling Explaining High-Performance Building  Benefits of Green Remodeling Book: Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies by Eric Corey Freed BONUS for RENTERS Build My Future OKC  DSIRE "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."      

Recycling has gone awry, and there is plastic everywhere! Do you sometimes forget to put recyclable items, like plastic soda bottles, pill containers, and the little plastic takeout cups and lids from takeout food, in the right place and end up throwing them out with the trash? Or have you ever had something that you would like to recycle, but you do not know what to do with it?  I am Marla, the Green Home Coach! Today, I am excited to have my occasional co-host, Tony Pratte, AKA Tony, the Green Guy, joining me in my virtual studio for another episode in our series on the climate crisis, where we discuss convenience, where our plastic products come from, and tips you can use for better and wiser recycling! Creative solutions Even though Tony and I do not always see eye-to-eye on everything, we are not afraid of having difficult conversations. We are just as willing to talk about things we disagree on as we are about things we agree, to find creative solutions. Katharine Hayhoe Katharine Hayhoe is a well-known Texas-based climate scientist. She is encouraging people everywhere to open up the conversation about the climate crisis. Back in the day When Tony and I were growing up, we had to pay a deposit for the glass bottles the soda came in. We would get the deposit back again when we returned the empty bottles. We also had regular recycling drives in our neighborhoods. What has changed? Convenience, or taking the easy way out, has taken precedence over everything else, and many people do not think twice about throwing away single-use containers or packaging materials.  Impatience Our lives have become more complicated. Most people are used to getting whatever they want immediately or getting instant responses from others whenever they try to contact them, so they have become impatient. As a result, they are unwilling to make a plan to recycle something and would rather throw it into the trash immediately. The unintended consequences of convenience There was an explosion of fast food in the 1980s. Since then, it became all about convenience, and we never stopped to think about the unintended consequences of what was happening. Plastic Plastic has had more unintended consequences than we ever imagined.   Behavioral inertia As a result of getting used to doing things very easily, many of us now suffer from behavioral inertia when we need to change our habits. In a book I read, the author explains that it is far easier to change an existing habit than it is to start a new one. Swaps Get into the habit of swapping single-use or unrecyclable plastic items for items that can be reused or recycled sustainably. The numbers  In the United States, in 2017, we produced 35,400,000 metric tons of plastic. Of that, only 11% got recycled.  You cannot mix plastics that are to be recycled More than 70% of recyclable materials land up in landfills. That can happen because people throw items that are not recyclable into recycling bins, which could contaminate an entire batch of recycling. Another problem is that many municipalities have not been able to keep their recycling programs going or going as robustly as before. New types of plastic also complicate things by adding to the vast assortment of plastic products that we still need to figure out what to do with. What recycling means Recycling something means rescuing and processing the material it is made from to make something new. Driving the market We need to drive the recycling market by demanding more recycled products. That will motivate companies to provide more vibrant, sustainable, and financially rewarding recycling services. Virgin plastic The bulk of our virgin plastic gets made from petroleum. By recycling that plastic, we recycle the inherent value of those products.  Where do our products come from? Supply chains have become globalized and very complex, so many of us do not know where our plastic products come from. We need to pay more attention to that and learn more about it. Cut out the waste There are many good uses for plastic. To get the best use out of plastic, we need to cut out all the wasteful ways it gets used. Recycling labels Only one in five Americans always look for the recycling labels on items before throwing them away. Brands could help by making more of their packaging materials recyclable and making the labels on their packaging easier to see. A fast-growing number of solutions A fast-growing number of solutions are coming up for recycling. Many new companies are using less or no packaging. Solutions are also being provided by businesses like my son’s company, Printerior, which makes 3D printing filaments out of recycled plastic. Some tips for better and wiser recycling: Try to use non-disposable items at least 80% of the time. Ask yourself if you truly need an item before purchasing it. If an item does not need to be packaged after you have bought it, accept the receipt and carry it out of the store. If you have to choose something disposable, choose something reusable or easily recyclable. Develop the habit of always doing whatever you need to, to dispose of items responsibly. Read the labels, and put whatever you are throwing away into the right place.   Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  One way to chip away at our mountains of plastic waste is to re-use it. Printerior Designs is doing just that! SHOP Recycled 3D Printer Filament https://printeriordesigns.com - 15% discount with coupon code GREENHOMECOACH For some of my fav recycled products go to Everyday Green Home and search "recycled" Earth 911 Recycling Guides The How2Recycle label needs a massive campaign - and brands should make it happen, from the Shelton Group blog The Challenge of Recycling, National Geographic Products made from petroleum Terracycle "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."  

So many people have been buying and selling houses over the past year!  Lately, people have been much more concerned about their health and wellness, both in their lives and in their homes. Fortunately, we now get to take our health and wellness into account when looking for a new home or fixing up the house we are living in.  I am Marla, the Green Home Coach, and I am excited to bring you another teach-talk! Today I will be doing Part 2 of an episode I did a couple of weeks ago with Tee (Therese Forton-Barnes) of The Green Living Gurus. In that episode, Tee and I had a fantastic conversation about different ways to make your home better and how to clean up your house to make it less toxic, safer, and healthier for everyone living in it.  In this episode, I will be talking about what you, as a new home buyer, need to look for to find a new home that works for you and has all the elements you need. I will help you formulate a plan and share some of the things I learned from my experience of buying a home about five years ago. Specific things When buying a new home, there are specific things to look out for that will give you a good starting point for having health, wellness, and comfort in your home. You also need to notice the things that are missing so that you can build them in and improve your home. Upgrading If your home has a very old furnace or air-conditioning system, it could be a perfect opportunity to upgrade to something energy-efficient with healthy ventilation. Possibly an air-purification system, too. Financial assistance Many options are available for loans or financial assistance for energy-efficient home upgrades, either through the FHA or privately.  A plan You need to know what you are looking for when buying a new home, and you also need a plan to know where to start. I will help you formulate a plan using a hand-out I helped create for a mini-workshop for new home buyers that was put on several months ago by a mortgage company in Oklahoma City.  Lists Make a list of your top three non-negotiable priorities. (These are the things you must have.) Make a list of your top three “nice-to-haves”. (These are things you would like to have but could do without if they were not there. Make a list of the top three things that you will not accept under any circumstances. (If you are working with a realtor, share those things with them.) Finding things you want that will meet your health, safety, and comfort requirements Look at the neighborhood where the house is to make sure that you will be happy living there. Communities and neighborhoods can differ a lot. Check to see if the home has enough insulation and that it will perform. (Energy assessments are available in most communities across the US if you want to be sure.) Check for ventilation. Make sure that there are operable bath fans and a kitchen range hood that vents to the outdoors. Check for any spots, and notice any musty or suspicious smells. If you find any wet spots, have them inspected to know why they are there. Look for durable and easy-to-maintain finishes and materials, like hardwood floors and scrub-able paint. (Use low or no VOC paint if you need to repaint.) Look at the countertop materials in the bathrooms and kitchen. Make sure that they are durable and meet your lifestyle. Find out what the operating and maintenance costs are. It is vital to know what you are getting yourself into and how much it will cost to run your home. (Set aside between one and three percent of the purchase price of the house for your annual maintenance.) Take the hassle factor into account. Make sure that the house is as easy as possible to run and maintain.  Book I recommend reading Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies by Eric Corey Freed. Although it is a little dated, it covers all the basics, and I learned a lot from it! Have a happy, healthy day! Did You Miss Part 1 with Tee? Health, Happiness, and Homes with Tee of the Green Living with Tee Podcast Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Health Happiness and Home - How to Pick A Home that Truly Works FOR You Book: Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies, by Eric Corey Freed BONUS for RENTERS "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."      

Finding a new home is not easy. We all want to live in a comfortable place that keeps us in good health and wellness, but many of us do not even know where to start because there are so many factors to consider.  I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and today I am sharing the podcast with Tee (Therese Forton-Barnes), the host of the Green Living with Tee Podcast. Both Tee and I have a strong desire to help people make their homes healthier, so we decided to introduce our two audiences to each other by co-hosting this show. In this episode, we will be diving into some simple and straightforward ways to ensure that your home is safe, healthy, and comfortable for you, your family, and the whole community. About Tee Tee lives in Buffalo, New York. She has the Green Living with Tee Podcast, a business called The Green Living Gurus, and a product line called Tee’s Organics, which will launch soon.  Tee came out of college as a party planner. She ran a party and wedding planning business for thirty-five years. When the pandemic started, it was the perfect time for her to start helping people get toxic chemicals out of their homes and introduce them to a new and healthier product line.  Why should you have a greener home? The air inside your home could be between five times and a hundred times more polluted than the outdoor air. To live your best and healthiest life, you need to control what you bring into your home. Take everything you use in your home, like cleaning supplies, laundry detergents, and even air fresheners and candles into account because the chemicals in those could weaken your immune system and potentially cause cancer or other illnesses. One thing at a time  Talking about toxic chemicals can be scary for some people when they realize that there could be toxic items in every room.  One thing at a time The only way to tackle the task is to do just one thing at a time and do the best you can. Baby steps Buying a new house is the perfect time to do a healthy detox inside the house. If you feel overwhelmed, start with baby steps, and have fun while you are doing it! Doing it better Having a greener home means doing things better! Regardless of where you live- if it is in a small apartment in the city or a large house in the country, there will always be things you can do to clean the air, lower the toxicity, and make your home safer and healthier for yourself and your community. Every little bit counts! Regulations There are currently no strict regulations for the chemicals that get used in our homes. Understanding your home Green homes can be certified by the National Green Building Standard, endorsed by the National Association of Home Builders. The requirements for that certification include homeowner education and homeowner documentation to prove that the people living in the home know how to operate it and keep it at its best. Location If your home is near factories that produce pesticides, you could find some of those toxins venting into your home. Toxins (like those found in dryer sheets) could also be venting out into the environment, and your home, from other homes nearby.  Structure There could be toxic chemicals in the products used to construct the walls and roof assemblies of your home.  Moisture Ensure that your home was built to keep the moisture out. That will prevent poisonous molds from growing inside the house. When buying a house, look out for any wet spots on the walls, ceilings, and floors. Also, look out for wood rot around the windows and doors. The Hayward Score The Hayward Score can be used to assess the overall toxicity in your home. Ventilation Having good ventilation in your home is essential. It is vital to have fresh air circulating in your home, especially if it is air-tight. Opening a window just a crack will improve the overall air quality of your home.  Systems  Have a fresh air intake put onto your HVAC system, and use the best filters that you can. A great trick I learned is to turn on the blower fans when I dust and vacuum to suck the dust out of the air. Remember to replace the filters regularly to ensure that the heating and cooling system keeps on working efficiently.  Air purifiers Air purifiers can catch some of the chemicals that you cannot prevent from entering your home. How to make things better and reduce the risk of getting sick If you buy a new house, give it some time to off-gas before you move in. Leave dry-cleaned clothes or any new items outside for a while to off-gas before bringing them inside. Choose interior surfaces that are easy to clean and durable. That will prevent having to use chemicals to clean them. Paint your walls with low or no VOC paint. Tee’s top three tips for healthier homes: Ditch the dryer sheets and change your laundry detergent for a chemical-free option. Use only chemical-free cleaning supplies or make your own. Filter your water and stop buying bottled water. Light bulbs Use LED light bulbs. They are recyclable, last for years, and use less energy. Toilet paper Use tree-free toilet paper so that you do no longer flush trees down the toilet. Labels Read your labels and get to know the ingredients in everything you buy.  Remember- it all starts with clean air, clean water, and natural light. Referral Links: FREE Download - Health, Happiness, and Home: How to Pick a Home that Truly Works FOR You My website Green Home Coach Green Living Gurus Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Green Living Gurus Do You Think Your Home is Healthy? Book: Living Green Effortlessly What is a Healthy Home? BONUS for RENTERS Award-Winning Spec Home Healthier Healthy Home Buying from Wellness Mama "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."    

The topic of unintended consequences is huge! Just thinking about it is enough to make my head spin! There are so many different aspects to consider in that regard, particularly when you think of unintended consequences in terms of their impact on the environment, climate change, and the day-to-day way we live our lives.   I am Marla, the Green Home Coach. Today, I am excited to have my favorite co-host, Tony Pratte, joining me live in-studio to tackle the tremendous topic of unintended consequences.  In this episode, Tony and I talk about how we need to think a little more about everything we do because there will always be some other effect or consequence to any of our actions. Leaping to conclusions So often, people leap to the conclusion that a certain solution is the only solution. I do not think that there is only one solution for anything.  It will take many solutions I feel it will take many solutions to improve our health, safety, comfort, and this planet on which we live.  A systemic approach Often, when looking for a solution, people fail to look any further than the next step. That is why we need to look at things systemically. A catchy phrase A catchy phrase or trending meme will not suspend the law of physics, the law of gravity, or the law of mathematics. Just because something sounds good, it does not mean that it is the right way to do it. Nor does it mean that there will be no consequences for that action.  Introducing a biological organism into a different environment If we want to prevent something from getting out of balance, and we introduce a biological organism into an environment in which it is not naturally found, we are merely treating the symptom. To find a solution, we need to look at what caused the imbalance in the first place.  Tradeoffs The departments of natural resources in the different states have programs that trade certain species to find out if they can exist in different environments. They do that for research purposes and also to increase biodiversity.  An example An example of that happened in Missouri, where there was an overpopulation of white-tailed deer. A little more than ten years ago, some of the white-tailed deer got placed in a different location, and in return, the state of Missouri got given some armadillos. As a result, and as an unintended consequence, Missouri now has a growing population of armadillos. An unintended consequence with wolves We can see a similar unintended consequence where endangered wolves got reintroduced into places with a lot of ranching. Unintended consequences can also be good An example of a positive unintended consequence happened in Illinois when bald eagles got reintroduced. Illinois is one of the favorite migratory spots for the bald eagle to breed. So the unintended consequence is a lot of extra tourism in the area. Fully understanding the unintended consequences If people fully understood the unintended consequences of their proposals, they would be less likely to go forward with risky ventures. Out of control It has often happened that species brought in from other places to solve short-term problems have blossomed out of control in a new location. That unintended consequence is that the artificially introduced species then has to be controlled. Native plants It is always best to use native plants for your landscaping to avoid using extra resources to keep your plants alive. Building science Everything you do to protect yourself from the environment has a tradeoff. Building science looks at everything from a systemic perspective. It helps to control the tradeoffs and minimize the things that you do not want to happen. Building tighter homes In the 1970s, we started building tighter homes to save energy. However, we did that without considering what we were putting into our homes. The unintended consequences emerged about fifteen years later with mold issues in those homes and a generation of kids with more asthma cases than had ever been seen before.  Healthy homes The materials used in your home need to be permeable. Your home needs to breathe and allow the air to circulate to let water vapor through so that the interior can dry out.  Be prepared Be prepared for future unintended consequences that could pop up in unexpected ways when you least expect them. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home Easily find stylish, energy-efficient options for your home. Enter "energy" in the search bar on the Shop page! Green Living - Saving Ourselves Does Greener Living Support Your Values? Taking on Climate Change at Home...from NPR How to Fight Climate Change at Home  

The approach of fall presents a wonderful opportunity for us to speak about the outdoors!  I really appreciate the cooler weather and love being able to spend time outside without getting too hot! Also, when August rolls around each year, I cannot help thinking about the harvests that will soon be coming in from the farmer’s markets- and even from my garden!  I am Marla, the Green Home Coach, and today I am excited to bring you another Everyday Green Home Podcast Teach Talk! In this episode, I will be talking about the harvest, the garden and outdoors, maintenance, and what you need to do to get ready for the cooler weather. I will also share some fun ways to get outside and enjoy the milder weather.  Our garden We have the craziest garden, and it is producing right now.  My first harvest Although we are, at best, experimental gardeners, our very first harvest for this year was a massive Armenian cucumber!   Sustainable and chemical-free experimental gardeners Being experimental gardeners, we have been trying out many different things. Everything we do gets done as sustainably and chemical-free as possible.  Farmer’s market We love our farmer’s market! There is a farmer we buy from there who grows the most beautiful chemical-free produce.  Straw bale gardening Last summer, we started gardening with straw bales. We did it because Oklahoma has very clay-ey soil, so it takes a lot of compost and augmentation to prepare the soil for growing vegetables. A raised-bed garden Using straw bales creates a raised-bed garden, which is a lot easier on the back and knees.  How we got our used straw bales I placed a notice on our local neighborhood Facebook group just after Halloween last year and once again after Thanksgiving where I offered to collect the straw bales that people had been using as decorations. By doing that, we managed to acquire fifteen straw bales that people would otherwise have thrown away.  Reusing resources Collecting used straw bales gave us an ideal opportunity to reuse some resources that were already out there. We also saved a lot of money because we did not have to pay for them. Conditioning the straw Before planting, the straw needs to be conditioned to break it down into compost. We left our bales to sit over the winter, and in early spring my husband treated them with natural fertilizer and water for a few weeks.  Fun Straw bale gardening has been lots of fun, and my husband and I have learned a lot from doing it! Seedlings We also grew our own seedlings this year. Unfortunately, the tags I made faded in the sun, so we were not entirely sure what we were planting. Next time, we will find a better way of noting what the different seedlings are. A drip system My husband put in a drip system with a timer to water the garden. That allowed us the freedom to spend some time away from home, and still keep our garden growing. Harvesting Last year, we heard that an ice storm was coming at the end of October, so we went out into our garden with flashlights the night before the storm and harvested everything.  Preparing This year, we plan to be more prepared for the harvest. We also plan to have our garden well-prepared for the winter. Saving seeds We managed to save some of the seeds from what we planted, and what we bought from the farmer’s market, last year. Some of the plants we have this year come from those saved seeds. We dried them and kept them in the refrigerator to preserve them. Keeping notes We plan on keeping notes of the things that work best in our garden. A good time to plant Fall is a good time to plant new trees and shrubs and to seed new lawns or turf. Look for sustainable turf if possible because it requires less water and maintenance.  Outside maintenance For us, outside maintenance includes cleaning up in the garden. I have also been collecting seeds from the wildflowers in our garden.  Inspect your home Inspect the outside of your home to make sure that everything is in order, for the winter. Remember to do the little things like changing your heating and cooling filters and your water filters. It is a good idea to make a list of all the things that are critical to do to make sure that your home is safe and sound for the cold winter months. Maintenance checklist Use a maintenance checklist to make sure that you do everything that needs to be done. A checklist will help you to figure out what you can do yourself, and what you will need professional help with. Declutter This is a good time to declutter. A garage sale is a good way to get rid of any items that you no longer need.  Reuse or recycle Always try to find ways to reuse or recycle whatever you can. Try to make use of ‘junk services’ wherever possible. Day trips are fun Day trips are a good intermediate at this time of year if you are not quite ready or do not have the time to take a long trip. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Grab our FREEBIE - Landscaping for Energy Efficiency! Stuff for Your Garden  Stuff for Your Outdoors Landscaping for Beauty, Energy Efficiency, and Comfort  Maintain and Document So You Can Rely on Your Home  Our Garden photos  "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."​    

I have seen some crazy things happening lately in the homebuilding industry! There is turmoil with both new and existing homes as a result of shortages and supply-chain disruptions in many different areas.  In this episode, we will look at the problems we are facing and discuss why they are happening. We will break everything down into the three parts of a house: the land, the materials, and the labor. They are all connected, and we are having challenges with all of them.  Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Green Home Podcast! I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and I am happy to have my ever-popular co-host, Tony Pratte, joining me face-to-face in the studio today! Huge impacts The markets for real estate, new builds, and remodeling of existing homes are connected, and they are all having problems now. The impacts of that are huge. They are affecting building costs, timing, and even how people are moving around. The rising cost of lumber Houses are now being sold, sight unseen, to the highest bidder, and new homes are currently averaging between twenty and forty thousand dollars more due to the rising price of lumber.  A challenge There are not enough people working in the construction and skilled trades. Even finding someone to come in and do a simple home repair has become challenging right now.  Sawmills Sawmills got shut down during the pandemic. We have fewer sawmills online now than we did ten or twenty years ago because many of them shut down during the great recession and never got going again.  Border and lumber issues The turnaround time for lumber shipments from Canada is way too long because it has to cross the border and quarantine. The transportation of the materials is also an issue because the transport drivers are having problems with being locked up.   Alternative materials The producers and salespeople of alternative materials are finally making sure that their voices get heard.  Cabinets There is a massive issue with kitchen cabinets being unavailable.  Windows and doors Even windows and doors have become hard to find because factories in which they are made were shut down. Now, they are unable to catch up with the demand. Appliances There is a six-month wait for many appliances, even though many warehouses are full of appliances that have already been paid for. The warehouses are full because the pipeline got stuck due to new houses not being completed or reaching a point where the appliances can get delivered. Copper Electricians are running out of wire, and the price of raw copper is shooting through the roof! That affects plumbers and electricians and also inadvertently HVAC heating and cooling. Resin There is a shortage of the resin that makes the plastic for electric cover-plates, light switches, wall plates for cable or data connections, speakers, ceiling-mounted speaker brackets, and more. It is all connected If the openings in the dry walls for the electric wires do not get covered, the house cannot get inspected. Without the inspection, the sale of the house cannot close. That creates even more demand in the already-tight existing home market.  Home inspections Homebuyers and sellers are now becoming willing to waive their home inspections. If you buy a house without a home inspection, you have no recourse, and you will never know what you are dealing with in terms of termites, water issues, or components that do not work. Demand is outstretching supply Currently, the demand for materials is outstretching the supply. That has caused a surge in pricing.  A shortage of land Many people want to move into single-family homes. That requires land, but there is a shortage close to the cities. New areas As a result of more people working more flexibly or working from home, new areas are starting to open up for people to live.  The basics of land The land to build homes on is finite and scarce. Ten years ago, it took about six months to get through all the permit requirements for developing a new piece of land. Now it takes two to three years, and that leads to increased costs. Labor There has been a shortage of labor in the skilled trades and homebuilding industry for many years. Because, as a nation, we were encouraged to aspire to higher education. As a result, we lost almost two generations of tradespeople. Many people do not realize that the trades are higher education.  No debt With most skilled trades you could make between sixty and a hundred thousand dollars a year, with zero debt. Women in the construction industry More and more women have been joining the construction world. We need women to be doing that kind of work, so I am excited to be joining a project in Utah next week, called The House that She Built. It is hosted by women in various trades, to bring awareness to women in the building industry. Professional Women in Building My part in the Professional Women in Building organization was to help bring an event, Build My Future, to Oklahoma City in 2019.   Construction sites Construction sites are fun! There is music going, people making fun of each other, and people working hard as a team. Individuals from the various trades can be found on-site, all with the same end in mind- to produce the home.  What we can do about the labor shortage We can encourage young people to learn more about opportunities in the trades and hopefully connect more with those coming into the trades- particularly with more women.  Jobs in construction There are jobs in construction for everybody! So, if you want a job, you will find one there because the unions are actively looking for people.   Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Why Builders Stick with Lumber Despite High Prices, NAHB Now Steel Prices Have Tripled Supply Issues Linger from NAHB Now NAHB Supply Chain Summit "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

The idea of 3-D printing is exploding right now in almost every sector! Today, I am happy to introduce you, the listeners, to my son, Trent Esser. Trent and his friend are starting a 3-D printing company in St Louis, called Printerior. The company is currently in the beta testing phase, and they are getting ready to have their first product launch within the next two to four weeks. Trent is joining me on the show today to talk about his exciting new venture and explain how 3-D printing works. For this episode, I get the chance to do something cool that I have never done before! I will be working with my son for the very first time!  I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and I have my dedicated co-host, Tony Pratte, joining me in the studio today. Be sure to stay tuned to hear what 3-D printing is all about and find out how Trent aims to use 3-D printers to solve the world’s plastic waste problem. Production facility Trent and his team moved into their production facility about a month ago. They are done with the construction phase now and are finally getting everything set up and ready to start production.  About Printerior Printerior is a sustainable additive manufacturing company.  Their goal Their goal is to help solve the world’s plastic waste problem by using 3-D printers and waste plastic to create sustainable products.  A new way 3-D printing is a new way of manufacturing almost anything and everything. It has taken a while to get started in the US, but Trent and his team are working on accelerating things.  Using already-existing plastic Trent uses recycled plastic for the feedstock for his 3-D printing, so he is guaranteed to have enough supply for the rest of his life. 100% recycled filament Right now, they are creating 100% recycled filament for 3-D printers.  What the filament for 3-D printing is The filament for 3-D printers is a bit like the ink in an ink-jet printer. It allows the printer to build up layers and create a shape. The filament is the actual plastic that makes every print. Plastic Almost all plastics are made from petroleum products. We are starting to see more and more plastics made from corn and potato starch, however. In the US, corn starch gets used for making PLA plastic. Different variations of plastic 3-D printing uses different variations of plastic. These include the traditional PLA bioplastic, made from plant material rather than petroleum, and many other kinds of plastic ranging from ABS to PETG, depending on the specific requirement for each application. What compostable plastic means  Although compostable plastic was branded as eco-friendly, it is not quite true. Compostable plastic can only be composted in a commercial composting center because it takes a lot of heat and pressure to do it. There are very few commercial composting centers, and most of them will not compost plastic of any kind. A full recycling service Printerior creates filament from plastic waste sources and 3D printing waste collected through the Printerior Recycling Program. This 100% recycled-content filament is then used to make new 3D prints, completing the cycle. Who they work with Printerior works with universities, school districts, maker spaces, and small-scale businesses that use 3-D printing to manufacture their products.  Incentive Sometimes, prints fail, and the product does not come out as intended. Printerior incentivizes businesses, schools and consumers by recycling the scrap that they would normally throw away and then giving them a discount on their next order of feedstock filament based on the amount of plastic they recycle.  A tricky process Although making plastic from recycled plastic sounds easy, once you get down to the finer details, it can be a tricky process. It requires clean feedstock, formed in the right way, that comes out in the right consistency with the correct material quality. The whole process is not cheap, and it takes a lot of effort. Easy to buy Trent’s product has to be as easy to buy as new plastic to be competitive. Although it took a lot of time and effort to get established, things will soon start going more smoothly for them. What they make Apart from making 3-D filament, Printerior also has a print farm. They can make almost any product that is approximately a cubic foot in size.  How 3-D printing can spark entrepreneurship 3-D printing allows many different products to be brought to market faster, without the large cash requirements to cover the molding costs for manufacturing plastic products. Cost-competitive  So far, 3-D printing has been cost-competitive, up to about fifty to one-hundred-thousand parts. After that, injection molding is more cost-effective because it is faster. COVID face-shields  The manufacture of COVID face shields took off during the pandemic, and they were in short supply. So, 3-D printer communities from around the country banded together and produced millions of them that went out to hospitals in days rather than months. The building industry 3-D printers are also making their way into the building industry right now. How it started A while back, Trent and his friend, Hayden, now his business partner, got into large-format printing. (That is where their company is heading for the future).  University of Missouri EQ Accelerator They participated in the University of Missouri EQ Accelerator (Entrepreneurship Alliance), from which they received some seed funding. Europe  After that, Trent went to Europe to learn about large-format 3-D printers. He loved what he learned there and came back full of enthusiasm for his new project.  The pandemic Unfortunately, he arrived back home one week before everything shut down due to the pandemic.  Pivoting When things started settling down again, they reached out to their partners, who told them that it would take more than a year to get things going. So Trent and his partner decided to pivot into making filament for the consumer market. Easily recyclable and sustainable They want everything they manufacture to be easily recyclable and sustainably sourced. 3-D printing has taken off 3-D printing has taken off and become cost-effective. The cost of good-quality 3-D printers has dropped drastically.  Schools Some school districts even have entire curricula based around 3-D printing and additive manufacturing. A great team Trent and his business partner, Hayden, are both very artistic and creative. Trent has an entrepreneurial spirit, and Hayden is an engineer and designer. They have also brought a third co-founder, Jordan, on board. Jordan is an expert in computer science and electrical engineering.  Making a dent in the climate crisis Manufacturing has a huge footprint. By using 3-D printers and recycled material for manufacturing, and recycling plastic, Trent and his team are doing their best to put a dent in the climate crisis.    Referral Links: Printerior - recycled 3D printer filament, print farm, and large format printing  SHOP Recycled 3D Printer Filament - 15% discount on your first order with coupon code GREENHOMECOACH See designs on Printerior's Instagram @printerior Printerior on Facebook 3D Printing in the St. Louis area? Learn how to join Printerior's Recycling Program My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Is your home a part of the solution to what is going on with climate change? Or is it a part of the problem? Did you know that every choice you make for how you live in your home and everything you bring into your home impacts your health and the planet as a whole? The climate crisis has shown us that building a life for ourselves and creating modern conveniences have made a big footprint on the earth and our fellow human beings. So, a while back, my co-host and I started a series on climate change as an opportunity for us to discuss what climate change means. We wanted to create a space to talk in-depth about the climate crisis and let people know why we care.  I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach. Today my occasional co-host, Tony Pratte from the Soundroom, is joining me in the studio for a face-to-face conversation about how to make your home a part of the solution to the problem of climate change.   Buildings Buildings, including commercial properties and our homes, are about forty percent of the current load. The impact of the building process There is a lot to deal with when it comes to the climate crisis, and most people do not understand the full impact of the building process. People tend to think only about what goes into the building of a structure without thinking of where the materials come from or how to maintain and power it once the structure is complete. Energy conservation Many of us have been focused for years on our energy and water use, conservation, and efficiency, without ever knowing how much our homes contribute to the problem of climate change. A green or sustainable certification When looking at homes from a green or sustainable certification perspective, we essentially build, remodel, renovate, or reconstruct a structure to become healthier and more comfortable. We also do it to make the use of water and energy more controllable.  Six categories We look at six different categories when it comes to the green or sustainable certification of a structure or home: The land that it sits on. How well it uses resources. How well it uses energy. How well it uses water. Its indoor air and indoor environmental quality. How it gets operated and maintained. Each of the above categories offers us an area of improvement for how we live in our homes, how our homes perform, and the size of the load. Any step, even baby steps, will start to turn the tide. One of the greenest things that you can do Caring about how a home gets operated and maintained is one of the greenest things that you can do that sustains the home or structure into the future and ensures that things do not need to be replaced as soon. Knowing how to operate your home is vital You need to know how to operate your home. If not, you will never reap all the benefits. If you know how to operate your house as it was built, designed, and engineered, you will reap the benefits for the rest of your life. The load Our homes are there to make us comfortable and protect us from the elements. Yet, they are also part of the load that we place on the world, on our communities, and on each other.  A choice We need to choose whether we want to be part of the problem or part of the solution. So, we need to educate ourselves and shift our perspectives to look at what we can do, rather than looking at the things that we are not doing. Saving energy We need to accept that even if we cannot do the big things, we can still do small things in our homes to conserve energy. We can get rid of energy waste, replace old appliances with more energy-efficient ones, replace the light bulbs with LEDs, and be more mindful about the amount of energy we use. It also helps to ensure that the heating and cooling system was properly designed, the house is air-tight for the winter, and the windows are shaded in the summer. Free resources There are many free resources available on the internet to help us understand more about green homes and make better choices. One of my favorite new resources is Home Performance Counts, put out as a joint project between the National Association of Realtors and the National Association of Home Builders. Water We should never waste any water because water is our scarcest resource. Worldwide, a billion people per day do not have access to clean water. Yet water is vital for manufacturing things and recycling. It also takes water to make electricity.  Buying choices We need to educate ourselves to make the best choices for buying products that have been made from the most sustainable resources. It is always best to choose the items that have the lowest impact. Remember that you cannot be perfect, so give yourself grace and do the best you can.  Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home Easily find stylish, energy-efficient options for your home. Enter "energy" in the search bar on the Shop page Green Living - Saving Ourselves Does Greener Living Support Your Values? Taking on Climate Change at Home...from NPR How to Fight Climate Change at Home "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Have you ever wondered how to go about finding a home that has everything you value? It is vital to have a home that supports your lifestyle, and finding the right one can be pretty hard. Now, more than ever, after spending a year indoors, we have learned to value having a comfortable home with all the features we need.  My husband and I wanted an energy-efficient home, and we wanted it to have a back porch for us to sit on. We also wanted a home that would help us support the family health issues we were dealing with at the time. Even though I am in the industry, I had no clue how to find that home.  I am Marla, the Green Home Coach, and in today’s podcast, I will introduce you to my friend, Kari Klaus, who is doing some great work in the area of green real estate. Listen in to learn more about how to find a home that has everything you want, and need. Real estate is fluctuating The real estate market is hot for sellers right now because there are still some very interesting potential fluctuations coming out of the pandemic with people working from home.  Change-agents There is a huge opportunity right now for those in real estate to be change agents. Any home can become a greener home Any home, even an older one, can become a greener home by up-leveling the lighting, systems, and appliances. RealtySage Many years ago, Kari bought a home in Arlington, Virginia. It was old and quaint but super outdated and energy inefficient. Although she renovated and updated all the appliances and electrics, she knew she would have problems marketing the property on some major sites because they do not emphasize or educate buyers about the green features of the home, like solar. That means that sellers may not get their return on investment if the buyers do not understand what is in it. People need to see the houses on the internet to know what they look like and understand how much was invested in making them comfortable and energy-efficient.  That is what they do at RealtySage. RealtySage Pro People also need experts who can help explain everything. That is where the second part, RealtySage Pro, comes in. RealtySage Pro connects buyers and sellers to experience a knowledgeable real estate agent who understands all the features and systems of the home.  The value in green homes There is value in green homes that often gets overlooked. A big investment A home is one of the most important and expensive things in which we invest. Buying a house sight unseen can be a problem for people when they do not have all the information upfront.  Trends California has mandated zero energy-performance homes and solar. That trend will continue until it becomes the norm. A learning curve Consumers need to know where their houses land on the green and smart technology scale. They also need to learn about the different codes and certifications, what they stand for, and what they mean.  Solar Consumers can potentially save hundreds of dollars in energy costs from having solar on their properties. Millennials Millennials are making an impact on our society right now. They are currently the largest group of home buyers. Millennials love automated homes with smart technology, and they also love living close to where they work.  The big unknown The post-pandemic remote work situation is the big unknown that could transform real estate significantly. An exciting time It is an interesting and exciting time right now with lots of potential opportunities. With so many people working from home, many commercial office buildings could convert in the future to become apartments and condos. Have a home that supports you Think about what is important to you. Think about having a home that supports your comfort, health, and well-being. Then, take action to make that happen.  RealtySage Pro has a massive database RealtySage Pro has a database of almost 150,000 real estate agents across the country to help match sellers with the right buyers. Their agents understand the value of off-grid properties and help sellers to market that. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Intelligent Real Estate Search with RealtySage  Get matched with a RealtySage PRO Sage Score Work with Marla to prep for buying or selling a home  Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®  Home Performance Counts  "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Climate change is becoming part of many everyday conversations and many of our children may have questions – spoken or unspoken – about climate change and how it may impact them. How do you talk with them about climate change? Both my kids are grown and work in an industry that focuses on sustainability, so we have some pretty interesting conversations. Tony does not have any kids, so the conversations he has are geared more towards an adult point of view and tend to be more on the academic side. Even though Tony and I live in very different worlds and do not always see eye to eye, we feel our different outlooks bring a balanced perspective to our conversations. Today, we will be talking about our kids collectively as a society. Not an easy decision Many people are having a tough time deciding whether or not it is a good idea to start a family today, with all the political strife, the climate crisis, and everything else that is going on in the world. Yet, many generations of people have most likely been having the same conversation over the ages. Because as Tony points out, society and civilization were always built on strife. A rough year The past year has been rough for the kids. Tony feels bad for them because they have lost out on so much in the classroom, on the sports ground, and especially in their social development. He feels that losing their connections can end up slowing their development.  Screen time Pre-COVID, our kids, as a society, spent a lot of time in front of screens. Right now, with online learning, kids are getting even more screen time. That makes one wonder what the effects some of the things they are getting exposed to will have on their physical health, mental health, and social development.  Humans are impacting the world I found the topic of climate change interesting during the pandemic lockdown because, in many parts of the world, the natural environment cleared up very quickly. That was, in many cases, an indication that humans are impacting the world in which we live. So, I hope we can figure out how to do this and learn to live in symbiosis with the natural world a little better. Emissions We drive many more miles today than we did in the 1980s. Yet, we have fewer emissions today because technology has improved. Even though we are unlikely to stop emissions entirely, there are things that we can do to lessen the impact.  Internal combustion engines Many manufacturers have pledged that after a certain date, they will no longer manufacture internal combustion engines. Electric vehicles If we are going to be driving many more electric vehicles in the future, we need to figure out how to fill the need for electricity without creating any unintended negative consequences. Break the silence We need to lose the fear of upsetting the conversation, break the silence, and start talking about the things that impact climate change. That goes for adults as well as kids.  Talking to young adults and kids When having a conversation with younger adults or children, focus on maintaining a positive attitude about everything. Be transparent with them. Give them all the facts and present issues as challenges rather than problems. Teach them to give each other grace. Help them face their fears, give hope, and show them how to take action when necessary. Mindset We have to get out of a problem-based mindset and start teaching kids more of a solution-based mindset. Outdoors Get the kids to spend time outside on sunny days to connect with nature and become familiar with the bright and cheerful outdoor environment. Positive experiences Watch your language, and give children as many positive messages and experiences as possible. The more positive experiences they have, the more equipped they are to handle any doom and gloom situations. Take a hike Encourage your kids to go hiking with you. You can encourage them to pick up trash along the way. Cleaning up the environment will teach them how to take action while also giving them a positive experience. The health of the planet Teach your kids that their health is tied to the health of the planet. Teach them not to waste, and let them know that recycling is vital. Explain to them that what we do in our homes affects not only them but the whole world, too. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my private Facebook group Love Your Everyday Green Home  Kid's Bamboo Telescope for exploring outside  How to Talk with Kids about the Climate Crisis - Shelton Group How to talk honestly to kids about climate change — and still give them hope How To Talk To Kids About Climate Change - NPR  Project Learning Tree Activities for Families  "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Taking the time to do regular home maintenance adds up to a greener lifestyle. By doing a little more research every time you need to replace, repair, redecorate, remodel, or renovate, you can make a difference. All of that is a part of maintenance, which is super important around our homes. Maintaining your home is one of the greenest things that you can do. Maintenance preserves the life of things, so the more routine maintenance you do around the home, the longer things will last. And the longer things last, the fewer things end up in the trash or the recycling bin.  I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and today, I would like to talk to you about spring maintenance.  My friend, Tina Gleisner, from Home Tips for Women, is my maintenance go-to. She collaborated with me on the chapter about maintenance in my book, Living Green Effortlessly- Simple Choices for a Better Home. For today, I pulled an episode out of the archives where Tina and I talk about spring maintenance.  Tina knows how to rock out maintenance with her three-tiered approach, so be sure to listen in today and get ready for some super home maintenance! Enjoy the episode! The most important point The most important point to remember about taking care of your home is that you are the chief home organizer. That means that you do not have to do everything yourself. Your number one priority is to see that all the important things get done. Critical jobs Some critical jobs need to get done in a home that we do not have the tools or the experience to do. So we should not even attempt to do these things. Spring maintenance The focus of this podcast is on spring maintenance because spring is a great time to do several things outside of your home. Many of those things will require the assistance of an expert. Organizing your checklist It is always best to start by inspecting things around your home. Then, make a list of all the things that need to be maintained or repaired.  Planning Planning what you intend to do and who you will hire to help you can minimize the costs of your ongoing home maintenance and repairs in the long run. Checking the roof If you are uncomfortable on a ladder or if there is a chance that you could fall, do not go up onto the roof yourself. To check your roof, stand back and take some photos of it with your phone. Then, go to your computer and blow the pics up to see all the details. You can save them so that you can use them again the next year to see if anything on the roof has changed.  New roofs If you do some spot-checking every year, for the first ten years, without actually going up there, that will be sufficient for most new roofs. If you live on the coast or in an area with harsh weather all the time, your roof will not last as long as it would in an inland area with mild weather. National Women In Roofing An organization called National Women In Roofing will help you better understand all the different classes of roof shingles, explain what your roofing insurance will and will not cover, and answer any questions that you might have. Hidden damage If you need a new roof, it is never a good idea to put a second layer of roofing shingles on top of what you already have because there may be hidden damage to the plywood underneath the shingles. A tip for recycling old roof shingles Many communities have a Roof to Roads program where they recycle asphalt shingles to use for building roads. So, if you are removing an old roof, look into recycling the old shingles. Protecting the wood and checking for wood-rot If you can catch a problem early, it could save you a lot of money and effort in the future. So check the wood around your windows and doors, and any decking or other wooden trim around the house, for signs of wood rot that might be starting. If you find anything, it can quite easily be sanded and painted to protect the wood and prevent any deterioration. The two biggest problem areas The two biggest problem areas for wood-rot are the window-sills if the water does not roll off them fast enough, and the vertical piece of wood directly under the exterior doors. The longer the problem remains, the more the repair is likely to cost. Wood rot Tina has an article on her website that goes into the different levels and costs of wood-rot on window frames. She also has a series on her website about all the areas of wood rot in a home. Roof flashing The flashing on the roof usually gets made of thin material, like galvanized steel. It is there to direct water away from the critical roof areas. Spring home-maintenance Doing outside home maintenance in the springtime is vital because you will start spending a lot more time outside at that time of the year. Two main things need to get done in the springtime. Find and deal with any damage that may have occurred during the winter. Look out for the safety of your family while they are spending time outside. That includes checking the walkways, decks, hand-rails, and outside lighting. Tina’s spring check-list Tina has a checklist available on her website to give you many different ways to look for potential problems in your home. Some things to look out for: Concrete is porous, and it sucks water up, so keep a lookout for any rising damp. Push gently on the wood around your doors and windows with your fingers to check for sponginess. That would indicate that there is some wood-rot going on there. If you find any wood-rot, you will need to do something about it quickly. Check to see if the weather-stripping around your windows and doors requires replacing. Check if any of the screens for your windows or doors are torn and need to get replaced. Check your garden hoses and check that the irrigation system is working well. Ensure that your air condition system is working well and that your fans turn in the right direction. Remember that a clean home is easier to maintain. It helps everything to work more efficiently and last longer. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home  Curated collection for you  Spring Home Maintenance Checklist Home Tips for Women (PDF Download) Better Hose Bibs - Use This to Replace Outdoor Hose Bibs  "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."  

Climate change is a big topic! We hear a lot about it lately in the news, in newspapers, and in people’s conversations. Climate change is something that we all need to talk about, and many questions are surrounding it.  People often get lectured about the things they are doing wrong in the world today. So, we would like to use this series to open people up to the idea of having conversations so that we can all work together to find solutions.   I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach, and my favorite co-host, Tony Pratte, is joining me today for another episode in our series on climate change.  In this episode, we talk about human-made climate change. We will talk specifically about the choices that we can make, as humans, to fight the whole people-driven part of climate change.  Tony and I want to help you, the listeners, climb into the details of climate change. We want to encourage you to think about things differently, and we would like to help you dive deeper into the issues that matter and consider a perspective that you might not have thought of before. Everything has become politicized There has been a lot of discourse and disagreement around climate change, and like everything else, the topic of climate change has become politicized. Grace I come from two things - people and grace. I come from caring about everyone, including the people I know and those I don’t. In the past, people have forgiven me for the wrong things I believed in or what I did wrong. That helped me to understand how important it is to give grace to everyone else. Talking about things Tony and I have honest conversations. Although we often disagree about things, we always agree to talk about them. You have to be able to discuss every issue from both sides because that is the only way you will ever find the truth. 600,000,000 Years of Climate Change Climate change is a fact. It is real. Some things have been going on for 600,000,000 years that cause the heating and cooling of the earth naturally. Tony has a chart that he stares at every time we talk about climate change. The name of the chart is 600,000,000 Years of Climate Change. Climate change impacts our lives  Climate change impacts every area of our lives. That includes our food, livelihood, social injustice, the buildings we live and work in, and our transportation. It all matters! Yet, we have run amuck! We have made decisions that are not in our best interests in the long term because there are many unintended consequences to those decisions. There is a winner and a loser When someone is doing what they can to maximize their quality of life, there is always a negative externality that is causing someone else to have less. Everything is balanced If you look at the physical rules of our universe, everything is balanced. That could be happening with human-induced climate change. Human impacts on the environment A National Geographic article highlights that humans impact the physical in many ways. Those include overpopulation, pollution, and deforestation. Those kinds of changes have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. Air quality The air quality improved in many urban centers across the planet during the pandemic. The quality of our lives We need to consider what we are willing to accept for the quality of our lives. Social cost There is often a social cost to the recycling of things, which is not accounted for. A growing movement  There’s a growing movement to buy products from companies that support your values and do things that are in line with you or better. More and more companies are telling us about what they are doing to be accountable for their actions. A better quality of life Some people are willing to spend a little more to buy what they need for a better quality of life that has less impact on the environment.  An impact Almost every activity we engage in to improve our quality of life has an impact that can be negative on our or someone else’s quality of life. Plastic water bottles are made from oil Not many people know that plastic water bottles are made from oil. Understanding the processes We need to learn and get to understand the processes of how things are made and done. It is difficult and takes work, but we need to do it. Things you can do Don’t get overwhelmed. Understand what products are made from what. Recycle. Use your common sense. Avoid single-use plastics. Research the companies you want to support. Encourage companies that are not doing things right to do things better. Create change Your voice is worth using. Use it. Say something to create change. Or you can vote with your pocketbook by not buying something. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home FB Group! Products made from petroleum Climate explained: how much of climate change is natural? How much is man-made?  Global Warming Overview (requires an email address to read) Teaching Essential Principle Six Human activities are impacting the climate system "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Here, in the United States, we use more toilet paper per capita than in any other country on the face of the earth. Although things are different in other parts of the world, in our society, we view toilet paper as a necessity because that is how we were trained in our culture, in our economy, and in our lives. Toilet paper was the first thing everyone stocked up on at the start of the pandemic. It is something that we know we need to use, but we think we have no replacement for it. I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach! Today, Tony Pratte, my occasional co-host, joins me on the show once again for another conversation in our series about climate change. Today, Tony and I are talking toilet paper! In this episode, we explain what goes into the toilet paper that we are literally flushing down the toilet. We also discuss what you can use as alternatives and why that matters.   Looking at our country as a whole When we look at our country as a whole, we are the most prosperous country with the largest economy. Yet, we are very wasteful. Use this, not that I got a flyer from my local natural grocery store explaining what we should and should not use. They list many different items, from laundry detergent, to grocery bags to weed killer, and they even list toothbrushes.  Alternatives to single-use products There are many alternatives for us to use rather than single-use products, where we tend to be the most wasteful. Most of us do not think of toilet paper in that category, however. Flushing forests We are literally flushing forests down the toilet so that we can use something a little softer to wipe ourselves. Recycled materials I have used recycled toilet paper for several years now because I feel that any time I can use a recycled material rather than virgin material, it is a good thing. It takes far less energy, water, and chemicals to make something from a recycled product, and you are also expanding the life of that product. Wood pulp All paper gets made from wood pulp. Different kinds of wood pulp get used in making the various types of paper.   Wood mills Wood mills have tons of scrap lying all over. One would assume that those scrap bits of wood get used for making paper, but that is not what happens. Making toilet paper Toilet paper is not only made from leftover bits and pieces of wood, but shockingly, 44% of the wood pulp used to make toilet paper comes from clear-cut native virgin-growth forests.  Planting trees Although many of those involved with forestry claim to plant a tree every time they cut one down, it will take many years for those trees to reach their full forest height. Those trees often get planted within a monoculture instead of in a diverse setting with active microbiomes like a forest. Everything in nature works in systems, including forests. So, when forests get ripped out for our convenience, there is a long-term pay-off. Using recycled paper for toilet paper Many of the resources used to make paper could get offset by using recycled paper to make toilet paper. FSC certified forests Forests that are FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified have been deemed to be sustainable and sustainably managed. Toilet paper made from virgin wood Paper made from virgin wood has longer fibers which give it a lot more life. Every time paper or wood gets recycled, the fibers become shorter. So it makes a lot of sense to use recycled paper to make toilet paper because it will get flushed down the toilet. Sewage plants Often, sewage plants make fertilizer from the sludge.  Bamboo Paper made from bamboo feels more like paper made from wood with longer fibers. So toilet paper made from bamboo will feel more comfortable to use. You need to know that the bamboo was responsibly sourced, however. Consumers As consumers, we tend to have a lot more power than we comprehend. We can use that power to vote with our pocketbooks and choose the products that we use with care.  Learning about alternatives Learn more and talk to people about what you have learned. We can all help each other by sharing what we have learned about alternative ways to do things.  Overall impact We need to understand that with every change of materials, there is an overall impact that we need to factor in. An ecosystem The whole globe is a massive system made up of smaller ecosystems. When one of them gets knocked out of balance, the system looks to correct and find balance. But that takes time. Tearing down forests Forests are massive carbon dioxide storage facilities and they play a huge role in balancing the climate of the natural world. All of that gets negatively affected when we tear the forests down. The habitats of many species of animals, birds, and insects get destroyed. Some indigenous people depend on forests for their livelihood. The natural world supports us The natural world matters. Your health, and that of your family and friends, is highly dependent on the health of the planet. So, we need to remember that the earth supports us and take care of it.  You can make a start, one roll of toilet paper at a time! Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home  Book - Toilet Paper on page 72 The Issue with Tissue Toilet Paper on my shop I'm giving Who Gives a Crap bamboo TP a go. Want to try it, too? Toilet Paper Debate video Report Exposes How Sustainable 26 Major Toilet Paper Brands Are — Check Out the Winners and the Losers "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

The climate is changing. Yet, the term “global warming” often gets misunderstood. It all seems to be happening much more visibly and much more intensely lately, which indicates that something is actually going on. In today’s episode, Tony and I discuss how to speak to others about controversial subjects, why we need to see the bigger picture, and we also talk about the importance of coexisting in the best way possible in this beautiful world of ours. I’m Marla, the Green Home Coach! I am back today with another conversation in our series on climate change. Tony Pratte, my sometimes guest, sometimes co-host, is joining me on the show today.  In the last podcast that Tony and I did together, we started a conversation about the emotions that arise in people when climate change, or what I more accurately refer to as “the climate crisis”, comes up. Ground rules In our last conversation, Tony and I set the ground rules for how we, as human beings, can talk about the issue of the current climate crisis. We spoke about how we can still manage to have that conversation even if we do not see eye to eye. We discussed compassion, grace, trust, and transparency, all of which are qualities that most of us would like to have in our lives anyway because they will serve us well in any situation.  The Golden Rule The Golden Rule for having any controversial conversation is to treat people the same way you would want to get treated.  Honoring yourself Many of us tend to think we need to be altruistic and always take care of everybody else. Honoring yourself and your health, wellness, and wellbeing is also very important, so remember yourself, too, when having those conversations.  Challenges We have some big challenges right now in our society. Many of us do not feel that we can change things, even though some know that is not the truth.  The big picture Everything we do and all of our decisions ultimately ties to the big picture and little steps can lead to big changes. So, we need to know what to do and to whom we need to listen. Communication channels The vast number of communication channels that we have today, with all their different points of view, make it hard for us to know who to listen to and what to believe. New possibilities Many people fail to question things. There is a tiny group of people, however, who are willing to take action and challenge the currently accepted narratives. They are willing to be the bridge-builders to open up new possibilities and share new information. Things are changing We are currently seeing impacts that we have never seen before in our lifetime. The climate is changing rapidly and many people desperately need food, medicine, and employment. We need to find a way to supply all of those things without disrupting our precious planet. The way we are living The way we live is impacting the earth faster than it can react positively for us.  What will happen to us? The pandemic has shown us that the earth will be able to correct itself and keep on going. So, the question is, what will happen to us? Time Our concept of time is not the same as how time relates to the earth. The earth works in cycles that can last for millions of years. We, as humans, tend to relate to time in terms of the length of our lifetime, so we do not know what the earth can handle.  What we know We know that a different lifestyle exists relating to three billion people living on the planet versus ten billion people. We need to start thinking about how our lifestyle is impacting the earth.  A new way to live We need to find other ways for so many of us to live on the planet and maintain a similar lifestyle without harming anyone else or the environment. Solar panels Ten square miles of solar panels in the New Mexico desert could power the entire USA commercially. There are some trade-offs to that, however, in terms of resources, so we need to find a way to balance things out. A goal We need to look at everyone on the planet as stakeholders and find a way to put our problem in front of us rather than putting it between us. To help improve things for as many people as possible without taking anything away from others, we need to develop accountability and take responsibility. Tony's goal Tony's goal is to have today's conversation influence someone else.  And for that person to have a similar conversation with their friends. And then for those friends to have the same kind of conversation with some other people. And so on.  If that happens, we may eventually be able to see some positive changes. Also, a conversion from a problem mindset to a solution mindset. Coexisting In many ways, the climate crisis reflects many of the things going on in the world today. There are things that we need to figure out to coexist in the best way possible in this beautiful world of ours. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home  @greenhomecoach on Instagram and Facebook Global Weirding with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe on YouTube  Matt Ridley's "A Lukewarmer's Ten Tests" (PDF Download) "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Today, I am doing something a little different. Laryssa Kwoczak, my guest, is also a podcaster, so today, I am her guest, too. We will be releasing this podcast on her platform as well as on mine.  Listen in to our fascinating conversation to learn more about Laryssa, why bees are such an important part of our world, what you need to know before attracting bees to your garden, and so much more. Did I mention resources? We’ll have plenty of those for you, too. About Laryssa Laryssa lives in Hawaii. She has been keeping bees for about ten years. She used to work for a commercial apiary where she was teaching people about bees.  The Buzz About Bees When she stopped doing that, she started doing her podcast called The Buzz About Bees. Laryssa created her podcast to dive a bit deeper into the hive and what bees do, and what the beekeeper does. She tries to make her podcast as friendly to non-beekeepers as possible.  Why bees are so important Bees are important because they make honey, plus they pollinate foods like nuts, fruit, and vegetables, and flowers. They are an integral part of our world, and they are fascinating creatures. Bees are also food for birds, and they help the soil.  Honey Honey has antibacterial properties. It gets used in bandaging for burn victims because it helps pull the moisture out. Never goes bad Honey is the only food that never goes bad. Planting for honey bees Honey bees have an action called flower fidelity, so they like to fill their sacks with just one kind of nectar for months at a time. So, when you are planting for bees, it is good to have more than one plant of one variety to encourage the bees by making it worth their while to stop by.  One of the best pollinators The pollen sticks to the fuzzy bodies of the bees. Then they go to the next flower of the same variety, spread the pollen, and pollinate it. That is why honey bees are one of the best pollinators. Lots of everything Different things attract different pollinators. So, have lots of everything! Herbs are great to plant if you want to attract pollinators to your garden. Natural practices It is healthier for everything in your garden if you use natural practices and trust that the bees know what they are doing. Attracting bees Before you try to attract bees to your garden, make it a healthy environment for them by not using harsh chemicals, like weed killers that could kill them. Do not spray any weed killers, even natural ones, in the garden during the daytime when the bees are around. Sunset is the best time to spray. But it is best not to spray at all because some weeds are food for bees. Planting for the bees Planting some bee-friendly flowers is a great way to attract bees to your garden. Planting flowers like tulips, or goldenrod, that come up in the early spring or late fall is best because that's when the bees are desperate for food.  Butterflies are amazing Butterflies can sniff out their host plant from over a mile away. If you plant something that attracts a certain kind of butterfly, there is a chance that they live in your area that they will find it.  Great places to go for resources The Million Pollinator Garden Challenge is a great place to go for resources. You can also post your garden on that site. There is also Xerces.org, where you can go to your state, and it will tell you what to plant for native pollinators, as well as honey bees. Finding more pollinator-friendly places Laryssa encourages people not just to think about their yard, but also to get involved with their homeowner's association and to talk with their neighbors to find places in the neighborhood that can be made more pollinator-friendly. Potted plants If you are not interested in pulling weeds or dealing with unwanted pests, potted plants are also great for attracting bees. Don’t be afraid You do not have to be afraid of having bees in your garden because bees are unlikely to sting. Honey bees will die if they sting you.  Creating a green environment around your home Many different practices will support you in working with nature and help you create a pollinator-friendly environment around your home. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home  Curated for your yard and garden The Buzz About Bees Podcast Pollinator-Friendly Native Plant Lists Million Pollinator Garden Challenge ID plants  Bees in My Backyard videos "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

Our homes have now become everything for us! That means that we have been a lot harder on them now than we were before, pre-pandemic. But we have also learned a lot more about our homes because we are spending so much more time in them lately. I have worked from home for years, so I have made sure that my home serves me well. As a result, I have a slightly different perspective, and I’ve learned many different things over the years.  My goal is to share what I have learned with you through my Facebook group, Love Your Everyday Green Home, through teachings from my book, Living Green Effortlessly, and also through the people I meet. 2020 was the year of the grand experiment for many of us! Now that we know that we are free to experiment, we can become more intentional with whatever we decide to do in our homes. You don’t have to do it all. Just pick a few of the things I suggest, and go try them out.  Today, I will focus on the interior of our homes. It is important to have a comfortable home with beautiful spaces that serve your health and wellness. Your home should provide you with the kind of spaces that you want to be in.  Our pre-loved sofa We recently bought a second-hand recliner sofa. Although we knew it was unlikely to be our forever sofa, we needed a space to be comfortable together. Our pre-loved recliner sofa was a perfect fit for us! Using pre-loved, or second-hand furniture Using pre-loved furniture makes it very easy to make short-term, intentional decisions for a specific need. When something we bought second-hand is no longer useful to us, we can put it back into the marketplace for pre-loved furniture and pass it on to someone else.  Off-gassing and older furniture One of the advantages of buying older furniture is that it has had time to off-gas any chemicals or toxins that could be in the fabrics or the wood. New furnishings With new furnishings, you want to do some research to look out for what you are buying. There is a group called Sustainable Furnishings Council. It has a list of companies that adhere to a set of practices in the manufacture of furniture to ensure they meet the sustainability levels. Things to watch out for You need to watch out for the materials used in furnishings, rugs, soft goods, and window treatments for their potential to off-gas. It is always best to use natural products whenever possible.  A list of go-to’s Having a list of go-to’s for what works well in your home will be helpful for you. Look for products that are sustainable, renewable, or more chemically responsible whenever possible. Paint Choose safer paint, preferably with no or low VOCs.  Wallpaper When choosing wallpaper, you need to consider what is in it and ensure that you select a safe and healthy option for the people living in your home. Floor coverings You need to select carpets and flooring products that are safe and healthy for the people living in your home. Carpets and long-shag rugs tend to be dust-traps, so they are not the best option for people with allergies. Try to choose materials and products made from either renewable materials or recycled content. Choose materials that can eventually get recycled to keep them out of the landfills. Ceilings and walls Ceilings are usually covered with paint. Ceilings and walls influence the way that the light plays in your home. Light is an important part of health and wellness. Consider that when choosing a color for the walls and ceilings in your home. Light-colored ceilings and walls help to magnify the light. Heat Having dark-colored floors and walls is great for holding the heat in your home during the colder months. Cabinetry Pay attention to your cabinetry. Formaldehyde is a chemical that you want to steer clear of. It is still in some products, especially those made from pressed wood. Bathrooms and kitchens As you fine-tune, remodel, or rebuild your kitchen and bathroom, you need to be specific and intentional about the choices you make. Your choice of tiles, walls, and flooring needs to support your health and your comfort.  Plumbing fixtures Choose plumbing fixtures that will require little maintenance, last a long time, and optimize the use of the water coming into your home most effectively. Pay attention to the toilet. You might want to upgrade an older toilet to a new one that flushes better and saves you lots of water.  Moisture You want to keep your kitchen and bathrooms dry. Make sure that nothing you choose for your kitchen and bathrooms mitigates moisture.  Soft surfaces You want your soft surfaces to be as comfortable and cozy as possible. Use great fabrics that will be safe and healthy to have in your home. Green Labels Green labels will help you make better choices for the things you use in your home. Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home Curated collection for you What Goes IN Your Home: What To Think About, What to Look For, What to Choose The Stuff our Homes Are Made of – Resources and Materials A Place to Dream, Design, and Discover with Sheridan Foster of Elemental Green Green Interiors "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."

We are talking about landscaping today! Many of us are trying to figure out ways to make our homes look more appealing and feel more comfortable. The pandemic gave us the ideal opportunity to experiment with different ways to improve things in and around our houses. Some of what I will be sharing with you today is about how to take those experiments a little bit further. I, for one, have been having a whole lot of fun discovering what I can do in my yard. And what I can grow there! One of the things that I have come to recognize from the green living space is that a set of actions can give you all kinds of unintended benefits. Landscaping is one of those. You may be landscaping for beauty to create a colorful garden space outside of your home. Many of us are trying to figure out ways to create edible gardens, but we have not always thought about the idea of landscaping for comfort. Stay tuned to find out more! Using plants in strategic areas  You can use plants in specific areas around your house to form insulation spaces, dead spaces, to provide windbreaks, and to strategically shield your home and yard from the elements. Oklahoma Driving around in the countryside of Oklahoma, I started noticing that there were windbreaks all over the place! You can use the same principle around your home.  A hand out for you I have added a link for a handout that takes you through the step of how to think about landscaping not only for beauty but also for your comfort.  It all starts with understanding the energy flows It all starts with understanding the energy flow that comes in and out of your building and how that works with the sun.   The key generator The sun is the key generator of energy on our planet. So how your home is oriented on the land is the very first thing you need to look at. Using the sunlight  You want to take advantage of the way the sun is positioned on your house to bring in warmth on the colder winter days.  Positioning How your house is positioned allows you to take advantage of the sunlight through your windows by warming up the walls. The foundation of your house Your house was built on a foundation. That foundation is often a source of leakage. So you can have foundation plantings around the edge of the house. Be sure that the plantings are an appropriate space from the foundation to insulate without encroaching on the structure itself. Nurseries and landscape people can help you with the plantings that will specifically operate and grow the best in your region. Shade trees Shade trees are one of the best investments you can make for your land. Shade trees are a huge advantage because they will provide shade for the very sunny windows in the summer and they will lose their leaves in the winter to let the sunlight in when you need it most. Hardscape You can use shade trees to shade the hardscape like patios and driveways. You can also use shade trees to shade the concrete in and around your home.  Note: Shade trees take a long time to grow, so now is the best time to get started with them. Plantings Use plantings for exterior shading when your shade trees are not yet big enough to provide the shade. You can also use trellises, arbors, awnings, or even solar screens on the outside. Shrubs and trees You can plant shrubs and trees in key locations to shield your home from the prevailing winds. Local nurseries Local nurseries will be more than happy to help you with a plan to make your landscape beautiful and help you experience more comfort in your home and yard. Resources Many resources are available to help you find the best plants to use, and where to plant them. Many universities have extension programs which are a great resource. Water Think about how the water is running off on your property and how you are using it. Consider getting some rain barrels. Rainwater is soft and better for your plants than city water. Native plants Consider using some native plants in your garden. Native plants require a lot fewer resources in terms of water, pest control, and fertilizer to thrive.  Referral Links: My website Green Home Coach Book: Living Green Effortlessly Facebook Group: Love Your Everyday Green Home  Landscape Guide EGH for your Garden Landscaping for Beauty, Energy Efficiency, and Home Comfort with Tony Pratte Sustainable Solutions For Water and Landscape On Your Home Site Green Landscaping with Native Plants Frisella's All Around The Yard Podcast "This post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. That means that if you make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe in and usually use myself."