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Nine Reasons Why It’s Good to be Green

Reasons Why It’s Good to be Green

Saving the environment isn’t just something activists rally about. It’s an investment in your personal and professional life. You’ve probably heard the term before and have a general idea of what going green means. Using less plastic and turning off the water when you’re brushing your teeth are both easy ways to get the ball rolling. However, on a larger scale, there are so many other ways to help protect the environment at home and work.

1. Increases Resale Value

Photovoltaic panels

Homes that are eco-friendly usually net a higher resale value. Green homes use less power, have better indoor air quality and use less water. Some of the common upgrades you can include installing solar panels and smart thermostats and low-flow faucets. In addition, planting trees that help cool your home is another way going green boosts resale value.

2. Increases Durability

Green homes are built to last. In fact, using recycled products to build or renovate saves you money on the initial project and in the future as well. For example, using recycled wood doesn’t need to be treated or stained. It’s more durable and can last five times longer than conventional wood planks. Using recycled materials also costs less when in terms of maintenance.

3. Conserves Natural Resources

Natural resources can be broken down into several categories. Metal, sand, soil and stone are all natural resources. Animals, like fish and birds, are also considered natural resources as well. We use some types of natural resources to cultivate food and in the production of goods and materials. Living and working greener means using less of these items in daily life. At both work and home, you can swap out your regular light bulbs for compact fluorescent ones to save energy and lower usage overall. You can also make the most of natural light by keeping your curtains open until dusk.

If you own a business, there are plenty of ways to make a positive contribution. You can use motion sensors for lighting, power off computers at the end of the day and invest in multi-purpose office machines. If you own a business that has its own fleet that transports refrigerated goods, you know how important it is to maintain FSMA compliance. Utilizing a Reefer monitoring system is a cost-effective solution that can spot and correct fluctuations in temperature.

4. Improves Air Quality

Musty-Smell-in-the-house

Don’t you just love the smell of a newly constructed home? Unfortunately, what you’re smelling are the toxins being slowly released from the building materials. The air quality inside a conventionally built home can be upwards of 10 times more polluted than the air outside. When a home is built green, it’s better for your health and the environment. For instance, paints with low VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, produce less formaldehyde, which is a known carcinogen. Improved air quality also means less visits to the doctor as well. It’s not uncommon for people to develop allergic-type symptoms when indoor air quality is poor.

5. Reduces Construction Waste

Bins of trash are a common fixture at construction sites. It may seem like no big deal, however, construction waste accounts for a portion of landfill trash. Over just one year, this can add up to millions of tons of trash that just sits there until more waste is added to the pile. Using recyclable building materials can reduce the carbon footprint and reduce how much is being left in landfills.

6. Slows Climate Change

Climate change is something everyone needs to be concerned about. It’s a direct result of Greenhouse gas emission, which cause shifts in weather patterns. As we’ve already witnessed, climate change can cause excessively hot temperatures, wildfires and life-threatening storms. Climate change can also change the environment itself. Water levels can rise in oceans, lakes and rivers. Animals can lose their homes and the very atmosphere is affected.

7. Preserves Wildlife

water pollution

Over the last several years, we’ve learned how our actions have impacted wildlife. Choices you make today can reduce pollution in water and air, which in turn, can protect wildlife, especially aquatic. Every year, thousands of animals die from eating plastic that’s been thrown into the water. Swapping out plastic for recycled paper and disposing of it properly is a great place to start.

8. Protects Future Generations

Children of today are the leaders of tomorrow. Doing your part now can ensure they have a cleaner future, not one filled with depletion of resources needed to sustain a good quality of life. You can also teach your children how to conserve energy, recycle and reduce water consumption.

9. Boosts Local Economy

When you shop local, follow ecofriendly shopping tips, and consume organic food, it reduces greenhouse gas emissions. You also boost the economy and improve your overall health by avoiding consumption of toxic pesticides. If you have the space, you can also start planting your own seasonal fruits and vegetables. If you have limited outdoor space, you can still plant in containers. Tomatoes, strawberries and green beans can grow vertical, so all you need is a tiny trellis in your planter. You can also invest in an indoor planting system, which allows you to grow a variety of lettuces and herbs all year long under low-voltage LED lighting.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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