subject: Many Things Are Wrong With American Housing That Make Going "Green" Prohibitive [print this page] Many Things Are Wrong With American Housing That Make Going "Green" Prohibitive
Most conventional housing in this country burns through lots of power, mostly to heat and cool but also to run the long list of labor saving appliances we all have.
And our houses are really big. Just warming up or cooling the volume in a huge house costs big money. The walls of windows and cathedral ceilings serve to make our homes even less energy efficient.
The most efficient homes in this country still burn through lots of power and lots of cash.
The homeowners are also commuting, going further from city centers in order to afford a larger house.
Even with building codes, houses are remarkably inefficient. Codes mostly address fire safety and structural issues for conventional stick built houses that are too fragile and rickety to withstand flooding or storms or even a hungry bear.
And houses like this need 30 or 40 solar panels to run the way most of us expect. These panels are prohibitively expensive to purchase and install and beyond the means of most homeowners.
So here you are, living in a power hog of a rickety house that you paid big money for that has a 30-year, adjustable rate mortgage.
You are also hoping it will be worth more money than you paid when you are ready to retire. And you are hoping the house will stand the test of time and not need extensive remodeling and repairs.
Good luck on that. Hope you like working for a lender for the rest of your adult life.
But there are alternatives to this scenario.
What if you could build a more energy efficient house? Any earth-sheltered house will perform better. So will earth bag, cob and straw bale houses.
What if you could build it yourself? Many houses can be built by amateur home owners.
What if you could skip the mortgage? You could save thousands on a home doing most of the work yourself. Buying the stuff to build with is WAY cheaper than most contractors charge. It's not rocket science, either. There are lots of books to help you through the details.
Even taking a year out of whatever career you choose you still come out way ahead financially.
But there are other choices that could help you have a greener life.
A smaller, earth sheltered house only needs a few solar panels or a good windmill to work for you and your family, too. The best part is low or no utility bills. That's as green as it gets and it's great for your bank account, too.
What if you could work from home or live at work and skip the cost of commuting?
Suddenly you have a life that's both "Green" and costs less while offering you a good, even luxurious life style.
It makes a LOT of sense, doesn't it?
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