Are you doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint? Are you recycling, conserving energy, and making the choice to deal with companies who are committed to a greener and purer environment for our children and our grandchildren?  If you’re thinking about designing a new custom home, make the choice to go with an energy efficient home.

If you’re getting ready to build, consider reducing your carbon footprint by designing an energy efficient home.

Here are some tips to help you:

• Consider Passive Solar Design Elements. Your home can be designed so that it takes advantage of sun and shade.  A passive solar design could help you harness the sun’s power and use it appropriately in both the summer and the winter months.
• Use greener building materials. It’s important to remember sustainability in every area of your life. Work with builders who use better equipment.
• Choose a responsible builder.  Responsible builders operate with environmental safety standards. You’ll want to deal with a reputable company that cares about the environment.

Energy conservation is something you can be doing now and when you’re in your newer, greener home.

• Teach your children about conservation. Most young children need to be taught about conservation. As your kids get older they may start teaching you about conservation. Consider appointing your kids as “electricity police” who turn lights off and remind others to do the same.
• Use rainwater for your plants.  Implement other water-saving techniques as well, such as installing a toilet that conserves and a water-saving shower head.
• Put the outdoor lights on timers or motion sensors.
• Upgrade your appliances. Today’s laundry machines, furnaces, and refrigeration or air conditioning units use much less energy than older models. If your machines are over ten years old, consider upgrading.

There are so many things you can do to boost the chance that the earth will continue to sustain us in a healthful way.

Building a new home or renovating your home so that it’s greener along with adopting some more environmentally friendly habits could be a great start!