Eco-Remodelers

Just read an article on CNN.com today about warning on global climate change. Here’s a taste:

“The world is facing an increasing risk of ‘irreversible’ climate shifts because worst-case scenarios warned of two years ago are being realized, an international panel of scientists has warned.”

“Temperatures, sea levels, acid levels in oceans and ice sheets were already moving ‘beyond the patterns of natural variability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived,’ scientists said in a report released Thursday.”

This is the sort of thing that has me worried. Are we too late? Does it matter that I’m spending time and money to make my house more of a “green” and sustainable home?

Of course, none of this means I’m going to stop what I’m doing. I’ll continue to do what I can. Sure, weather conditions can worsen, drought can cause problems in my area, and prices can skyrocket on us due to all the changes in the climate…  It may all be for nothing, but I can say I tried.

My concern is that people, businesses and governments might continue to hear news like this and completely give up trying. If they feel it’s too late, it’s going to be impossible to recruit more people to do the right thing.

Fingers are crossed.

I’ve been reading a lot of blogs on the green movement lately. Some are purely green sites and some just happen to have a post or two on green remodeling or a green building subject.

One thing I’ve noticed is some green blogs advocate a completely radical change or else we’re all doing no good whatsoever. Other sites might suggest that you should do what can, when you can, and if you can.  Every little bit helps, right?

I’m somewhere in the middle, I guess.

Part of me screams that things are so bad with global warming that I need to completely eliminate my carbon footprint or the entire planet is doomed. The more rational part tells me that I need to do what I can and that I need to keep doing more as I learn more. And that I need to document it all in this blog so that maybe others can follow along. And maybe be motivated to make changes themselves.

I don’t advocate The-Sky-Is-Falling approach to green renovation. I think this would scare too many people away. The giant wave that is the “green movement” right now is very important, but we need to make sure the wave doesn’t knock people over or send them running.

Not sure what you can do to make your home more green? I say do what you can, but don’t feel overwhelmed. Start with baby steps. Those who want radical changes and immediate legislation are barking up the wrong tree. Yes, we need leadership from our government and we need more incentives to go green. But to force people into making big green leaps will only cause confusion and a create a backlash that will ruin the work done so far (and to come in the future.)

Baby steps.

Do what you can but… you must do something. And you must start as soon as possible. The sky isn’t falling yet but we’re starting to see some serious cracks in it.

Going shopping for bamboo flooring for the dining room and office this weekend. I think I’ve found a few good deals at Lumber Liquidators that I need to check out.

I’ve been shopping for a lot of eco-friendly products to check availability and pricing. I’ve noticed that it’s not very easy to find a green alternative to regular products. When I ask salespeople about it, I’ve been getting a lot of the same reactions…  that look (or even the comment) that says, “Oh, you’re one of those hippie liberals.” As noted, it happened when I was carpet shopping and it happened again at Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, and a few others this past week.

The thing I’m not sure how it ever happened, but wanting to protect your family and wanting to save money became a political issue.

When we lived in our house back in Los Angeles, it was a sixty year old home that had been built very well. Plaster on the walls, a good sturdy foundation, and great wood floors. Sure it had drafty single-pane windows and very little insulation, but it was made by people who cared.

In the past twenty or thirty years, homes were made on the cheap. Cheap counters, cheap cabinets, construction grade products throughout. And whatever was the code at the time, the houses usually just met those minimum requirements (which are never enough.) People stopped caring and started worrying about their quarterly profits.

Now that I want to conserve (energy, money, time) that makes me a liberal. A conservative liberal? Hmm. I wish we could get people away from the belief that only a hippy wants a greener home. That only a hippy wants to save money on electricity. Or prevent toxic gases from poisoning their children from cabinets, paint, adhesives, etc. that are all through homes today.

Perhaps there’s another word we can use in place of “green”? Like smart. I want to remodel my home to make it a smart home. Or safe. Or thrifty. But I think we’re stuck with green and we’re going to have a lot of ignorant, close-minded people who will refuse to help themselves and their families because it doesn’t seem to align with their political beliefs…

It’s a real shame.

Well, we’re almost ready to start work on our new smart/green/thrifty/safe home. We close today. Soon, I’ll be able to post on how to do a lot of these green projects in your own home.

Green Renovation Came 20 Years Too Late?

I’ve been thinking about this for a while as I’ve been planning to buy a house and make a huge effort to make it a greener home. Am I too late? Is this movement too late?

Many people think Global Warming is not real. Many think it’s just natural changes in the Earth and that our actions have nothing to do with it. Very few, if any, of those people are scientists. And the scientists that they point to are likely on the payroll of companies that want this green movement to go away.

While I’m not a scientist, I do believe those who are (regardless of their motivations.) Why? Because what if… and it’s a big what-if… they’re right and we did nothing?

My concern is that there are a number of scientists out there who are claiming we may be making changes too slowly or that it’s already too late. Because I’m a bit of an optimist, I choose to not believe them. Why? Because what if they’re wrong and we did nothing?

Your Vote Doesn’t Count

Many people don’t vote because they believe their vote doesn’t count.  After the 2000 U.S. Presidential election, we learned that’s not the case.

While it may be true that my efforts to reduce my energy use, my water use, my carbon footprint that I leave on the planet won’t make much of a difference… perhaps I can at least tell my two daughters and their kids (if I am around long enough) that I did what I could to help.

Maybe it really was just a drop in the bucket.

Maybe it really was just to ease my guilt.

But I made an effort and maybe, just maybe, I encouraged a few others to make that same effort.

Do you think we’re too late?