There has been a huge level of growth in the green homes industry in recent years. It seems that many of us have finally woken up to the possibility of doing something to help the planet. This is great news and one of the side effects has been the number of unusual and interesting ideas which this trend has brought with it. All these ideas complete more traditional energy efficient home improvements such as the installation of double glazing windows.
A Green Roof
Actually, green rooves aren’t all that new or unusual in some parts of the world, as they have been used for some time in Scandinavia and Germany among other places. However, in other places they are causing something of a sensation. There are a number of benefits to this kind of roof garden, from filtering pollutants out of the air to minimising storm water runoff. It looks like we will be seeing a lot more of them in the future.
Green Curtains
Now this will be a new idea for most people. In Japan there is a company which produces green curtains. This simply means that they put a leafy covering on the sides of buildings. What this does is stop too much sun getting in during the warmer months of the year, thereby cutting down on the amount of air conditioning needed to keep the place cool.
Underground Living
The idea of living under the ground just sounds too extreme for most of us when we first hear about it. However, these underground properties are said to be bright and spacious as well as extremely green. There are some stunning pictures on the internet of underground homes and if you are planning on really pushing the boat out then this could right for you. They are among the greenest homes around, of course, and most of them are modern and really rather stylish looking.
Don’t Forget the Basics, Though
These are fun and very interesting ideas which can also do a lot of good. However, before you think about putting a roof on your garden, adding plants as curtains or going underground you should think about the basics of green living. These new ideas will only work as part of an overall environmental plan which includes the likes of loft insulation, double glazing and reduced water consumption. If you are stuck for ideas then there are plenty of internet sites with lots of good tips, and the likes of the Anglian website will show you how easy it is to get rid of draughty old windows and stop losing so much heat that way. Once the basics are sorted out you will feel a lot better about making your life more environmentally friendly and might decide to go for some of the more unusual ideas.
Check out the DIY Doctor Green Living section for more green living and eco building ideas ideas, if you like the idea of a green roof we have an explanation in the Green Building and Eco Build area too.
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