Most people think of “green” as an environmental extremist would. They have been programmed to think of “green” as meaning using things like straw bales, pop cans, bamboo and mud as building materials or they think it means giving up amenities such as typical heating and air-conditioning. Although those things are “green” that is not what “green” means. “Green” has often been referred to as reducing, reusing and recycling. This is true, but that does not mean giving up standard modern amenities or using unusual or complicated building materials. “Green” means to make use of what you already have. Say you are remodeling your bathroom, but are not removing walls or altering the layout of the room. Instead of tearing off the drywall and replacing it, you keep the drywall intact and replace only those items that need to be replaced like worn out cabinets. By doing so you are being “green”, you are recycling and reusing the drywall that was already in the room and at the same time reducing the waste of money, time, materials and labor on your bathroom remodel. In some cases replacing materials with new materials may be necessary, but that does not mean sacrificing your “green” lifestyle. Picking materials that reduce energy, save you money, make your home healthier or reuse recycled or waste materials you are still being “green”. These items are often the same items that have been used for decades or materials that you may never have thought of as being “green”. Many standard building materials including plywood, LVL’s, solid wood cabinetry, hardwood or tile floors are often not thought of as “green” building materials, but are actually very “green”.

Another often unheard of part of “green” building or a “green” lifestyle is time and labor. Often time and labor are wasted when building or doing any kind of work. It’s easy to do and we all do it, but have you ever thought of it as wasting energy? When you think about it makes sense, working inside on a rainy day or working on laying flooring while waiting for a cabinetry delivery or the electrician. These little changes in scheduling not only keep your project on schedule and keep you busy, but they also can speed up a project and get it done faster.

Next time you think “green” means giving something up think about what “green” really means. You might be surprised what you’ll discover is “green”.