Alabama Is Sustainable

The population of the world is expanding at a rapid rate – some might argue too rapidly. The problem is that the earth has a limited amount of resources that are necessarily to sustain human life. Our population is expected to have ballooned to half again it’s current size by the middle of the century. With current resource consumption rates, this means that every individual on the planet at that time will have access to only 25% of the resources that people had available to them about 50 years ago.

This is why we must build for sustainability. The purpose of sustainability initiatives is straightforward: utilize our resources in such a way that we can get by today without compromising the ability of our descendents to do the same. We already make efforts to save money for our children’s future, but we must also make an effort to save clean air, water, and other important resources for them. That’s what building green communities is all about.

You may think that you can’t do anything to help with initiating sustainability or green communities in Alabama. That’s simply not true – everyone has a part to play. If you own a home, or are thinking of having a new home built, you can start there. Buildings, including even residential homes are a significant source of resource drain. With a little work, you can turn regular homes into sustainable homes that are much more energy efficient. Not only with this help to save you money, you’ll be protecting the environment as well.

One of the biggest drains on energy comes from heating and cooling your home. Reducing the energy it takes to heat or cool your home is one of the keys to building green communities in Alabama. While contracting green builders to renovate your home or build it in the first place is one option, there are some steps you can even take yourself.

One way to promote sustainable homes in Alabama is to plant trees outside the home, specifically on the west side of the building. These trees will help block heat from the sun during the summer, while allowing it through in the wintertime. Obviously, it takes quite a while for trees to grow, so you may have to wait awhile to reap the benefits. However, planting a tree – or many trees – can be a rewarding experience. Remember that sustainability is about building for the future, so although the benefit might not be immediate, it will be a lasting advantage for your children and their entire generation.

Another way to improve sustainability and start on your way to building an eco home is to use better light bulbs. Compact fluorescent lamps use only about a quarter of the energy that standard incandescent light bulbs use and lasts 10 times as long. You’ll save tons on energy over time and produce far less waste from used light bulbs. This is one of the easiest ways to that you can promote the idea of green communities in Alabama. You may just be one person, but if everyone were to use these tips, the benefit to the global ecology would be huge.

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