Sustainable Home

Whether we rent or own, nearly every aspect of home life can offer opportunities to live more sustainably. Here are some helpful resources.

  • greenbuildersdirectory.com lists contractors with knowledge of green building methods.
  • U.S. Green Building Council, USGBC.org, provides information on green building and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
  • The USGBC’s greenhomeguide.com provides information on building and maintaining a green home.
  • The Forest Stewardship Council certifies forests that grow and harvest sustainably. The council’s site, https://us.fsc.org/en-us, provides information on sustainable forestry practices and products.
  • The Art of Natural Building: Design, Construction, Resources, Joseph F. Kennedy, New Society Publishers, 2001, billed as the encyclopedia of natural home building
  • Micro Green: Tiny Houses in Nature, Mimi Zeiger, Rizzoli, 2011, inspiration for building a green tiny home
  • Tiny Houses Built with Recycled Materials: Inspiration for Constructing Tiny Homes Using Salvaged and Reclaimed Supplies, Ryan Mitchell, Adams Media, 2016
  • Power From the People: How to Organize, Finance, and Launch Local Energy Projects, Greg Pahl, Chelsea Green Publishing, White River Junction, VT, 2012
  • Home Power magazine, https://www.homepower.com/articles/microhydro-power/design-installation/hydro-electric-evolution, for information on DIY green energy and transportation projects
  • Power Profiler, https://www.epa.gov/energy/power-profiler, lets users determine the air emissions impacts of electricity use in their homes or businesses and compare the fuel mix and air emissions rates of the electricity in their region to the national average.
  • The EPA’s Household Carbon Footprint Calculator, https://www3.epa.gov/carbon-footprint-calculator/, helps individuals measure the carbon emissions associated with their homes.
  • carbonfund.org, www.terrapass.com and www.oroeco.com help users track the carbon emissions associated with their homes and transportation.
  • dsire.org, Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency®, lists any incentives available for installing a renewable energy system.
  • Leafully (app), https://leafully.com, helps users measure and modify energy consumption.
  • The National Fireplace Institute lists certified fireplace professionals who can install wood-burning stoves.
  • https://www.epa.gov/watersense/start_saving/ provides information on how to conserve water and save money.
  • https://www.epa.gov/waterlabnetwork, drinking and waste water laboratory network (to learn about local water conditions)
  • The Ultimate Composting Toilet Guide: Everything You Need to Know About Compost Toilets, Corey Eckert, 2017
  • sustainablefurnishings.org, the website of the Sustainable Furnishings Council, a coalition of furniture manufacturers, retailers and designers that seeks to raise the environmental standards of the industry and help consumers find sustainable choices
  • org’s Guide to Healthy Cleaning database helps users rate products and find healthy alternatives.
  • WHYY’s You Bet Your Garden, https://whyy.org/programs/you-bet-your-garden/ or http://www.gardensalive, provides information about organic gardening.
  • Garden sharing arrangements between strangers: com
  • plantnative.org provides information on which plants are native to a particular area.
  • com locates apartments in walkable communities.

Do you know of other great resources? Let me know and I’ll be glad to add them.