To live sustainably requires making certain lifestyle choices. First we must become conscious of the waste we produce and the resources we use in our everyday lives. Below are some of the more effective things you can do to reduce your energy use at home, keeping in mind that heat is the most expensive form of energy:
Live in a small house.
Keep your home at a lower temperature.
Consider hang-drying your clothes; or if not, use a lower heat setting on your dryer.
Use cold water for your laundry.
Take shorter showers.
Reduce the number of appliances in your home and use only energy-efficient appliances. Replace refrigerators that are over 10 years old (they can be recycled).
Turn off lights, computers, and appliances when not in use. Avoid leaving stereos etc. plugged in, as they will slowly drain energy.
We have grown accustomed to using much more energy than we really need. Consider that humanity thrived for thousands of years using only the energy from the sun, water, wind - and their own hands and backs. Clever design and cultural knowledge provided all the tools necessary for daily life. Over the years, we abandoned both the design and the knowledge base as we learned to manipulate our planet for a convenience that has resulted in worldwide pollution, gaping inequality and mass warfare. Today we are both rediscovering the wisdom of ancient techniques as well as developing new technology that will help our modern world adapt to sustainable lifestyles. We are learning once again to live in harmony with our surroundings.
Bearpaw can help you with the clever design. We can provide some of the knowledge to help you find simpler, more energy-efficient ways of doing things. The lifestyle choices are up to you.
Increasing Efficiency in Older Homes
There are a number of things you can do to increase the efficiency of your existing home. Beyond the daily lifestyle choices you can make, it is often worthwhile to go through your house and seal the many gaps and cracks where heat loss can occur. We also recommend adding cellulose insulation, which is recycled newsprint that can be blown into spaces such as wall cavities and attics. If you wish, Bearpaw can do an "energy-assessment" on your home and implement the appropriate upgrades.
Building Small
The "American Dream" of a modest family home in the suburbs has mutated into the grotesquely oversized McMansion developments spreading over our country. These huge homes waste a ridiculous amount of energy due to sheer size, not to mention cheap construction. We strongly encourage home buyers to consider the minimum-sized home that will fit their needs. Keep in mind that Bearpaw is skilled at designing multi-use spaces wherever possible, to minimize the total volume of a home without sacrificing function.
A smaller home:
wastes less energy,
costs less to live in, and
is easier to maintain.
Another benefit to a small home, one that often gets overlooked, has nothing to do with environmental sustainability. As Americans living in a mobile, fast-paced society, we have become increasingly isolated from one another. A smaller and well-designed home encourages communication and provides an intimacy many families are missing in their households. Bearpaw encourages homes with an "open" design, where private rooms radiate out from a common space.
