“Green” is a whole life style, not just solar panels on the roof and driving a hybrid car. It all starts with common sense, eating right, living clean and using what works most efficiently. Using only what you need; not all you can afford.

Building green in the true sense doesn’t make a big splash. It may not get you primetime publicity, but you will be better off financially and health-wise. Sadly you will not be getting backing from the big companies because you will have left them out of the equation. Nor from health providers because you won’t be using their services as much, if any.

I like the green principle of the strawbale home. It just simply works. A strawbale house built with southern orientation for maximum passive solar gain, an attic insulated with hulls from rice or wheat, plaster that is either lime base or earth base (so it can ‘breath’), as many recycled building materials as possible will make you the “greenest” person in town. You will have more “green” in your pocket with lower utility bills. You can take your money shopping for “green” appliances, solar panels, a hybrid car and other ‘green’ gear that will never pay for themselves in dollars and cents, but will be easier on the environment.

Who knows, maybe someday we will have Cash for Cabins. The Feds will buy your old eco unfriendly house for your property tax bill if you will build at least a 5% more eco friendly domicile. Of course, they will then burn your old house, creating air pollution and undoing anything gained by a lower energy demand. BUT, this all will create new jobs, harvest more trees, manufacture more cement and pump more oil for asphalt shingles. Better hope the suits on the Beltway don’t read this; it might just be the next Big Idea.