Earth Day, celebrated each year in the month of April, reminds us that the fight against climate change, and as fallout of that the survival of humankind, is far from won. There is still hope, however. A growing number of companies are converting to environmental responsibility.
In terms of building, the focus is on eco-friendly housing. It’s far from being a burden, as not only is eco-friendly housing healthy, it also provides a strong dose of peace. It’s somewhat like a peace home.
Eco-friendly housing is a lifestyle, as it covers all aspects of life in your home: construction, decoration, renovation, indoor and outdoor life. You get up green, you go to bed green, you live green.
The positive effects of eco-friendly housing on health are well-known. Scientific studies tend to prove that using healthy materials, i.e. transformed as little as possible, improves the health of residents. There are less allergies, prolonged irritations and respiratory problems.
Originally a shelter against bad weather, the house has become a place of comfort, an investment for old age and a place for personal expression. It drifted, becoming a consumption machine. That done, it cut humans from their environment. Today, houses are making an about-face. Eco-friendly housing is reconciling humans with nature.
Still today, many owners try to be flashy: four bathrooms, three living rooms, two dining rooms for a single couple. All of that is usually at credit. The pressure is strong, the payments come fast, life is stressful.
A new trend is taking over: building or buying tiny houses, or at least perfectly adapted to our needs. Nothing more, nothing less. The benefits? Reduction in the greenhouse effect, less pollutants inside, less pressure on the budget, reduced workload at home, drop in stress. Peace is something that is earned.
If houses are likely to get smaller, yards may go in the opposite direction. One of the characteristics of eco-friendly housing is that the reduced indoor space increases the outdoor space, so you get more of the outdoors.
Eco-friendly housing is a return to the free circulation of people and live indoors and outdoors. Life had become so hectic and the industrial discoveries so numerous in terms of construction and decoration that, in too many cases, the inside of homes became more toxic than the outside. Even in cities deemed to be very polluted. And the people spent almost all of their time indoors.
Today, the line between inside and outside is blurring. Outdoor space has become a living room, toxic lawns are turning into gardens and spaces filled with life, leaves, trees and fluidity of the light invites you to the windows. Green roofs, vegetable walls, gardens, decks, patios, verandas, alleys, large balconies, vegetable gardens, all of that is multiplying, including acreages in urban environments. Peace is gaining ground.
Eco-friendly housing is a return to natural colours given the predominance of wood, stone, vegetation, soil, lime, straw and even fibrous concrete. The green of the vegetation blends with the warm colours.
Everything is become more relaxed, everything is becoming less uptight, everything is becoming simpler. Human survival will be the winner.
Photos: istock.com
