The way we treat our planet has an enormous effect on its longevity. So what can we do to help? Take a look at your everyday life. From the way you get to work, all the way to the food you put on the table every night–all of it has an impact on the world we live in. And speaking of living, tiny houses are an excellent way to live sustainably. At no more than 500 square feet, these micro abodes offer comfort without sacrificing the planet in the process. Let’s take a look at how tiny houses are the gateway to a sustainable lifestyle.
Consider a traditional residential house. Each room is usually heated or cooled, whether or not the space is actually used. In a tiny house, it’s easier to keep a consistent temperature and less energy is actually required to heat or cool the space.
Another point people often forget is the energy that goes into the production of house-making materials. To put it into perspective, it takes far more vehicles to haul building materials for a residential home than a tiny home–that’s a whole lot of fuel saved!
What’s better than clean, green energy? While renewable energy like solar power is known for expensive upfront costs, this is usually due to the sheer size of the materials needed to power a standard size residential home. For a tiny house, the price of a solar energy kit is also downsized. You can be sure your tiny house is fully functional, so long as your home is a target for consistent sunlight for at least part of the day.
Any Lord of the Rings fans out there? One of the most popular and well-known tiny houses is known as the hobbit house (or earth home). Why? Because it’s literally built from the earth. These tiny homes of Nordic and Icelandic origins are built by cutting into the earth and adding a layer of insulating sod for the roof. You would be hard-pressed to find a more sustainable way of living when your tiny home is built and maintained using the surrounding environment.
As mentioned in the beginning, tiny houses are the gateway to sustainable living practices. For starters, a smaller living space means you’re more mindful of your purchases you make. If something isn’t really important or doesn’t provide some sort of function, then you’ll think twice before bringing them into your tiny home. Reusable goods like shopping bags, cups, and food storage are all items that make sense in a small space. Instead of keeping a large number of flimsy single use items, it’s a good idea to go for quality over quantity.
And that’s really what it’s all about. In choosing quality over quantity, we choose a path of sustainability. So no matter what size home we live in, it’s important to care about the way we treat our planet earth–the one home we all share.
Author:
Molli McGee:Molli is a U.S. citizen currently living in Cape Town, South Africa. Aside from writing about tiny houses for the Tiny House Society, she enjoys surfing and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
Website: www.tinysociety.co
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Hi Molli
It is something of great delight having a small sized house especially when it is located in an eco-friendly zone. This will also make for a sustainable environment that you can go for a vacation, trip or camping.
With the availability of solar energy, you can easily power your house and some of your portable electrical appliances like refrigerators to keep your foods, drinks and beverages save and fresh.