The word "Green" has become a very overused buzzword that the media uses to describe everything from new energy efficient cars to tree hugging hippies. The word "Green" has been used to market ultra high tech products in our life like photovoltaic solar panels and it has been used to market ultra low tech products in our life like re-usable shopping bags.
Because of the media's need to overuse every new buzzword in existence, "Green" has become very confusing to the general public.
Let's talk about how "Green" fits into real estate. Don't think that is going to make things any less confusing. It might make things worse. In real estate green has several meanings too.
- Green = Eco-friendly - In this sense of the word, the home is built in a sustainable manner. Materials are brought from areas local to the project, products are used that can be easily replenished, remnant materials are recycled, and waste is drastically reduced.
- Green = Energy efficient - This use of the word looks at both sides of the energy story. The first side is energy that is used in things like HVAC units, hot water heaters, and kitchen appliances. The flip side is energy that is saved by using efficient windows, better insulation, and other efficient building techniques. BTW, this is the "Green" that 90% of green buyers are currently looking for!
- Green = More comfortable and healthy - Homes that are either built or remodeled with more "human friendly" products are also considered to be green. This usually revolves around the topic of indoor air quality. Old school carpets and paints release toxins into the air for years after they are installed. These toxins often cause negative reactions in people and have been shown to lead to health problems. There are new options that aren't made with dangerous chemicals and therefore they have nothing harmful to release into the home.
So how do we take our language back? How do we protect the meaning of the words that we use each every day?
photo by Josef F. Stuefer
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When you choose us to handle your Vancouver Washington real estate needs, you choose a team of realtors® who care about you and your family. Buying or selling a home is always more enjoyable when you work with professionals who will listen to your needs and who will work together with you to achieve your objective. We are very familiar with all types a real estate in Clark Countyand we specialize in Vancouver, Ridgefield and Battle Ground. We are also very experienced with new home and custom home construction having assisted several local builders in selling new neighborhoods in the Vancouver Washington area. Additionally, we have helped numerous families build their own dream homes. We are dedicated to helping you make intelligent, informed decisions and to providing you with exceptional service.
Mark, did you notice that you signed your post in "Green?" Have a great day.
I saw someone say the same thing about an hour after you posted this on Twitter and thought of you, but looks like they stole the idea from you.
Are you trying to say that the media likes to overuse words and totally destroy them, just like the radio gets a good song and plays the heck out of it, and television gets a good sitcom and syndicates it so that it's on 30 times a day? Surely you're not saying that.... LOL
Mark , then we have to deal with all the different shades of Green - Light , Medium , Dark and also , of course , worst of all - Green Washing ! I can only hope Green becomes so popular nobody calls it Green anymore , but normal instead ! Keepin' it Green !
I've heard it referred to as GREEN_WASHING, like whitewashing, where the GREEN word gets tuned out by the public from over use, but I still think, as this early stage of GREEN development, GREEN is the most commonly recognized new word for ECO-FRIENDLY that there is. As long as it's a legit postive ecological thing, I think, for now...IT'S ALL GOOD.