Space for plants, perhaps?
If you followed our "Meet the Re-Nest Team" series in December, you know that the Re-Nest editors each shared their green home must-have. A few of the items that made the list included Grandma's Buffalo China coffee cups; space for growing plants; great insulation; a recycling station; natural lighting; organization and good design. So now I'm curious: how would YOU, our readers, answer this question? What is your green home must-have?
There are two ways to look at this question:
1. What is the one thing you can't live without in your green home?
2. What is the one thing you would tell someone else to get/do for a greener home?
Tell us your thoughts below!
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For me, space for plants and plenty of natural light is obvious. I won't live in a home without either.
Aside from these essentials that I know every Re-nester loves and wants, I CANNOT live in my green home without my interesting cups! I have a little bit of an addiction when it comes to collecting interesting coffee mugs and cups. Currently, I have a collection of some Pizza Hut E.T. collector's glasses the restaurant made years ago. As far as my coffee cups go, I'm constantly digging for interesting mugs at thrift stores. In my collection right now, I have a monkey shaped mug, some "If all else fails, ask Grandma", and A LOT more (like I said, I have a little bit of an addiction").
To sum it up, in my green home, no 2 cups are alike!
A southeast facing window for passive solar. Some days the room reaches 70F in the winter without even turning on the heat.
A composting bin/container or some sort! You're much more likely to compost if you don't have to trudge outside constantly!
Now that we have massive rainwater tanks, I've decided never to live in a home without one again. Too useful, once installed they're a great passive way to save water, and we save INCREDIBLE amounts using it!
We've also gotten rid of the dryer for good. Good curtains/blinds to insulate or keep out heat are incredible.
This is pretty basic, but for me, as an apartment dweller, it's recycling containers. In my city, homeowners have the advantage of the sanitation dept. picking up their recyclables along with the garbage but when you live in an apt., you're on your own. For the longest time I didn't do it out of laziness, but I feel great for recycling now. Plus, it saves me trips to the dumpster since my garbage is much smaller and I just take the recyclables to the grocery store when I'm already going anyhow or passing by.
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Baking soda and vinegar. I love astonishing my skeptical mom by attacking a dirty stove with a baking soda paste - works every time.
I also use baking soda and vinegar in my beauty regimen. Baking soda with honey for the face, apple cider vinegar with my mud mask, vinegar for my hair rinse.