Green Dream Home

Hi guys!  I’m Rachel’s sister, Gwen. I just wanted to say a quick hello and welcome to Just a Touch of Gray! 

My sis and I have both grown up with a passion for the environment, but I’m not sure how it really happened. Growing up in the Midwest we seemed to be less aware of all the trendy happenings around the rest of the country.  The only thing that comes to mind is that 70’s looking crying Native American commercial worried about the trash on the side of the road.

{Come on. You guys remember this, right?}

Well, it must have stirred something in us!  I can remember the time we were so young and went door to door preaching to our neighbors to recycle their newspapers and then collecting them to be sure it happened.  (Activists at such a young age, our parents must have been so proud!)  We even started our own recycling club called F.O.R (Friendship of Recycling) underneath the stairwell in our basement.  Making use of every space we didn’t know how green we really were!  I know what you’re thinking… they sound more like eco-geeks!    

And now, while neither of us live in tree houses, peddle stationary bicycles in the closet to keep the electricity going or check up on our neighbors to be sure they know which day the recycling goes out, we continue to share a love for our planet and do what we can to be environmentally friendly in a modern world.

As former Secretary of F.O.R I’d love to share with you my “Green Dream Home” pictures and ideas if you’ll allow me!  I must start out with my all time favorite HGTV’s 2008 Green Home Giveaway in Hilton Head, SC:

 Who could resist this sunny bedroom?  Doesn’t it just scream hello day!  Large windows let in plenty of sunlight but can be specially made to reduce excess glare as well as energy loss.

I love the idea of using environmentally friendly fabrics, earthy colors and rustic wood.

The backyard is so inviting and makes use of the “local resources.”  This would definitely be an upgrade for F.O.R from underneath the stairwell J

The living and dining room has a very organic feel to it.

This neighbor is using their bins!  Check out the white frame collage in the laundry room.

The garage doubled as as the control center for solar power distribution as well as rainwater harvesting and recycling.  Not so bad, right?

Images {via}

The 2008 Green Home is registered with the US Green Building Council's (USGBC) LEED for Homes program. LEED certification is a system for ensuring that homes and buildings are designed to be energy and resource efficient and healthy for occupants.

Hope you enjoyed!  And don’t forget your reusable shopping bags today!