As we slowly, yet continually, deplete our world’s natural resources, we should begin to attempt to adjust our lifestyles to find newer, environmentally friendlier ways to live. Who knows what the world of tomorrow will look like for our children if we don’t start taking care of the world of today. The Green Revolution reevaluates every single thing we do, from grocery shopping to the cars we choose to drive to building new homes, in order to do just that. And contrary to popular belief, greening your life and your home is easier and more affordable than continuing to live the energy wasting lifestyles that we persistently live out today. The green roofing trend as already taken hold in Europe, yet the extreme benefits of the switch seem lost in translation, as most Americans haven’t fully grasped the serious financial, social, and environmental pros of going green.
Environmental benefits aside, there are many economic incentives for homeowners to transition into utilizing eco-friendly infrastructures for their homes. And one of the most efficient and effective ways a homeowner can save loads of money is by switching to a green, eco-friendly rooftop. Green roofs can have more than twice the life-space of conventional roofs, eventually saving the homeowner future additional costs on the maintenance and replacement of dilapidated rooftops.
Moreover, because of the types of material used in fashioning them, green roofs cut down on the energy needed to heat and cool your home. And if there is a high concentration of green roof tops in an urban area, they can even reduce the entire city’s overall average temperatures during the hottest periods of the year. Green roofs also filter the air around your home, reducing your chances or your children’s chances of acquiring asthma or similar respiratory problems. Likewise, green roofs also filter pollutants and heavy metals out of rain water, affording you the opportunity to harvest your own filtered water if so desired. And with green roofs, the potential for roof drains is exponentially reduced and almost practically eliminated. Less money burned and less energy used makes the world a much happier place to live.
When converting to a green roof top, you can use soil, plants, and a layer of air to better insulate your home in regard to internal and external sound. A green roof better deflects and reflects noises from passing by planes, cars, and noisy neighbors. Additionally, sounds coming from within your home are also deflected and reflected, allowing you to feel less concerned about being too loud and bothering your fellow neighbors. Switching to green roofing undeniably reduces the amount of resources and money needed for the standard insulation of your home, yet again, saving the homeowner buckets of money and energy. And for homeowners looking to put their home on the market in the future, converting your home’s rooftop to be more eco-friendly not only makes your home more viable to potential buyers, but it actually increases the real estate value of your home, eventually earning you more money than you probably would have expected.
Leah Marsh is a writer for Online University where you can browse schools and programs to find your perfect fit.
