"Going Green" is one of the most used phrases in the English language of today. People are "Going Green" when making building choices, "Going Green" in their already built home, "Going Green" when making food decisions and "Going Green" in their everyday life decisions. But why? Why is "Going Green" so important to so many people?

Let's talk about why this is all the rave in the housing industry.

First and foremost you will increase your homes value

"Eco-Friendly Homes", you've heard the phrase, but what does it mean to you? Just by adding that head turning tag "eco-friendly" to the description of your home, you have given your home a jump in value to a potential homebuyer. Purchasingan "eco-friendly" home means that the potential home buyer will reap all the benefits of saving money on their energy bills, cleaner air quality, durabilty etc without having to do any of the work.

You'll save energy which means you will save money

By purchasing energy efficient appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators and ovens the cost up front may be slightly higher but savings on your electric bill can be significant. Finding alternative energy sources, such as wind or solar can also take some time and cost a bit of money in the beginning, but if you are looking towards the future, it is definitely the way to go.

Another source of saving money aka energy is swapping out your toilets and shower heads. Did you know that toilets built before 1982 use 5 - 7 gallons of water per flush? Replace your old toilet with a high-efficiency model that uses fewer than 1.3 gallons per flush and you'll see almost instant savings on your water bill.

Less Waste with Green Building

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that waste on a "non-green" construction site can account for nearly 20% of all the trash in landfills. In other words, about 136 million tons a year. Nearly 85 - 90% of those materials could have been recycled. Green construction focuses on reducing this waste by reusing as many materials as they can.

Green remodeling also focuses on reusing and reducing trash. Instead of throwing out the pallets that brought in the bricks, create a new swing for the front porch! If you cannot find any use for it, then recycle it. If none of those two options will work, then and only then should it end up at the landfill.

Durability

Just because you are using recycled materials, it does not mean that the materials will wear out quicker. In fact, just the opposite. There are many recycled products out there that are bigger, better, stronger and faster than a product that has not been recycled.

When a product is more durable, you'll spend less time needing to maintain it. Therefore, you'll have more time to start new Eco-friendly projects that will increase your home's value and put more money into your pocket at selling time.

Healthier

Green homes focus on on the air quality inside of the home, buy using green paints, cleaners and items that contain very low VOC's (volatile organic compounds). Air filters for the A/C should also be green and swapped out on a regular basis. With cleaner air, you become more productive. Wait, What? It's true! According to a U.S. Department of Energy study, poor indoor air quality not only affects your health, it also affects your brain. The study, taken at a workplace, showed that people with better air quality took less sick days and got more work done!

So, there you have it. Five good reasons to "Go Green".