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Mindset of Change

Ok ready?

"In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it a was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort."

JRR Tolkein

We all want to be comfortable at home. It is our refuge, the place that we return to. It is one of the most natural human impulses to want to adapt our homes to suit us - some more plants, a comfy couch, maybe a TV or some bookshelves. And we are not alone in the animal kingdom. Birds nest and mammals den. Elephants have ancestral lands. Heck insects build palaces to rival Peter the Great!
(See the sweet bird architects video at the end, if you wanna be inspired!)

However, humans are the only species who have been successful enough at adapting our environment that our activities have threatened every major ecosystem in the world.

But don't be discouraged! As we'll see, a lot of major problems have already been solved. The solutions already exist! Just not enough people have adopted them. In some cases, its because the new technology or practice is not cost effective yet (hello, government!) and in some cases its just because people don't know or don't realize its worth doing.

The Big Kahuna

If there was one single thing you could do to make your home more sustainable, it would be this (and its pretty easy):

Deeper Dives

If you're the type of person who wants more information before taking action, no worries. Here is an outline of topics for consideration regarding home sustainability.

Note: I'm working on filling in each one of these. If you want to get the latest content as I write it, please subscribe!

1. Energy usage
   1. Where does my energy come from?
   2. How much energy am I using and for what?
   3. Installing solar
2. Water usage
   1. How much water do I use and for what?
   2. Where does my water come from?
3. Waste
   1. How much trash do I create and where does it go?
   2. What is the deal with recycling these days?
   3. How do I deal with organic trash?
4. Cleaning my home
   1. What products am I using?
   2. How do I organize things?
5. Outdoor space
   1. Winter proofing
   2. Lawns
   3. Food gardening
   4. Pollinator gardening

Each of these are things you can dive into and make conscious decisions about. Maybe there is nothing you think should be changed, and maybe there are some easy wins. I'll be honest with you: some of these took me YEARS to change. But its important to realize that, when we don't make a conscious choice, someone else has chosen for us. And why should they? Do you trust the powers that be to make the decision you would have made? Not I sir!

Anyway, check it out and also check out these sweet birbs...