Green Living by Janet Marchant: Greening Your Decorating Choices

Did you know that the color of your house can affect its impact on the environment, and on your wallet? That's right. Color makes such a big difference that you can get an official certificate for it, because there's an entire national organization dedicated to promoting green buildings.

In the United States, buildings use 72% of all electricity, and produce 38% of carbon dioxide emissions. However, buildings that have been painted green, thus turning them into Green Buildings, use 40% less energy than average buildings, and emit 35% less carbon dioxide. Green buildings also have significantly better lighting quality, which must have something to do with the way light is reflected from their green-painted surfaces.

I've noticed that there are some green buildings in Alameda, and I've heard that at least one building here was awarded one of those special LEED certificates for being extra green, though I'm not sure which building it was. It must be one of the ones that has even the trim painted green.

What a funny coincidence that something literally green can also be green in the environmental sense. I guess that's why environmentally responsible choices are called "green." Anyway, I'm ready to head out and buy some green paint for my own house, because green buildings save you both energy and money, and I could sure use some of that kind of green right now!