It happens once a year, when people come together the world over to commemorate the beauty of our planet—but this year, Earth Day 2024 is so much more.
Increasing global consciousness about the environment may have you questioning the health of the earth’s oceans, air, and land.
Mother Earth, like all moms, rules the roost
The idea of Mother Earth came from ancient Greece. She was known as goddess Gaia, who gave birth to nature and whatever else lives within it. That’s a lot of responsibility, and a lot of kids. Others have said that “all things come to her, return to her, and are her.” What would you do with that kind of power? Delegate house chores, at least.
Today, Mother Nature is an all-encompassing term that means everything Earth: climate, forests, seas, and their health.
In a similar fashion, Moms tend to run the household—whether other family members see it that way is another story. But if you’re that Mom and with your help, here’s how to make an impact on the planet by guiding your family and friends to new ways of being and doing, for the world’s sake, and to celebrate Earth Day 2024.
It’s okay to be an enabler when you’re saving the planet
Moms, kids, neighborhoods, and communities have a say in how we live.
Time-saving behaviors like ordering packages to your door and food drop-offs often leave paper, plastic, and Styrofoam waste. The condition of your home, the systems that keep it cool, let fresh air in, and make backyard entertaining magical are tied to environment-friendly or hurtful situations, and you may not know it.
Let’s work together to make small yet impactful differences and reverse the damage done.
Earth Day 2024 salutes these ecosystem heroes
Join other leaders and change agents, who, like you, transform our world for the better. Choose a specific environmental issue you feel passionate about and get involved—just sharing a social post on Instagram or a quick reel can get your friends’ and family’s attention and increase awareness worldwide.
Check out the companies getting their hands dirty, fighting for change from the top of governments to the boots on the ground farmers in Ghana and Africa, who till the land and harvest the cacao beans we rely on for chocolate and coffee.
Get awe-inspired by the Plastic Bank. The founders created a circular eco-economy for the less fortunate in regions where plastic waste covers much of their land and waterways. The system pays people to pick up plastic and recycle it at partnering facilities. Workers receive local currency or credits to use at Plastic Bank stores to purchase products made with recycled materials. The system cleans up communities, teaches the value of hard work, and promotes a green economy where everyone benefits.
Sustainability savvy starts at home
Wondering what your carbon footprint is? It has everything to do with the products you buy, where they come from, how they’re made, sourced, delivered and disposed of.
But you can lessen your footprint by ensuring your home has sustainable systems, materials and certifications that say it’s environmentally kosher. Yeah, it’s a thing.
How it’s built
A brand-new home in 2024 will have many of the sustainable materials, products and systems that help run an efficient household, reducing your carbon footprint as well as costs. As you visit new communities, ask about wall and roof insulation ratings, if solar panels are allowed, and if they use locally sourced construction materials whenever possible.
The upgrades
A few moderate household investments can support the environment, whether you live in an older home or move into a new one.
It’s amazing the difference dual or triple windows can make to keeping extreme temperatures outside. Energy-efficient appliances, LED lighting, and smart thermostats bring modern convenience to our daily lives and let the environment breathe easier.
Picture book landscapes often include lush green lawns, but the water required to install and keep up the system can make it too expensive. In Southwestern states, water consumption is a big concern. Cities and towns persuade homeowners to curb water use by increasing costs per gallon, and offer tax incentives for installing artificial grass or xeriscapes that require low or no water.
Be the source of the source
Sounds complicated, but it’s not. Take grocery shopping. You walk up and down the aisles picking up bags of rice, jarred spaghetti sauce, or boxes of cereal (don’t even look at the sugar content) to read the ingredients and decide whether it’s a good buy for the family. That’s what caring moms do.
In this making-an-informed-decision process, there’s a sticking point—where does the prepackaged food come from and what’s the harm? There’s a lot to know and learn about what goes into our diet.
Consider growing your own garden, full of nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables. It’s good for the earth (no pesticides preferred) and good for you. Depending on where you live, you could harvest rainwater, too. By cultivating produce in your backyard, you are the source of your salads and plant-based side dishes.
Woodside Homes builds healthy ecosystems from the ground up
Another way to feel good about where you live is to ask the right questions when choosing a home builder. Woodside Homes helps people be more in sync with the earth, by providing well-crafted, quality-built sustainable communities.
Homebuyers, like you, have an opportunity to create an environmentally friendly future, simply by owning a Woodside home.
A holistic mindset supports physical, emotional, and financial health
A Woodside home offers safe, secure, sustainable living with personalized options designed to fit the lifestyle and needs of each individual homeowner.
Healthy Homes features come standard in every Woodside home, and include eco-friendly products like MERV 13 air filters, humidity control sensors, inline kitchen water filters, and recirculation pumps. Our sustainable building practices include using low-VOC materials, spray foam insulation, and solid construction materials that help keep chemicals and unwanted noise out, and greater peace of mind in.
If you’re ready for a new home designed the way you want it to be, built to last, and good for generations to come, visit our Woodside Homes communities and take a model home tour to get a feel for what sustainable living is all about. Schedule an appointment with one of our sales consultants to learn more.
