First Post - Motivation

I'm an environmentalist - a self-proclaimed tree hugger. Until this summer I've made a relatively modest income. I've lived a bachelor's life in a small, cheap studio where I could walk to work, shops, restaurants, etc. Until now, it's been easy to point fingers at those with large homes, expansive lawns, big families, and long commutes to work. "How can they live like this? Don't they see that their lifestyles are costing them their money, time, health and, most importantly, destroying the environment?"

Well now I have a real job, I make real money, and I'm old enough that I need to start investing in my future. So I bought a house - a house that is currently bigger than I need, but might suit me nicely in a few years. It's got a pretty big yard with lots of fruit trees, and I like that. So here I am, joining the masses in suburbia, becoming what I've long abhorred.

To be sure, I've done the best I can in purchasing a house that is eco-friendly. Most notably, it's a mile from my office so I won't need to use my car to get to work. However, owning a home in the middle of the desert, with a lot of square footage (at least relative to my former studio) and with a large yard requires a lot of energy and water. I feel guilty about this. Fortunately, I think there are cost-effective ways to own a home in suburbia and still live relatively sustainably.

Thus, the motivation for this blog. My mind is full of ideas for dramatically reducing the amount of energy and water consumed and the amount of waste produced by my house. Seriously, I've got 10 different ideas in my head already. This will take time, but I hope to do at least one small project per month. As I upgrade my home I will post about my experiences, hoping to motivate others to take similar actions. Hopefully, people can learn from my research... and my mistakes.

I'm really excited about this. I haven't even closed on the house! So stay tuned!