If we lived in New York City, our space would seem immense, but here in Oregon, a thousand square foot home is considered tiny for a family of four.  Walk-in closets, mudrooms, generous pantries and guest quarters are standard on most newer homes which average around double the size of ours.

greener living in smaller houseTo be totally honest, I have to admit that I’m not opposed to larger homes. Sometimes just the idea of a bigger kitchen causes my chest to ache with longing.

Still, the benefits of our modest home are becoming clearer to me every year.

  • Higher Population Density: If we count the tenant who lives in an attached apartment in back, we have five people living in 1300 square feet. That drastically shrinks our overall carbon footprint.
  • Lower utilities: Our monthly energy consumption is far lower than it would be if we lived in a larger home.  We keep the temperature down in the winter (although we haven’t set our thermostat below 68 degrees) and find our bills are quite manageable.  That means less money spent and fewer natural resources wasted.
  • Better Location: We couldn’t have afforded to buy a big house in this prime spot that’s close to parks, schools and shopping.  As it is, we can walk and bike to several key spots without having to climb in the car.
  • More Green Features: The maple tree in front of our house is probably more than thirty years old and provides excellent shade in summer and sun in winter.  Attached in the front of our home is a small entry room that keeps heat and cold out in all seasons.

Have you found that your house is unexpectedly green?  What have you done to make your place more energy efficient?