Some Eco Things in, around, & about my House.

I’ve lived in my home, my first home, for 17 years now. I’m selling and moving out this Spring.
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In those years, I’ve transformed 90% of the house. It was a lovely, simple Victorian—the bones were good—that’s what I fell in love with, all those years ago. But in the interim almost all the changes had been tacky, toxic, or both.
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So I took out chrome and black plastic chandeliers. Drywall walls in weird places. Toxic insulation, the pink stuff.
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And we loved it up, adding light to every room, secondhand and antique and eco details, opening up spaces that were uselessly closed and adding a copper tub, plants, insulation against street noise and cold, a book nook in a formerly walled off corner.

108 Eco/Mindful/Historic Renovations in my House, plus some Eco habits we practice.

More light: added 53 windows, including stained glass & windows in doors & glass blocks in second floor lighting up first floor.
Doors, moulding, windows, treehouse: all using reclaimed wood.

Insulation throughout is eco (denim, no formaldehyde etc), unlike 99% of modern houses.

Roof is white, and metal, reflecting heat, recyclable, & will last for many many years. Also asphalt etc is toxic, not recyclable.
Landscaping uses no plastic in ground (weed barriers), fruit trees for animals and us, no grass.

Picket fence made out of old bike rims and pallets and secondhand newell posts, wire, etc. All reused, lovely.
Paint is eco as can be, still not eco.

Treehouse is built around the tree, not screwed into it (bad for tree). Also makes treehouse stronger when we have strong winds as it shakes less. Materials are 99% used/secondhand, only new is screws, nails from McGuckin (local hardware store).

Our wardrobe is plastic-free, nearly, we donated all poly clothes to great local thrift shop that supports animals.

We wave all water, compost that we can. Buckets in sink, baths, showers, use biodegradable soaps so can water yard.
Rain barrels for watering when it’s hot out.

We bike 99% of the time. EV when fun trip or absolute need. But snow, groceries, etc…all done with bikes.

All food and drinnk is vegan, 99% is zero waste. We rarely fill a small trash can. Dog food is vegan, too, saving 200 animals a year.

Shoes off before walking in house–less dirt, pesticides, poop etc gets in house.

Tile is reused, off craigslist or marketplace or local salvage–same for floors using marble, slab from countertops. Framing of sink, book nook, bathroom sink is from antique bed. Cabinets and shelving is from ice storm–juniper branches that cracked and fell.

Furniture is all eco and/or organic, secondhand, antique. Framing of pictures and art is plastic free, barnwood.

Solar accounts for much of our electricity. Water heater etc are top of the line efficient. If I were staying in home, we’d switch to gas-less 100%.

Thinking of more!