There are so many pros and cons on the list of “thing to consider when going tiny”. One of the biggest pros, in our books, is that it is way more environmentally friendly (when done right).
When tiny living your carbon footprint plummets and so does your actual footprint (on an ever shrinking planet as more and more people populate the high density areas).
So let’s talk about some of the key factors that will make going tiny help you fight and prepare for the battle that is climate change.
Build Using Reclaimed Materials
One of the awesome benefits of building your own home is that YOU get to choose the materials. From the windows, to the walls…….. you get it ;)
Using reclaimed or used materials is a great way to reduce your ecological impact during the building process. Building tiny also means needing LESS of materials – so that single piece of barn board you’ve been hanging on to might now be your eat-in kitchen island. Or maybe that corrugated steel that’s been laying around your grandpa’s backyard will now be the accent piece of your living room? There are endless possibilities for how to use reclaimed materials in your tiny home that help to recycle, reduce and reuse. Giving new life to old materials is not only environmentally friendly, but it also provides so much character to your home space! Oh, did we also mention it’s a cheap way to obtain building supplies?
You don't have to up-cycle everything as this is your dream home but it is something to consider doing when trying to keep your tiny clean and green.
Use fewer Resources and Monitor them more Efficiently!
By their very nature tiny houses have a smaller spatial footprint. Tiny houses tend to use fewer resources, like utilities. They are also built to monitor resource use, making your overall use more efficient.
Did you know, in 2019, the average household of a family of three in Toronto was using 630 L of water a day (4,410 L/week)!!! By contrast, our flagship build, Domek, which now houses our family of three, uses 1,000 L/week. This means we’re under the area average by 3,410 L! That’s no small number!
The amount of energy it takes to heat your home cuts down significantly simply because there is less space to heat! Natural gas or electricity are the two primary ways to heat your home but it doesn't matter what you choose, the bill will go down.
Managing your electrical use becomes easier as you are not walking around the house to find lights on with no one using the space! Building new also means installing newer, more efficient lightbulbs and electrical outlets.
Whether or not you’re on the “heal the environment” bus with us, wouldn’t we ALL like to see our utilities bills plunge dramatically?
Build with high quality, eco-friendly materials
Since a tiny house requires so much less of, well, everything, you can use higher quality, more environmentally conscious materials in your build! Splurge on that cork flooring, get the latest in window technology, go ahead and purchase the newest, most efficient design of air conditioner. Needing very few (sometimes even just one) of everything means more wiggle room when it comes to your budget. We know that environmentally-conscious does not always = low cost. Since you need so few materials compared to traditional housing, you can go ahead and splurge on the clear-conscious items that will bring a smile to your face when you’re in your own home.
Less “Stuff”
Making a push towards minimalism is a small factor but also a factor that helps battle against climate change. With the small environment of a tiny home it’s time to start thinking about what your needs are (instead of the wants you were told you ought to have). You’ll be surprised at how many impulse buys you will say ‘no’ to once moving into your tiny home. We think you’ll also be amazed at how little ‘stuff’ you really need to make you happy, and how much more time you spend with the stuff that “sparks joy”.
Purchasing only important, necessary items is one small way to help avoid things ending up in a landfill.
Here at Acorn Tiny Homes we pride ourselves in helping our clients to a greener alternative.
You’re already at step one by deciding to go tiny! Congratulations!
Send us a message to begin discussing even MORE environmentally friendly ways to improve your tiny: solar panels, rain water collection systems, wind generation…the list goes on!
At Acorn Tiny Homes our goal is to provide you with your dream home while helping you to build your dream world around it.
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