Give yourself a better life, try some Green Architecture.
Mar 19th, 2008 by Pragati Goswami
It is everybody’s dream to live well in an environment full of Green Architecture. Some people long to live in the fast lane but more and more people in today’s society are looking back to simpler times. They are opting for the tree change, for a life where you not only have time to smell the roses, you have time to plant them, nurture them and pick baskets of them for your friends. We all have to be able to afford to live,so tree and sea changes are only possible if we can move to a job in a better environment or find some way to make money from home.
f you are planning such a move take it very slowly. If you are not going to be gainfully employed immediately and are about to start your own business from home make sure you have enough money saved to make it possible. The financial rule of thumb is to have at least six months living expenses to act as a buffer when you make an environmental change. Twelve months would make it easier. There are some commonplace things to know before you move away from a comfortable city existence. How far away will you be from friends and family? Will this make it harder to move?
Connections are very important. If your move is to the country there won’t be the opportunity to meet friends for a coffee or a drink after work. Your own immediate nuclear family of mother/father/child or whatever it might be will be it. This may strengthen bonds but it can also be lonely. Of course you will make new friends and old friends will come and visit but it won’t be the same. Many tree changes have foundered on this element alone. Try to make the change affordable. Is there a suitable house that you can afford? A suitable house in the country is not quite the same as a suitable house in the city. For instance a tiny modern kitchen is no help if you are planning to grow a lot of your food and go back to the basics of making bread and preserving.
What you need to look for is space. A kitchen that will take a big table or long benches. Rooms with cross ventilation from windows and verandahs that will shade you. The climate needs to be really a part of your move. Without air conditioning that is easily provided in city living, you need instead to look at trees and windbreaks, at pergolas and to study the position of the house in regard to the position of the sun in summer and winter. Which way does the prevailing wind blow? Will it shower dust on you in hot summer weather? It is a very different way to look at things. Country living is not about how many ensuites you will have. Another consideration is soil. Is it hard clay, sand or the kid of dirt that can be turned into the perfect black gold for gardening? Is there enough land to have a garden? Is there water? Make sure there is water available. If there isn’t water laid on how do you get it? What about electricity? You can’t take it for granted. What about heating for the winter?
There are many things to be examined closely on your search for a better life. In all probability it won’t be easier. You may have to learn new skills. These skills may involve physical effort, like cutting wood, attending to chickens and ducks, digging gardens and hand watering plants. But oh the rewards. Waking in the morning to fresh air, enjoying eggs for breakfast warm from the nest. Picking vegetables for your meals that have had no chemicals on them to help them grow. Seeing your health and your family’s health improve. These are just some of the joys of living the good life. Green Architecture it’s worth a try.
