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Make your home eco-friendly
Published on Tue, Jun 05, 2007 at 15:56, Updated on Tue, Jun 12, 2007 at 09:50 in Nation section
Tags: What On Earth, Global Warming , Surajkund
GREEN HOMES: Eco-friendly homes are easy to make, effective and not very expensive.
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Surajkund: Nestled in the shade of towering trees, architect Revathi Kamath's house is an oasis in a concrete jungle. Mud walls keep the house cool in the summer and trap the heat inside in the winter.
And if it gets too warm, the nozzles spraying a fine mist are better than any thermostat. But if like many of us, you already live in a home that is nothing like Revathi's, here's how you can show your love for the ozone.
"The first rule of them all is don't use paint. Paint is poison," says Revathi.
Use natural materials like sandalwood or turmeric on the walls. It reduces your carbon footprint by about 30 kilos a year. Also use materials like reclaimed wood or forest certified wood to build your home instead of the conventional marble and granite.
"It's a myth. People don't want to make homes like this because they want to show how much money they have. You can't change people's minds unless they become truly proud to be ecological," says Revathi when asked how much money one would have to spend to make a home like that.
And Revathi shows her love by making the mud bricks for her house in her own backyard.
From an overflowing tank to a tiny rivulet running down a path, all the excess water including rainwater collects in pools around the house and irrigates the land. It's Revathi's way of water harvesting.
Remember the trick to making your home one with the environment, is to use as much of nature both inside and outside your home.
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