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Let’s Make Green Relevant

by Chicago Agent

I think it’s time we all admit the truth – most of us are not living as green of a lifestyle as we could. Luckily, my new condo has recycling bins, so I am safe on that front. However, I am guilty of wasting water as I wait for the shower to heat up, and I do my best to turn off the tap when brushing my teeth but sometimes I’m so sleepy I fail to notice the useless gallons that are slipping down the drain.

There are some people that have devoted their lives to living green, and then there are the rest of us that would like to help but aren’t sure what to do, or fear it will cost money. Aside from turning off the water, another simple step is to unplug electronics that are not in use. As I type this, I am mentally reminding myself to unplug my cell phone charger that is plugged into the wall for most of the day.

Sadly, in this market, many agents are more interested in getting things bought or sold than focusing on the green movement. Of course I don’t blame them, because how can one really focus on selling green when some aren’t selling anything? In the past, our Green issue has covered ways to sell green homes and new green features, but this year we wanted to pose an important question: is green still relevant? In our cover story, we spoke with an EcoBroker, a Realtor with a NAR Green designation, a new green-focused real estate company and a successful Realtor with no green-related affiliations to find out their thoughts on whether green is still important to clients today. We also highlighted some agents who are proud to be green, such as EcoBroker Amy Sunshine in our My Style and Stephanie Burrows, who holds a NAR Green designation, in our Agent Snapshot.

Additionally, we asked our readers to fill out a green survey, and the results ran the gamut in terms of thoughts on whether the green movement is surging forward or taking a pause as the market corrects itself.

Regardless of whether buyers are interested in green features, we can still take a little time each day to focus on ways that we, as individuals, can help our planet and its inhabitants survive for hundreds of thousands of years to come. These simple tasks don’t cost money, and can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. Turning off running water, unplugging electrics and shutting down your work computer when you’re done should simply be a part of your routine. If you’re looking for more ways to go green, get in touch with one of the green professionals throughout this issue, and I’m sure they’d be happy to provide suggestions.

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