April 29th, 2011 
Tushar Mathur It seems as if everyone is jumping on the “green” bandwagon these days, but with good reason. One of the great ways to green your own home is to explore organic insulation products. This is one of the most cost effective ways of improving the house and making it organic. Given the improvements in sustainability, reduction of indoor toxins, and cost effectiveness, green insulation will continue to grow in popularity in the near future.
Sustainability
From a sustainability view, green insulation might be the easiest way to improve your own carbon footprint at home, because it effects both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. With buildings and homes playing a large part in overall energy consumption, green insulation products are the best way to put an end to these problems.
Economic benefits
On average, better insulation can help reduce heating and cooling costs around 30 percent in total, with a continued reduction in the need for air condition. With energy prices increasing, it helps to take away this burden. Given the savings in costs, having new insulation installed will end up paying for itself within a couple years. Also, given the success and durability of organic insulation, it should last for most of the time spent in any home, around 50 to 70 years in total.
Health benefits
One commonly surprising benefit of green insulation is that it can be a help in cutting down health risks and improving overall health. Many of the organic insulation options play a major part in reducing overall carbon dioxide emissions. This not only has an effect on alleviating any type of global warming, but also in cutting down on health risks from carbon and smog inhalation.
Another common unknown is that many older homes have toxic insulation currently. Asbestos fiber, known for its connection to health risks like mesothelioma, was once a commonly used insulation material throughout the world. While newer buildings may not contain asbestos material, many older insulation areas are filled with these fibers. The switch to organic insulation in older homes is definitely something to think about from a health standpoint, considering that asbestos cancer is very severe.
Variety
There are also a number of different options in green insulation to choose from. The type of insulation you choose can be specialized to what you’re looking to improve or what characteristics are most important to you. Spray foam insulation is a common option because of its ability to fill as much space as possible, bringing sustainability around the house to a maximum. Recycled denim or paper are other great options for insulation, it installs quickly with no need for special equipment. Cellulose, which is bits of shredded newspaper, is popular because it is cheap and highly effective. Whether you’re looking for cost effectiveness or sustainability, there are options that can give you exactly what you’re looking for in new insulation.
The many benefits of green insulation continue to prove why it’s growing in popularity these days. Whether you are looking at the health aspect, sustainability, cost effectiveness, or the variety, all of these continue to show why green insulation would be a great choice for improving and “green-ing” your home.
About the Author:
Taylor Dardan believes that eco-friendly living is the way to go and is very passionate about the health of the environment, and how it affects our health and our communities. He is an aspiring ecological writer, who was inspired by Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and a recent college graduate.
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