The Benefits of Environmentally Responsible Residential Housing

The Benefits of Environmentally Responsible Residential Housing

Beginning in the 1960s, our society has become increasingly aware of mankind’s negative impact on the earth. We have heard more about topics such as pollution, water contamination, Acid Rain, and Global Warming. All of these environmental concerns have displayed a need for more environmentally sensitive development. Environmentally responsible residential development is defined by Brewster as, "the production of building and communities that conserve resources and reduce waste through more efficient use of materials, energy, and water; that are more durable and useful; and that are designed for adaptive use or the recycling of their materials" (33). By definition alone, this type of development fits the description of sensitive development. I propose that we, as a society, must provide more incentives to encourage development such as environmentally responsible residential houses, because it will help reduce pollution, conserve limited and natural resources, and ensure a sustainable future.

The need for such housing must be established with consumers before more environmentally responsible houses are demanded in the market. One reason for this type of building, would be to properly address the problems of the energy crisis. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the energy crisis as, "a serious shortage of energy-producing fuels" (Simpson 5:241). Today, we are consuming our fossil fuels at ten million times the rate they are produced naturally (Griffin 4). At this rate, we will eventually deplete all of our fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gases. The energy crisis also addresses another reason to build environmentally responsible development, which...

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