Part of living green is based on green building material choices for your home. Another green consideration is house size (the smaller the better). It’s also important to think about the goods you bring into your home. Working on all of the above help you to achieve green living. However, another green living choice is your community.

Community matters, or it should. I think people sometimes forget that where they live is just as important as the building materials around them. You can have a green home, far from green spaces, but that seems somehow redundant – don’t you think?

If you’re moving or building and want to go green, and build a love of nature and the earth in your kids, then look for the following in a community…

• Plenty of green spaces within walking distance.
• Neighborhood recycling options – not all communities have them.
• Bike paths or walking trials withing close range.
• A safe park or community garden.
• Low levels of traffic near your house.
• On a bus or subway route.
• Small homes are the norm – none of this beat the neighbors stuff to tempt you into buying more than you need.

You can be eco-friendly without any of the above, but consider that kids who grow up in neighborhoods full of McMansions, concrete, and cars won’t have as much of an opportunity to fall in love with nature, as kids in a greener setting might. You can’t save the earth if you don’t appreciate it.

If you need more help, take a look at Green Eco Communities or the 2008 US City Sustainability Rankings. Where I live came in number 1 – can you guess where?