Over the years, studies have shown that by installing rooftop solar, other homeowners nearby were more likely to invest in solar as well. Installing solar in your home is, in other words, a bit contagious for the neighborhood!
The single best thing you can do for the environment besides practicing green living is encouraging others to do the same. After all, if you’re not leading by example, are you truly leading at all?
While many consider “going green” to find solutions to immediate needs, including a lower energy bill, healthier food, better fuel-economy and so on, the concept behind sustainability is so much more than that. It is the hope of a better future and a cleaner environment — a community effort that demands the goodwill participation of a population as a whole to get the most out of its benefits.
We all know that nine times out of ten our neighbors want what we have anyway. Redirecting their green envy into green living puts a positive spin on “keeping up with the Joneses.”
For example, whether you realize it or not, your neighbors take notice of the car you drive. So purchase a hybrid or electric car. Human nature causes us to desire what others have, so why not use a shiny ‘green’ set of wheels to encourage your neighbors to finally trade in that old gas-guzzler?
Investing in rooftop solar or even installing something as simple as a solar pool cover or solar-powered garden lights along your driveway are also terrific ways to make your neighbors curious about green living.
So, when it comes to going green — start thinking not just about what your sustainable investments can do for you, but how they can encourage your community to make more earth-friendly choices.