Helping People: The Living Well Toolkit with Tony Pratte

Everyday Green Home

We all care about the health of our family and friends and want them to live in a safe and healthy environment.

A few years ago, The US Green Building Council created a movement, campaign, and toolkit called the Living Well Standard, which published a message that still stands true today. It spells out how much it matters that the places we live, work, and play should not hurt us but protect us and enrich our lives in a sustainable way. That should be a standard that we can all expect and enjoy, rather than a luxury or a privilege.

Environmentalism is all about people and living well. But that tends to get lost amid all the advocating, politics, and policies. That is why I am all about action because words do not mean much until we get in there and do something!

I am Marla, the Green Home Coach. Today, I am pulling a show out of the archives in which I have a great conversation with my co-host, Tony Pratte, and we share a lot more detail about the Living Well Standard and toolkit. We discuss how the Living Well Standard helps people help themselves, each other, and the environment. We also talk about the action we can take, as individuals, to make a difference.

What we do matters, and every little bit adds up! Stay tuned for more!

The Living Standard

The Living Standard, released by the US Green Building Council, is all about people. It is a dialogue to help people understand more about green living and sustainability.

The Living Standard is a toolkit

The Living Standard is a toolkit designed to help us improve our conversations about what we can do to live a green and sustainable lifestyle.

Small things count

If you can picture a billion people making small changes, you will see that it ultimately adds up to a billion small changes happening all over the planet. So, if you make even a small and incremental change in your life, you will not have to worry about the big environmental problem.

A big conversation

Talking about the environment is a big conversation because there is a lot that we need to understand. Unfortunately, many people tend to have problems when they talk about the environment because they become consumed with the big picture.

What we need to understand

We need to realize that everyone looks at things a little differently, and there are certain things about which we will not always agree. That, however, will make no difference to the kinds of small, common-sense changes that we all can make.

There is always something you can do.

There is always something you can do to be part of the solution and change things for the better.

Sometimes, we can become overwhelmed with everything we need to do to green our homes. It helps to know that whatever we do on a small scale will ultimately also work on a bigger scale because, even if it is something small, it will still move the needle.

The US Green Building Advocacy Committee

A while ago, the Missouri Gateway Chapter of the US Green Building Council asked Tony to be on their advocacy committee.

Why the Living Standard was released

The Living Standard was created to move the environmental conversation away from jargonized, scientific, builder-speak towards a more common language that can easily be understood by everyone.

A non-confrontational conversation

A conversation about sustainability and greening the environment does not have to be confrontational.

The goal of this podcast

The goal of this podcast is to have heartfelt conversations and keep politics out of the way.

How to have the right kind of conversation and take it to even more people

We need to speak to more people who live outside of our community. We also need to use inclusive language and powerful images to help everyone feel that they can take the action that is needed daily to create a sustainable environment for all.

It’s all about a choice

It’s all about the choice you make. You can choose to take a small, incremental step now that will make a big impact later on.

The top three things you can do to make meaningful small changes in your home

1. Use only LED lightbulbs
2. Use green cleaning products
3. Use recycled toilet paper

Referral Links:

My website Green Home Coach

Book: Living Green Effortlessly

Learn how to make your home healthier for you and our world in my Love Your Everyday Green Home Facebook group

Instagram & Facebook: @greenhomecoach

Everyday Green Home Shop for curated better and green products

The Living Standard Tool Kit

The Living Standard Campaign

The Standard Issue Report

Are you interested in making your next home a healthy, eco-friendly one? We have partnered with RealtySagePros.com to help match you to expert agents who are matched, based on your unique real estate needs. It’s free, has no obligations, and takes less than 5 minutes.

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