Sometimes it seems as if we’ve come to a place where being “green” is often referenced with sarcasm or with the conviction that it’s completely cliché. I’ve witnessed plenty of people placing air quotes around the term during conversations. But, maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe that’s because being green has become so embedded in our lifestyle that it really could just go without saying.

That is not to say, however, that advancements in environmentally sustainable practices shouldn’t be highlighted and celebrated (or featured in Central Oregon Living).

It’s always fun to dig in and see what stories we settle on for the fall issue, the “green” issue as it has come to be. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a community where there are so many people and businesses doing amazing things while focussing on sustainability.

As an adult I’ve watched the building industry evolve over many years, with somewhat of an insider’s view through my husband’s career.

From his summer job framing houses the year we graduated high school to his role as a project manager for one of the top Northwest home builders today, we’ve seen an incredible change in the approach to what a house can be.

What’s really spectacular though is that it just keeps getting better.

The programmable thermostat in my house? Pretty great! But, it’s got nothing on the options for automating your home that are available today!

From new technology to new construction materials such as the SunTerra EnergyBlock, sustainability can be incorporated into our houses from foundation to finish. But once the house is built, it’s really up to the people who are making it a home to ensure that they are making sustainable choices.

Most often those choices are pretty easy to make.

I can remember when my now 9-year-old was a toddler and we’d go out hiking, he always insisted on picking up every bit of garbage he spied from his seat in the off-roading stroller. Some of our hikes took hours to go just a mile or two because he was constantly in and out picking up trash others had left behind. Admittedly it could get annoying, but what a proud mama he made me!

When my second kiddo started preschool a couple years ago at Mama Bear Oden’s EcoKidz, I figured it was a good fit for our “green” lifestyle. I had no idea how much I stood to learn from an eco kid. I’ve always been proud of my dedication to recycling, but when he looks up with his huge dark brown eyes at me when we’re sorting the co-mingles and lists off a half a dozen ways we could re-USE each thing instead of just re-CYCLING it … well, again, somewhat annoying, but definitely another proud mama moment.

The little creations my kids come up with using discarded items are definitely shelf-worthy (in my humble opinion), and they are a perfect example of what can come from creative, Earth conscious minds. Those are the minds that build green businesses, that launch successful endeavors such as the DIYcave and J. Livingston bikes. Those are the minds that continue to explore what we can do to improve upon green building practices, to make our homes and our lives even more energy efficient so that as we move toward the future the term “green” becomes even more obsolete.