Tiny home residents reduce energy consumption by nearly half, study shows

Fox News ^ | 8/8/2019 | Christopher Cameron

[mumblypeg]

What’s an “ecological” footprint of 17.5 acres?

Most houses are on lots of about 1/8 of 1 acre.

[Army Air Corps]

I like the way you think.

[familyop]

It would be a greater reduction in energy cost than that. A very small house would be okay, but for me, tiny is too small. I like some elbow room at least.

[dfwgator]

“Get ‘Em Out By Friday!”

[Mears]

Thanks-—I think I remember seeing them in Galveston.

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[x]

They do take up less space, but bigoted landlords won’t rent to tiny people ...

[cactusflower]

They needed a study to show that a tiny home uses less energy than a normal size home? Well, duh!

[hal ogen]

...and certified nitwit .

[gr8eman]

Yes...the first time some idiot told me he was getting a “composting toilet” I looked at him funny and said “Do you mean an outhouse?”! He was dumbfounded...and just plain dumb!

[trebb]

I could decrease my footprint by moving into something smaller than 1600 sq ft for just the two of us and/or keeping it warmer in Summer and cooler in Winter and maybe getting rid of one of our SUVs....but we’re comfortable.....
Living in the “Land of Plenty” and wanting to squeeze yourself into smaller boxes and give up the comforts even illegals enjoy is a sure sign of dementia.

[scrabblehack]

They probably have to drive to the store and back a whole lot more often...there’s no room for a chest freezer or anything like that.

[scrabblehack]

Her dissertation is available at researchgate.net. Here’s a pull quote:

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For example, if a person indicates that they eat twice as much beef as the average American, their “beef” footprint will double, which will be reflected in their overall ecological footprint value. Likewise, someone who indicates they eat very little beef will receive a fraction of the average beef value, which will be reflected in a smaller overall ecological footprint (Global Footprint Network, 2018g).

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I agree (with a previous poster - I didn’t sift through her dissertation to see if she addressed this point) that retirees are more likely to live in a tiny home than others. Clearly home heating/cooling costs go down. Transportation: more trips to the store will be necessary but if they’re retired they don’t have to commute to work. I assume that energy costs get converted to acres by how many trees it would take to absorb the carbon dioxide produced by burning gasoline, home heating fuel, etc.

[mumblypeg]

Ok, but what if I live in a tiny house to reduce costs so I can afford to eat out at the Steak & Ale twice as often?

Cooking’s too hard in a tiny kitchen anyway. :^)

[GailA]

We watch HGTV the Tiny homes they did would not even work for 1 youthful person. 2 seniors with 2 dogs a Starter home is barely large enough, tiny bedrooms, baths, kitchens, no storage, and you sure would not be doing a Loft bedroom on a floor.

We have a Starter home as there are just the 2 of us and the 2 dogs, we lack storage, living room won’t hold a couch, no dining room, just a space for a small table and 2 chairs. Just don’t plan on hosting a holiday gathering. We have about 1,850 sq ft. Winter clothing has to be boxed up, then switched out. Now if our 6 kids came and got their crap they don’t have room for, we’d have more room. Up to me that 100+ yr old piano would be donated somewhere instead of sitting in my computer room, like I said come get your crap I’m tired of storing it. And hubby got rid of 40 yrs of crap that will never be used, old computers, parts, etc or get one of those outside buildings to stuff it in, we’d have plenty of room. I downsized my stuff when we moved.

[GailA]

Look at starter homes about 2,000 sq ft, you will find you need that much. We went from 3,800 to 1,850 and not enough storage. Unless you plan on giving up seasonal stuff and pantry space. Move to total laptops. My canned and paper goods are all in the Garage on shelves.

[PrairieLady2]

I was thinking of how many times I bent over to vacume and bumped by butt which slammed my head into thebook case! 😂 Or how many times I had to rearrange the house just to set down a cookie sheet, because there wasn't any room for storage. How many times did I have to rearrange the bedroom so I could rearrange the livingroom because otherwise it was to small to do anything with! I hate small houses and apartments. Nor do I want to have to reliquish my pretties and mementos to make room for walkers and wheel chairs..i have a walker thats too big for the house already, so I keep it outside to put my laundry basket on to wheel to the clothes line. Uggg! I have 720 sf butits a very old house that wasn't well planned when built. My last apt. Was 400 sf and all my belongings had to be packed and cleverly stacked while the only furniture I owned was a bed and an old hoosier without the cabinet part. It was crazy!

[cuban leaf]

That’s why my wife enjoy 1000 sq ft. But 100 sq ft is an incredible hassle unless all you use it for is sleeping and microwaving food.