From Earth Day to Every Day: How Homeowners Can Live Greener in 2026

Blog posted On April 23, 2026

Happy Earth Week to all you home buyers, homeowners, and sellers out there! With Earth Day on April 22^nd, this annual event provides an excellent opportunity to showcase all the ways that homeowners can go green, whether it’s by investing in a compost bin, adding solar panels to their home through a HomeStyle® Energy Loan, or simply installing a bird feeder. And depending on how you define homeownership, you could take today to go out in your neighborhood and pick up trash, donate to a little free library, or discover other ways to positively impact your community that benefits the environment.

The History of Earth Day

Originally held on April 22, 1970, Earth Day was initiated to bring environmental causes into the national spotlight. It has grown into a global celebration that now extends into Earth Week, a full seven days of events and outreach focusing on green living. In the 1960s, public awareness about the impacts of pollution were becoming more widespread. Two environmental disasters furthered this heightened awareness in 1969: the Santa Barbara, CA oil spoil in January and the Cleveland Cuyahoga River’s fire in June.

Activists and policymakers, including Senator Gaylord Nelson and Denis Hayes, were instrumental in the creation of Earth Day. Rallies across the nation were held on the first Earth Day, causing remarkable change and environmental legislation in the decade that followed. In 1970 alone, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established, which was tasked with protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment: air, water, and land.

Simple Eco-Friendly Homeownership Practices

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: The classic tenants of Earth Day! Opt for minimal packaging when possible, repurpose used items instead of discarding, and sort your waste for recycling
2. Conserve Water: Implement water-saving techniques in your home, including installing water-efficient showerheads & low-flow toilets as well as collecting rainwater for outdoor use — consider buying a rain barrel!
3. Energy Efficiency: To reduce your carbon footprint and utility bills (a win-win), you can upgrade to programmable thermostats to regulate heating and cooling
4. Adopt Eco-Friendly Landscaping Practices: Consider choosing plants that require less water and minimize the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. To conserve more water, water your garden during the coldest parts of the day to minimize evaporation. A compost bin will also help reduce landfill waste and enrich your soil naturally!
5. Support Sustainable Living: This practice goes beyond homeownership and encourages you to act as a good neighbor and community member. Support local farmers and artisans by making conscious choices about the products you purchase and research companies with eco-friendly business practices

If you want to go beyond easier projects and delve into reworking your home to be as eco-conscious as possible, take a gander at a home loan we offer from Fannie Mae, which allows you to fund energy-related upgrades to your home!

HomeStyle® Energy Benefits

Fannie Mae’s flexible financing solution for energy-related improvements:

• Energy and Water Updates: Air sealing, heating and cooling, and plumbing
• Renewable Energy: Solar panels, geothermal systems, and wind power devices
• Home Resiliency: Storm surge barriers, foundation retrofitting, and natural disaster repairs

Eligibility Requirements & Advantages

• Low down payment options available
• Can finance the loan amount up to 15% of the as-completed appraised property value
• Specific HomeStyle® Energy updates will require a qualified assessor to complete an energy report. Here is a condensed list of improvements that do NOT need an energy report:
  • Any ENERGY STAR®-certified product
  • Insulation (Attic, floors, walls, basement)
  • Air sealing (Weather-stripping, caulking doors, and windows, etc.)
  • Heating and cooling (HVAC systems and components, air-source heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, etc.)
  • Water heaters
  • Solar panels
  • Wind power devices & storm surge barriers

As homeowners, you can take an active part in helping the environment. Earth Day is about committing to protecting and preserving our planet. It’s our one home in this universe, and it’s not one you can take out a mortgage on! We hope these practices have been helpful and that you keep building positive, eco-friendly habits that extend beyond April.

Source: EarthDay.org, Wikipedia, Home Depot