The need for environmentally friendly places of living for all creatures are at an all-time high in this day and age. With the surge of natural disasters and threats to wildlife, what is there worth taking advantage of to make sure our largest home, earth, is taken care of? If an eco friendly home is something you could see yourself building, here's a few tips to aid in your endeavors, with suggestions from materials and sustainable energy, to even furniture.

There are homes made in factories, called modular or pre-fabricated homes, that are low-cost and beneficial to the environment. The most carbon emissions from these types of homes comes from their delivery, usually via truck, to the destination they're settled in.

If a prefab home isn't appealing, having a house built with eco friendly materials can be a boon not only for living in it, but if you end up selling it later down the line. Environmentally friendly homes are gaining more traction in the housing market, making them attractive to future buyers.

The best materials for building from the ground up if you want a home that works seamlessly with the ecosystem can include recycled steel and aluminum. Taking into account the amount of energy needed to form steel from freshly mined materials, it's no wonder that recycling metals has become so popular. Another green option for building is recycled or reclaimed wood, reducing the amount of trees felled for building to zero if one does it wisely. Along that same line, bamboo being used in homes is something many builders consider one of the best materials for an eco friendly home. It's durable and strong, rarely needing to be replaced compared to things such as bricks or concrete, while also being quite beautiful and useful for anything from wood floors to custom cabinets. 

For insulation, a popular choice is sheep wool. Since sheep constantly produce more and more, it's both high resistant to deterioration and in good supply. Its only drawback is that it can be a pricier option. If wool isn't something you might want, another good choice is straw bales. Easily harvested and re-planted, straw is an excellent choice to reduce the impact on the environment.

Of course, energy choices are up to the preferences of the owner, everything from solar to wind to water powered could be options depending on the specific area around where you plan to build.

For the inside, there's an extensive list of selections you can use for sustainable or eco friendly furniture or decor. Sustainable furniture is often also produced from materials with low environmental impact, or recycled and repurposed materials that may have been discarded previously. A great option if you want to keep quality at the forefront without sacrificing the care for our earth is Essentials For Living, a company recently combined by two different international furniture companies. Outdoor and indoor options abound, making the search for good furniture as easy as using one of their physical stores or e-retailers.

Creating an environmentally friendly home has a plethora of options available for the property owner looking to make a better life, both for themselves and the world around them.