One of the problems faced by so called ordinary people is that living sustainably in an eco-friendly way can seem grim! All that recycling of water and rubbish, turning down the heating and going off grid can seem difficult, time consuming and depressing.
The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. You can live in an eco friendly way without making sacrifices and some Hollywood celebrates are doing just that.
Of course it helps if you have an unlimited budget of millions but even so, the technological advances which may only be currently available at the top end of the market; lead the way for the rest of us.
Bryan Cranston
Best known for his role in hit drama Breaking Bad, this Hollywood A lister is a passionate environmentalist. His luxury beach home in Ventura County is Platinum LEED certified (leadership in energy and environmental design), the highest classification of eco building. Cranston’s home features solar panels for electricity and water heating, radiant heated floors and a tank for rainwater collection.
Constructed from recycled materials, this attractive stylish house is both comfortable and chic. Windows provide plenty of light as well as a great ocean view. The layout of the house includes three bedrooms, formal areas, dining space, media room and all the luxury you would expect in a celebrity household. The house looks no different from any other stylish celebrity pad and according to Cranston, speaking in a magazine interview, “We know we have succeeded if our guests ask incredulously, ‘This is a green home?’”. Bryan Cranston’s home produces as much energy as it uses so qualifies as a net zero home
Lisa Ling
Lisa Ling is a well known journalist and TV presenter. She lives in Santa Monica in a tree lined street and from the outside her house doesn’t look so very different from the other upmarket residences in the area. Surprisingly, Lisa’s house was the first residence in Santa Monica to achieve platinum LEED certification. The large house which features 4 bedrooms provides 4,352 square feet of living space was designed by sustainability expert Marco Dimarco and amazingly it now costs very little to run.
This is thanks to 60 solar panels on the roof which provides electricity for hot water and heating. There is a tank to collect rainwater saving thousands of gallons per water each year.
Ed Begley Jnr.
Ed Begley Jnr is a well known Hollywood actor who has appeared in many hit shows. His Studio City home is Platinum LEED-certified and is well thought out when it comes to eco friendly features.
As well as a rainwater tank, the home also recycles grey water, the bathroom is tiled with artisan tiles made from recycled glass, and the flooring has been recycled from barns. Even the pool is chlorine free and uses an ozone purification system instead. Everything that can save on energy or be recycled is in place right down to the electric car chargers in the garden. This French colonial style house has the luxurious appeal of the Hollywood A lister home. It just shows you that with some effort and thought, luxury does not have to be wasteful and that living in an eco friendly way does not have to be uncomfortable.