In July of 2006, in anticipation of a move to Chico, I typed in "real estate agent," "green homes" and "Chico" into Google.

This is how we met our real estate agent, and now friend, Scott Wolf.

For the most part, this blog focuses on the "smaller ticket items" of sustainability, such as how to reduce gasoline consumption, or why I value locally-grown organic rice.

But the choice to purchase one home over another based on environmental factors has hundreds of times the impact as compared to the decision to bring your own mug to the coffee shop vs. using a disposable cup.

If you are in the market for buying a house, now is certainly the time, and if energy-efficiency and sustainability are factors that are important to you when seeking a home, I can't recommend Scott highly enough.

The first certified "EcoBroker" in the North Valley, Scott patiently showed us dozens of houses in the fall of 2006. When the owner or listing agent was present, Scott asked them about the heating and cooling bills and insulation, and took note of each property's potential for solar panels and garden space. He educated us regarding the value of features such as whole house fans and dual-paned windows.

And in March of 2007, he helped us purchase our first home.

Here is a link to Scott's website, where you can learn more about green home buying, Scott, and what services he has to offer. He can also be reached at (530) 592-5357 or you can email him. Say that you read about him on this blog and get a free smile.