The Environmental Implications of Multigenerational Living: Are Larger Households Also Greener Households?

Multigenerational family households rarely form out of environmental concern - or an intentional desire to be 'green'. More typically, they form because of financial pressures, caring responsibilities or to accommodate disruptions in extended families such as divorce or unemployment. Yet, they offer important, innate opportunities to reduce resource consumption. On a per capita basis, household size is inversely related to resource consumption and waste production. By housing more family members under one roof, multigenerational family living presents unheralded opportunities to save energy, water, building materials and land.

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