Teamsugar user charlesmaris recently requested links to comprehensive information sources for "making a home more eco-friendly". This is a pretty huge area where everyday people can make a difference, so I thought I'd try and post some of the easiest and least expensive ways one could "green their home". This is a great starting point for anyone who wants to take those first steps and be able to see the results of their eco-friendly efforts immediately in their home life.

First, there are some excellent published resources you may wish to take a look at, that focus on simple things you can do around the house:

- Natural Home magazine includes excellent resources for products you can buy to green your home, instructions on how to make your own green objects using recycled materials you may have lying around, and also resources on how to build or remodel in an eco-friendly way. What I really like about it (well, one of the many things) is that they always show at least one ordinary home that someone has transformed, listing their budget, how they did it and including some pictures. As well, there is a section where someone submits their pictures and explanation and someone from the magazine gives them ideas on how to change their home using not a lot of money and products - like making the home more healthy by suggesting ways to reduce moisture in their bathroom for instance. This magazine is often in public libraries, so you should be able to find it somewhere if you don't want to buy the magazine to keep. I have subscribed for about 8 or 9 years now and I still go back to old issues to get ideas. Natural Home Magazine website
The Lazy Environmentalist: Your Guide to Easy, Stylish, Green Living (Paperback) by Josh Dorfman

*Since there is so much to talk about when you are interested in greening your home, I've decided to break it down into sections. This is part 1 which is "general". Other posts will focus on kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms etc. let me know if there's something specific you'd like to find out!

1) Calk and seal all the potential air leaks around windows. A good way to test this is to either tape thin pieces of material in strips pointing out from a window (you know the kind you sometimes see coming out of an air conditioning duct?!) "Air leaks can increase your heating and cooling bill by 10 percent. Sealing them can cut your carbon footprint by 865 pounds per year." In addition to the savings you'll likely receive from sealing air leaks, think about how much less car exhaust and other nasty odors will seep into your home, not to mention the amount of dust!

2) Reduce the temperature of your water heater. "Lowering your water temperature prevents scalds and reduces carbon emissions by almost 480 pounds."

3) Remember to check and make sure that your filters are clean. "Checking air conditioner and furnace filters monthly to be sure they’re clean improves the efficiency of your heating and air-conditioning systems and can save anywhere from 5 to 15 percent of your heating and cooling bill."

4) Get or use your programmable thermostat. These are available at most hardware or home-goods stores. They are usually about $40 or $50 but I have seen many for less (and much more!) that work just as well. "Programmable thermostats make it that much easier to save energy. You can shave 5 percent off your energy bill for every degree you lower your thermostat below 70 in winter and 2 percent for every degree above 72 in the summer (even more if you raise it above 78 degrees)." Also, take a look at CasaSugar's Energy-Saving Ways to Stay Cool , and Lucky Penny's Being Green This Summer .

5) Switch to eco-friendly cleaning products or make your own! Here are a few links for more information: The Green Clean ,
FitSugar's vinegar cleaning tips , Eco-me's eco-cleaning tips
If you are just starting to make this change, there are several cleaning kits you can purchase for a reasonable price that will give you all the basics. Here are few that I have come across that are readily available:
Eco-me kits include:
What's in the kit:
1 natural fiber storage bag
2 spray bottles for mixing spray cleaner and polish
1 jar for mixing scrub cleanser
1 natural bristle scrub brush
1 handy mixer
1 microfiber cleaning cloth
1 bottle Eco-Me Home Cleaning Essential Oil
Easy to follow instructions show you how to mix ingredients right from your own kitchen.

$26 (USD) for the kit

Method's Detox kits are about $28 and include:
all purpose cleaner: french lavender
tub + tile spray
wood for good furniture polish
microfiber cloth: wood for good
hand wash: sea minerals
25 oz omop all floor cleaner: lemon ginger
25 oz dish soap: pink grapefruit

And here are the three products which I mainly use:


Well, thats all for now - but stay tuned for more in this series.

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