What's New with Kelli

Green Home, Happy Home
By Cindy Klinger
From natural cleaning products to organic bedding, creating a green home is a (sustainable) snap.

They say many good things start at home: habits, behavior and health. Add eco-friendly awareness to that list. Greening your immediate environment benefits both you and the world around you. It means you're taking responsibility for your citizenship on the planet, putting higher quality foods and liquids into your body, breathing in healthier air and lessening your carbon footprint on the earth.

You might be thinking that a green home plan sounds like something you want to create, but aren't sure where to begin or if you can afford to make your home more energy-efficient. Some things you hear about, like installing bamboo floors or solar panels on the roof, can seem downright intimidating. "I think for the first 30 days it's about quick fixes," says Kelli Ellis, celebrity designer and interior expert for TLC and HGTV. Creating a green home isn't an all-or-nothing proposition, and you can indeed do some small things that make a big difference. (Think recycled paper towels and energy-efficient light bulbs.)

Within the first 30 days of working on your green home, you can expect to figure out what changes you can make now, and start experiencing a cleaner, greener dwelling almost immediately. You'll also develop an awareness for what is and isn't green, and how to make the best choices possible as a consumer. And although it does take some work, there are many things you can do—from the smallest changes to large-scale investments—to maintain a shade of jade throughout your abode.
Creating a Green Home

According to the EPA Indoor Air Quality division, indoor pollutant levels may be two to five times higher, and occasionally 100 times higher, than outdoors. Being educated on stats like these is often the impetus to creating a green home. Barbara Tag and her husband Gene Penner of Sarasota, FL, have been implementing green home strategies since the 1960s, when Barbara first read Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, a book that many say set the stage for the environmental movement of today. Over the years the two have traded their old appliances for more energy-efficient models, changed out their light bulbs and use an old-fashioned drying rack rather than the dryer whenever possible.

The couple's biggest green home project was installing on their roof 31 photovoltaic panels, which use energy from the sun to generate electricity, Eventually the couple hopes to have a zero-energy home. So far they've reduced their electricity bills from about $135 to $40 to $50 a month. Why did they go to such an extreme? "I think I've always had a penchant for doing things because I thought it was the right thing to do," Barbara says.

The installation process wasn't without challenges, though. Because they live in a gated community, the couple had to get their panels approved by the homeowner's association. And, some neighbors weren't happy about it. "Some people complain that the things on my roof make the community look ugly," Barbara says. Still, they feel it's worth it.

If panels on the roof seem like a giant leap to you, remember that Barbara and Gene created their green home over time, and so can you. Seth Bauer, vice president and editorial director for National Geographic's Green Guide and Thegreenguide.com, says a green home is attainable. "The thing about going green is that people think of it as this all-or-nothing plunge, and that it's somehow not OK to be a little bit green," he says. "But you know what, it's totally OK." Starting small is a fine approach—and there are many areas you'll want to consider as you transition into a green home.
Cleaning the Green Way

The first recommendation most experts make is to rid your home of toxic chemical products. It's easy to find green home products at many stores, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Target. "Think about the cleaning products that are under your kitchen sink and the chemicals that are in those," says Bauer. "Do you really need them in order to have a clean and sanitary house? Try some of the other products that are on the market, like Seventh Generation or Ecover. Even Clorox [is starting to make] non-chemical-based cleaning products."

A green home needs chemical-free or organic laundry detergents dishwashing detergents and other cleaners. (Make sure to look for phosphate-free, biodegradable options.) Better yet, you can make your own from household items like baking soda and vinegar. An easy mixture of vinegar and water makes a great cleaner for just about anything—countertops, wood floors, mirrors and more.

For 35-year-old Ben Ringler of Mill Valley, CA, creating a green home meant purchasing only organic and all-natural, personal-care items and household cleaners. He says he's not only supporting his own health, but he's helping sustain those companies that are trying to make a difference. "They were very simple changes and I've noticed how non-toxic and clean my apartment feels and smells," Ben says. "I feel much more at home. My home is a sanctuary and I want to facilitate that as much as possible with organic products."

Having a clean home extends to using non-toxic building materials as well. If you're investing in a larger-scale project like renovating a kitchen or building a green home from the ground up, try to incorporate as many chemical-free products as possible. You can repaint your home with low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compound) paints and opt for cabinets made without toxic glues or fillers. Ellis, who specializes in home refurbishing, likes bamboo floors. "They come in interlocking pieces that click together, so there's no glue," she says. "They aren't more expensive and look like wood, but are more durable." While it might take a bit more research to track down what you need, green home materials like this are becoming more and more accessible. Even major outlets like Lowe's and Home Depot are starting to offer more green home options.
An Energy-Efficient Home

Creating an energy-efficient home will lessen your load on the planet. Most of the decisions you make on a daily basis can have a significant impact.

Opening your windows more often can help save the environment, and save you some of your own green as well. Emil Hedaya, 28, and his wife Alina, 29, often forego air conditioning for fresh air. "One month I spent $200 because the A/C was on a lot," Emil says. "Since then I've kept the windows open. Not only does it allow me to circulate fresh air, but it saves me $100 on my energy bills during the summer."

Your green-home solution can be simple. "Turn out the lights when you leave the room," says Meaghan O'Neill, editor of Treehugger.com and Planetgreen.com. Other immediate changes include replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFL (compact fluorescent) or LED lights, and plugging things into energy strips that you can turn off when they're not in use. O'Neill also recommends that you turn down the thermostat a few degrees. Or you can take it a step further and "install programmable thermostats," says O'Neill. "Instead of having a manual dial, you can have a timer. Turn it down to 58 or 55 during the day, and set the timer so that it's warm when you come home."

Remember the kitchen, too. Keeping lids on the pots as you're bringing water to a boil will help you use less energy, as will using the microwave instead of the stovetop or the oven. If you really want to know the stone-cold truth about how much energy you're drawing upon, you can request an energy audit, either from your utility company or an outside professional. Audits are inexpensive and can help you maximize the energy efficiency of your green home.

As you reduce energy consumption, you can reduce your water use as well. Of course you can make simple changes like taking shorter showers and turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, but there are many other ways to cut back on water use.

There's a misconception about the dishwasher using an excessive amount of water to do your dishes. If your dishwasher is less than 10 years old, it probably uses less water than it would to do a comparable load by hand. "Dishwashers use up to 5,000 gallons less water a year," O'Neill says.

Purchasing low-flow showerheads and/or low-flow or dual-flush toilets will also help you cut down on your water usage without even having to think about it. Install a water aerator to reduce the amount of time it takes for your hot water to heat up. Another green-home trick is collecting water from your gutters' downspouts. You can then use the accumulated water for your plants and landscaping. When it comes to laundry, a front-loading, Energy-Star-rated washing machine is your best bet, saving gallons of water during each cycle.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

No green home is complete without the three R's—reduce, reuse and recycle. Recycling has been in vogue for years, and there's little excuse to fight it. "Most municipalities offer recycling programs, and those that don't have curbside collection usually offer a local place where you can recycle," notes O'Neill. Because recycling has become so easy, many people forget about reducing waste and reusing existing items, which can often have a greater impact because you're creating less waste.

Composting offers another way to reduce organic waste in your newly green home. "It literally just means throwing your organic scraps in a heap in your backyard," says O'Neill. You can purchase a composter or build one from something as basic as chicken wire—organic materials, from banana peels to coffee grounds, will condense with a bit of dirt-turning to form rich soil that can then be used in gardens.

Other easy tips include swapping paper napkins for cloth, and using a rag instead of paper towels. At the very least use recycled paper products in your green home, if need something disposable.

When redecorating, consider purchasing gently used pieces or antiques from consignment stores or online sites like Craigslist.com. Freecycle.org offers users the chance to post items they'd like to simply give away. Not only can you find great, one-of-a-kind wares, but you also prevent additional furniture from ending up in landfills. Also, consider repurposing furniture you already have. If you recover an old chair with fresh, funky fabric, it's like a new piece without having to throw one out and purchase a new one. "If you're repurposing things, consider what fabrics and materials you're putting on them," says Ellis. "When you've bought [or repurposed] this great old piece, don't lose the momentum by covering them with nylon, vinyl and latex foam."

Finding creative uses for old household items can be another simple way to reduce your trash load. For instance, line a plastic produce container with paper, and use it as a jewelry box, or use an old shoebox for files. Once you start thinking this way, you'll see how easy it is to create what you need from what's already out there.

Regardless of what predicates the change, living in a green home has lasting benefits for you and your family.

As you accomplish what you can, when you can, living in a green home will become second nature. As Leigh and Ryan Harrison* of south Texas found, recycling was an easy habit to carry from one community to another. "We had a full-scale recycling program in our old city, and just put out our newspapers, cans, glass and plastic each week," says Leigh. When they moved to a smaller community, they found that the only things that could be picked up were paper, aluminum and some plastics. "The recycling program just began here in January, but we do what we can," says Leigh. The couple saves their bottles and other recyclables that don't get picked up, and will drive them to a drop-off location.