Making our Home Eco-Friendly and Green

In these tough economic times we can all use some help. One thing we can do is to make our home more eco-friendly. This can even help if we're trying to sell our home. The market for true "green" homes is expected to grow from $2 billion to $20 billion in the next 5 years. There are many things we can do to make our home eco-friendly or green. Just a few of these are:
1. When replacing or installing appliances, go with high energy-efficient ones. These will help lower our heating, cooling and electricity bills.
2. Use low-flow water fixtures and water-using appliances.
3. When remodeling, building, adding on, use sustainable or recycled materials.
4. Install low-maintenance, drought resistant landscaping. This will help with the water bills as well as much less work for you.
5. Recycle as much as possible. This may help cut down on your garbage pickup and costs as well as making you feel better.
6. Improve your indoor air quality. One way to do that is to bring plants into the home. Many of them help clean the air.
7. Keep track of all improvements and records for the installations/upgrades as well as copies of before and after utility bills. This will help show any prospective buyers what all you have done. In short, hand them a "green" handout on your home.
Also, consider having an energy audit done on your home (ask your utility company or state energy office about this) and then follow the advice given.
Remember all of these things will not only help the environment, but also our wallets in these tough economic times and just plain make us feel better.