you don’thave to buildfrom scratch to turn your not-so-newhouse into a dwelling that’s eco-friendly and more economical to run

cleaning your clothes dryer’s lint trap before every load

using human-powered appliances

washing full loads instead of partial loads

washing and rinsing clothes in cold water

turn off computers and peripherals at night

Recycle your old cell phones

Think globally, buy locally

Nix the night lights

try not to overdry your clothes

composting food scraps

install weatherstripping

sell or Freecycle

use your bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans

programmable thermostat

Audit it

Check out great bamboo alternatives for floors, cabinets, built-ins and furniture

Energy Star-qualified appliances

Plant deciduous trees

Solar-powered attic fans

beefing up insulation

choose double-pane windows

Radiant floor heating systems

living roofs

Harvest the sun

Solar electric systems can offset some or all of your home’s electricity use

install dimmer switches