We all know that going green is more than just a fad. The big picture is that making greener decisions in your home affects everyone for the better. Take this one step at a time, using energy-efficient products. This will help your wallet and the environment. Some of these tips are meant to change your life style and habits, others require changes to the physical aspects of your home.

1. Recycle—organize yourself to put plastic, glass and paper in an easy to reach area so your whole family can participate.

2. Replace all the light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

3. Install water saving toilets.

4. Install low-flow showerheads.

5. Shave time off your shower.

6. If you don't want to replace toilets, put a 2 litre filled soda bottle inside the tank. It will displace the water and use less to fill up.

7. Buy appliances that have the Energy Star.

8. Use linoleum instead of Vinyl—Linoleum is made up of wood flour, linseed oil, and resins.

9. Fill dishwasher to capacity before you run it.

10. Insulate your walls, ceilings and floor. This project is very reasonable on the wallet, call us and we can refer you to contractors who can do a great insulation job for you.

11. Buy a tankless water heater when it is time to replace your water heater.

12. If you are not looking to replace the water heater then make sure you insulate it and the water pipes to conserve energy.

13. Replace windows with double pane energy efficient windows. They can impact your energy bill in a big way. It prevents heat from leaking out, and the cold/heat from coming in.

14. Use “zero-VOC” paint to paint your home.

15. Install programmable thermostat, it will make a big difference in your energy bill.

16. Plug air leaks with weatherstripping and caulking.

17. Plant a tree.

18. Go solar—for your swimming pool.