It's hard to turn around these days without being bombarded with information on being "green." There certainly are many good reasons to adopt ecologically-friendly habits, but why not do the things that both contribute and save money?

I recommend that you start with another offering of mine: a number of ways to conserve water around your home. Then, combine those tip with some additional ideas, some of which you may not have considered as realistic for your residence, such as the solar hot water heating panel pictured at the right.

First, some suggestions, via the gallery.

Gallery: "Green" your home -- 27 ways (OK, maybe a couple more) to help Mother Nature and save a buck.

A disclaimer -- my information is primarily anecdotal, as any cost savings suggested would be dependent on local weather conditions, utility costs, and your use of the products or ideas noted. Additionally, I have included only those things that I believe to be DIY-friendly, and not any that would consume large amounts of cash (e.g. large photo voltaic arrays, wind turbines, roof gardens).

First off, I believe the most important step in "greening" your home is to have an energy audit performed. This will give you some idea of where the biggest expenses of your home, heating and cooling costs, are going. You can do the audit yourself (it's really a common-sense approach), or have a professional perform a more sophisticated test to obtain the maximum possible benefits.

Inside your home:

• Solar hot water heater: I have a 30 gallon unit on my roof; I can go two days without sun before I have to move the water heater thermostat off the "vacation" setting. The panel is very efficient; my experience is that, during the period April through October, with about four to five hours of sun exposure, the water will get to about twice the ambient temperature (e.g., if the air temp is 75 degrees, I will get hot water at about 150 degrees; what a deal!). That gets me showers and my other hot water needs; I also save my "warm up" water for my rain barrel and outdoor plants. The last solar season, I only cranked up the water heater seven times. I paid $2700 for the panel, installed, and I received a 30% federal tax credit. I calculate that the panel will pay for itself in just over three years, and I am reducing my natural gas usage significantly.
• High-efficiency windows: I have dual pane, low e, argon gas-filled windows in my home. I got them several years ago when I noticed one cold morning that I had frost on the inside of one of my kitchen windows! They work as well as I expected in the winter, and much better than I expected in the summer. I paid about $450 per window, installed, and I expect the payback to be in the range of six to seven years.
• Attic fans: Especially in the southern climes, an attic fan is essential for removing heat buildup, which is detrimental to both cooling costs and, more especially, long life of the roofing. If you need an attic fan, think about a solar unit. It isn't cheap, but when you consider the costs to bring power to the attic, it may save you cash over a conventionally powered model.
• Ceiling fans: I have three of them and will add another this month; they are great for providing the perception of cooling my rooms well into the air conditioning season. The power expense savings come from adjusting your cooling or heating thresholds to reflect the apparent change in air temperature on your skin.
• Fluorescent bulbs: I like them for their extended lifetimes and the fact they don't produce the heat that incandescents do. Coming soon, to a box store near you, LEDs; the latest iteration (look it up: it'll be your word of the day!) in lighting.
• Energy Star appliances: If you are in the market for a new air conditioner, be sure to take a look at the Energy Star-recommended ones; they have high SEERs, which can translate into considerable energy cost savings. On the heating side of the equation, search for a high AFUE for furnaces or HSPF for heat pumps in the heating mode. Keep in mind: the higher the SEER number, the better performing the appliance, and the more money you'll save, other things being equal. HINT: if you're not in the market for a new furnace, consider changing your pilot light system to a spark igniter.
• Low flow faucets and toilets: A no-brainer; save water, save cash.
• Recycled wood: It's especially great if you can get wood for free; plenty is thrown away every day. Look for construction sites and trash boxes (but remember to get permission, and to be careful of sharp stuff in the box). You'd be amazed what a contractor will toss, just to get it out of the way. You can generally use it for framing projects; sometimes you'll find finished wood that can be used for cabinets, wall coverings, or furniture.
• Programmable thermostats: "Set back" models save energy by reducing unnecessary energy use. I especially like mine when I don't have to get up on a cold winter morning to turn the heat on, or reduce the summer air conditioning after I go to bed. My experience is that a programmable model will save me 8-11% on my energy bill over the course of the year. A good one runs about $80.
• Caulking, insulation, and weather stripping: For my money, the best return on your energy dollar. For example, a poorly fitting exterior door with no weather stripping and a 1/4" gap around the perimeter is equivalent to a 4 1/2" square hole; if your roof insulation is R19 in lieu of R30 you may be paying up to $50 a month in unnecessary energy costs. Think about all the wall penetrations: electrical outlets, water and power lines, outside faucet penetrations from unheated crawl spaces or basements. All these guys need a shot of foam to seal them up and save you some bucks. I find that it also helps to keep the critters out.
• Tankless water heaters: Heat the water at the point of use, instead of heating, storing, and then moving it on demand from the tank, possibly through unheated spaces, to the point of use. The new units are about the same price as a standard water heater, have a predicted lifetime of 18-20 years, and may be eligible for a federal tax credit through 2008. What a deal! Of course, (family) size does matter -- you might need a couple of these guys to heat all your water, but you can do the math right here.
• Air filters: Change them frequently (at least quarterly): a dirty filter increases the load on your fan motor and ups the power required to run the fan. More importantly, if the filter gets really dirty, the airflow may buckle the filter frame and bypass the filter... now you're just re-circulating dirty air within your home.
• Power strips: "Instant on" electrical appliances are actually on all the time; you're paying the bill to in order to have them just sitting there waiting for you to use them. Use the power strip for those items that really don't have to be turned on in a heartbeat.
• I have an insulated garage door on my north-facing garage: I love it! It cost me $1100, but I got a federal tax credit for part of the cost. It is about half the weight of my old wooden door. The new door has increased the lifetime of my door opener drive motor, and it keeps the garage cooler in the summer and much warmer in the winter, when the wind is ripping from the north. As a very DIY-friendly option, you can even get after-market kits to insulate the door yourself.
• If you have south-facing windows, open the curtains in the winter (northern hemisphere) when the sun angle is low, allowing the solar radiation to increase the interior temperature of your home. A caution to be noted is the possibility of sunfade on your furniture and carpets. Conversely, in the summer you'll need to keep the curtains closed to minimize heat gain. What to do with west-facing glazing that gets beat up by the sun? Investigate solar films or awnings.
• Kilowatt meter: Try something like this gadget to see how much energy your appliances are using. You can even project your costs -- how cool is that ?
• Hang your wash outside: I know you're thinking, "What a quaint idea!" But you'll stop chuckling when you next run your clothes dryer and boogie out to see how fast the kilowatt meter disk is spinning: it resembles a helicopter rotor at takeoff. Try it, you won't like it.

For the outside of your home:

• Roofing: When you next need a roof, consider architectural shingles, with a 40-year life, or a steel roof, which sometimes is offered with a 100-year (!) life. Both of the varieties are generally made from recycled materials and, while they initially cost more, the lifetime more than compensates for the initial cost.
• Cementitious siding: Another product with a long life cycle. It saves trees because it's made of cement (too bad for you, termites), sand, and cellulose fibers, it's easily installed and painted, and it's available in textures. The cost is competitive with standard siding, about $3-3.50 for a square foot.
• Shade trees: A properly-sited deciduous tree, on the sunny side of the house, will allow less solar radiation to strike the structure, thus reducing the cooling costs. Additionally, your paint job will hold up longer. A 10-12' tree will run you about $100.
• When my gasoline-powered mower goes belly up, I am going to buy an electric mower; it will more than handle my 800 square feet of sod. I think that one of the best things about an electric mower is the fact that it is quieter, by about 60%, than a gas model. Electric mowers are certainly not suited to all yards; you have to do your homework to see if one is the best choice for you. They go for a couple hundred dollars, depending on the bells and whistles.
• I painted the cover on my outdoor air conditioner compressor white; years ago, an air conditioner serviceman told me that if the cover was a light color, the heat buildup in the box would be reduced, and the compressor would be more efficient in cooling my home. These folks agree with him.
• Minimize your lawn to minimize water usage: sod needs more water per square foot than plants.
  
• Native plants: A no-brainer; if you use plants that already are accustomed to your neck of the woods, they require less TLC and less water.
• Build yourself a rain barrel: It's easy, and I'll show you how, in a few weeks. Put your gray water in it (you'll be surprised how much you generate), and water your outside plants with it.

OK, my head is exploding with all this information. You are welcome to it, and to all the good feelings that come with reducing waste, helping Mother Earth, and saving a few bucks. Carry on.