Tips for Greening Any Home

By Troy Griepentrog

Green Home Improvement by Mother Earth News contributing editor Dan Chiras delivers what the cover promises: “65 projects that will cut utility bills, protect your health and help the environment.” Anyone with basic do-it-yourself skills can implement the projects outlined in many chapters, although Chiras points out several projects that are best left to the pros.

Each chapter summarizes costs (and potential savings where applicable) so you know what to expect before you invest time or money. And smattered throughout the book are more than 100 “Go Green” tips that offer suggestions for saving energy and water, while using fewer chemicals in your home.

Chiras, a green building expert and consultant, takes you beyond the four walls of your house to explore composting, rainwater collection and drip irrigation systems. There’s even a section on building a new green home. For a sneak peak, read Save Money with a New, Energy-efficient Furnace, which is the first installment of a new department that will excerpt from the book.