GO GREEN IN A WEEK!

So you aren't ready to gut your house and completely remodel but you'd like to give your home a green makeover? You can make any home more environmentally friendly in as little as a week! It may not be a full green make over but there are things you can do that will make your house more eco friendly and it doesn't have to take all that much time or money, in fact it will save you money in the long run. Here's how to get started.

Go low or no VOC with your paint. A quick coat of paint can give you a new fresh look but forget the smell or the toxins found in traditional paints. By using no or low VOC paints, like those from Olympic you still have all the hottest colors to choose from without the worry. Most of these paints can be found at your local hardware store or Lowe's and Home Depot.

Change your cleaning products. The products we use everyday have a big impact on the environment. Typical cleaning products are full of ingredients with negative environmental impact. According to natural cleaning product manufacturer Seventh Generation, if every household in the United States just replaced one 25 ounce bottle of petroleum based dish detergent with a plant based product we could save 81,000 gallon barrels of oil. We would also keep a whole lot of harmful chemicals out of our home and the environment while we are at it.

Watch that water. Water shortages are affecting more and more people everyday. Most households use over 260 gallons of water a day. Changing fixtures such as showerheads and faucets with low flow versions can save 45 gallons of water a day, conserving a precious resource and saving you money.

Use a rainbarrel to help with outdoor irrigation. A rain barrel can collect run off water that can be used to irrigate your lawn. Today's rain barrels can go from basic to looking like they are pottery or a piece of art so you can choose one that best blends into the look of your home.

Cut down or stop using pesticides entirely. They not only kill bugs but can harm other organisms and can even leach into ground water. The chemicals that kill the bugs can also have negative effects on our health. Try working with plants that deter bugs in your garden. If you do get an infestation, check out natural pest control products or home grown recipes such as making a soapy water solution and spraying it on plants.

All of these suggestions are simple, quick, easy and green. So go for it, make small changes to bring some green into your home. Be sure and check our green easy tips and also our Green Home Make-Over TV clips!