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Four green walls
"A lot of people think that if you're going to be green, you have to live in a yurt," says Patti Purcell, president and co-founder of Blue Egg,an eco-living media company. "[But green building] is just plain good design." Here are some tips to make your home more efficient.

Put in low-flow fixtures.
Good for the environment: They need much less water per use (ultra-low-flow toilets use about 1.6 gallons per flush, compared with the usual 6 gallons). Carter Oosterhouse, host of HGTV's Carter Can (which debuts Oct. 4), says the low-flow shower head can take some getting used to: "It feels like someone's spitting on you," he jokes. However, low-flow toilets, faucets and even hose guns are less ofa sacrifice.
Good for you: Lower water bills.

Water your garden with a drip irrigation hose instead of a sprinkler.
Good for the environment: Using a drip hose eliminates wasted water. "With sprinklers, the water goes into the air, and some evaporates," says Thomas Kostigen, co-author of The Green Book. "Drip irrigation hoses do just what it sounds like -- drip out of the hose and into the ground so there's less evaporation."
Good for you: A less-imposing water bill.

Put your computer to sleep.
Good for the environment: You may think your computer isn't using energy when the screen fades to black, but the entire system is still running. You have to either turn it off or program it to go into sleep mode, which can save about a quarter of what it would otherwise consume, according to the Berkeley Lab. (Free PC software available at co2saver.snap.com will put your computer to sleep when needed and tell you how much energy you are saving.)
Good for you: Research has demonstrated that computers less than 10 years old will last longer if you simply turn them off. The heat they generate (even when in sleep mode) is one of the main reasons they break down.

Get a fridge with a freezer on the bottom.
Good for the environment: "The freezer on the bottom is more efficient because cold air settles downward," says Tom Natan, research director at National Environmental Trust. "You're fighting gravity by having the freezer on top. And side-by-sides are less efficient in part because the configuration allows less insulation."
Good for you: More of your refrigerated foods will be at eye level.

Install light-colored roofing.
Good for the environment: Light colors will reflect heat, reducing your home's air-conditioning needs.
Good for you: Fewer roof repairs or replacements. Purcell says the heat absorbed by dark roofs makes shingles expand and contract -- and ultimately break.

Use biodegradable packing material.
Good for the environment: Moving soon? Grab biodegradable packing peanuts to secure your stuff. Available at many packaging-supply stores, they're made from cornstarch and will dissolve in water. No more wasted space in landfills.
Good for you: Organic packing materials are static-free. And don't you hate it when Styrofoam peanuts stick to your clothes?

Compost the easy way.
Good for the environment: Food waste and yard debris make up 24% of landfills, says the Environmental Protection Agency, but this stuff could decompose in a compost pile at home in-stead. An indoor "automatic" composter (like the NatureMill, left) keeps it in your home and requires emptying only about every two weeks.
Good for you: Free fertilizer.

Plant "no-mow" grass.
Good for the environment: This grass, the non-genetically modified variety Supine bent, needs mowing only about once per month. This means you'll use your not-so-green gas lawn mower less often.
Good for you: You'll use your not-so-green gas lawn mower less often! You can even plant this to take over an existing lawn. (Go to NoMowGrass.com to learn more.)