As green design reaches the mainstream, the extra cost associated with buying eco-friendly products is also coming down. That’s good news for homeowners. But most of us still won’t be able to overhaul everything at once. That’s why it’s best to take the gradual approach.
The best time to use “green design” is whenever you make a change to your home. So perform strategic swaps here and there. Here are a few of my favorite suggestions:

Retrofit for LED. LED (light-emitting diode) lighting can yield great energy savings. Six-inch LED cans, which often screw in to your existing recessed-can housing, are available in retrofit kits.

Think further into flooring. If you’re installing new flooring, look for products that are harvested sustainably, produced in a factory that employs eco-friendly practices and made with low volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Reclaim it. Instead of buying new, visit a vintage store, or even Goodwill or the Salvation Army, to find your new furniture piece. Make the restoration fun! Countless ideas are available online.

Go organic. When possible, use organic products. Because they incorporate no insecticides during production, they drastically reduce the risk of harmful pollutants reaching our oceans.