Several countries have joined Germany, Spain, China and the US in recent years in using solar energy. These countries with their supportive government policies have certainly taken excellent strides in installing solar energy. However, these are not the only countries that have installed solar energy. Here’s a list of the top 10 countries that use solar power. Each country is ranked based on their installed PhotoVoltaic (PV) solar energy capacity.

1.    Germany: 9,785 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

Germany uses 9,785 MW of solar energy at present. In the year 2009, a 3,806 MW of PhotoVoltaic solar energy capacity was installed in Germany, which is about 8 times the quantity that America installed in the same year. Germany is blessed with great financing opportunities, an excellent Feed-in-Tariff (FiT) scheme, all of which is aided by several knowledgeable PV companies and PV technology awareness. Germany may well add an additional 5,000 MW of solar power this in 2011, and use 100% renewable energy by 2050.

2.    Spain: 3,386 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

Having installed 2605 MW of PV solar energy in 2008, Spain’s capacity has decreased to a mere 69 MW in 2009. Several reasons have been attributed to this decrease; delays in the new government subsidy program, complexity of the technology, and decrease in demand for energy during the recent economic downturn. Spain is expected to improve its solar energy capacity in 2011, given that it enjoys great PV potential and sun irradiation.

3.    Japan: 2,633 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

Japan enjoys Government support via residential PV programs and net-metering. This country has an ambitious goal to achieve 28 GW of PV solar energy capacity by year 2020. Japan further plans on attaining a PV solar energy capacity of 53 GW by 2030 as well. Having invested $9 billion in 2009 into solar energy, Japan also plans to install solar power at 32,000 public schools.

4.    United States: 1,650 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

The US has several planned ground-mounted solar projects. The current installed PV solar energy is expected to grow significantly in the future. The US is also campaigning for a national legislation promoting solar energy; if this comes through, the US could well become the world leader in solar energy installations in the future. To make things easier, the US also lifted the cap on federal solar tax credit in 2009. The market for residential solar panels went up during the recession, by 37% in just one year.

5.    Italy: 1,167 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

A great deal of sunshine, net-metering and a properly segmented FiT has allowed Italy to grow as a solar energy world leader. In the 2009 survey, Italy was found to be the country with the second-largest solar energy growth. Italy’s future PV solar energy growth depends on how this small country streamlines and harmonizes its administrative procedures, the expected decrease in price and FiT.

6.    Czech Republic: 465 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

The Czech Republic has incorporated generous FiT policies and kept it simple with easy to execute administrative procedures. The Czech Republic has installed more solar power than other countries (excluding Germany) per capita, in 2009. The demand is high but the supply is not keeping up with it, which makes for unsustainable growth. The Czech Republic needs to put appropriate policies in place to slow market growth or fail in their endeavor.

7.    Belgium: 363 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

In 2009, of the countries that were reviewed for PV solar energy installations, Belgium was a surprise package. Belgium Feed-in-Tariff program, encapsulated in its Green Certificates scheme is aided by electricity self-consumption and additional tax rebates. These factors have helped Belgium to make the cut; however, owing to a cut in the FiT, Belgium is predicted to lose its advantage in the coming years.

8.    China: 305 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

China manufactures a great number of solar panels but has not installed much PV capacity yet. However, China now plans to install 12 GW of PV solar energy in several large projects. If these projects are implemented, it’s possible that China will replace Germany at the top of the list. China’s national energy plan indicates that its solar energy capacity might reach 20 GW by 2020.

9.    272 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy: France

Building-integrated PhotoVoltaics (BIPV) dominates the French market, owing to its FiT policies. France is taking measures to ensure that the system is not abused; there are plans to revise tariff in sync with price speculations. France has installed several MW of solar energy; still, many of these installations are not yet connected to the grid. For example, 285 MW was installed in 2009, but only 185 MW of this capacity was connected to the grid.

10.           India: 120 Mega Watts Capacity Of PV Solar Energy

India faces a great demand for electricity. Given its high sun irradiation levels, India is poised to move forward with solar energy, with a goal to achieve 20 GW by 2020. With the proper government strategies and support from local authorities, India could well rise higher in this list. The National Solar Mission of 2009 and the market demand together might define a longterm power purchase agreement, which will help start PV installations and deployment in India.

Marina is freelance writer and writes on specialty products like – decorative mirrors, Limoges, music boxes and lot more.

Solar-paneled photovoltaic (PV) cell-driven power used in electric cars states a strong case for continued vitality.

Environmentally, the ozone layer is preserved, and the visibility and eye-burning problems of California smog are removed along with the health issues, a boon for the world’s eighth-largest economy.

Otherwise economically, solar energy is fast becoming cash for cars. The break-even point is $3.50 per gallon of gasoline, and depleting oil reserves promise higher future pump prices.

This factor will only rapidly magnify with further solar technology refinement. Wikipedia at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_vehicle, page 2 of 9, states that there is a 22% cost reduction per doubling of production volume for solar panels.

A remaining obstacle is the solar paneling coping with vibrations. Another is that glass adds great weight to the panels. While somewhat expensive, PV cells have about a 30 year lifespan, so they potentially have high cost-effectiveness.

Maintenance savings is considerable, with no more oil changes, oil filters and lube jobs or repairs now directly linked to gasoline. Less working parts means greater efficiency and less upfront costs, equipoising solar design expenses.

The sun’s easy accessibility is an enormous factor. Natural ground resources impose the added expense not only of digging or drilling, but shipping and other transport as well. These factors can be cost prohibitive.

Likewise, oil will still be prominent. A plethora of vital uses will remain, such as for clothing, tire manufacturing and plastics. Plastics are used extensively in solar cars. Thus, major oil companies can smoothly transition into the new economy.

Solar’s diversity is another plus. Being also instrumental in home energy and boating, whether solar cars themselves sink or swim, solar energy’s general longevity is independently assured.

NASA nanotechnology is a potentially potent weapon in addressing lingering solar car concerns, including solar panel production volume, overall size and weight. A cooperative effort between NASA and private businesses is highly recommended.

Such efforts have previously impressed. The DeBakey VAD (ventricular assist device) heart implant, e.g., has borrowed from Space Shuttle fuel pump technology. (http://www.sti.nasa.gov/tto/spinoff2002/hm_3.html).

Properly managed, solar cars’ presence on American highways will only multiply for years to come.

Bio: Samuel has been interested in cars ever since he was a young child. Now he works for a company that assist people that need to sell there car. If you’re asking “how can I sell my car?” Samuel is the man to see.

Not all entertainment has to be brainless.  Although most people associate “environmental” films with boring documentaries, there are actually several movies that focus on issues facing the future of our planet and the continuation of our species that will thrill and delight audiences of any age.  Here are a few you might want to check out.

1. An Inconvenient Truth (2006).  This is one documentary that has the potential to be boring (it’s basically a power point presentation), if only it weren’t for the horrifying possibilities it presents.  While some of the numbers were later disputed, it doesn’t necessarily change the fact that we’re headed for disaster if we don’t clean up our act.
2. The Day After Tomorrow (2004).  Two years before the inconvenient truth about global warming was revealed, this disaster flick took us to a not-so-distant future where tornadoes decimate downtown Los Angeles and New York is buried under snow and ice.  It’s action-packed fun with environmental disaster as the backdrop.
3. Wall-E (2008).  A good one for the kids, Wall-E showcases life on Earth after all the people have left (having created so much garbage that the planet became uninhabitable and devoid of plant life).  Like most Pixar films, this one is full of heart, but the message is alarmingly clear.  We can either take responsibility now or suffer the consequences later.
4. Erin Brokovich (2000).  Hollywood left their mark on this rags-to-riches tale for sure, but it’s still nice to know that one small voice can make a difference.  In this case, one woman went out of her way to nail a company that had knowingly poisoned the water supply of a small town, leading to disease and even death amongst residents.
5. The End of Suburbia: Oil Depletion and the Collapse of the American Dream (2004).  This is one documentary that anyone who depends on oil should see.  The truth is, our economy, our transportation system, and our very way of life will change in the near future as oil resources dry up.  What will we do then?  This film explores the potential impact.
6. Gorillas in the Mist (1988).  Zoologist Dian Fossey spent much of her life studying the gorillas of Rwanda.  Sigourney Weaver provides a powerhouse portrayal of this woman who fought for both their habitat and their lives (losing her own in the process).
7. Soylent Green (1973).  No one can forget Charlton Heston’s prophetic line:  “It’s people!  Soylent Green is made out of people!”  It’s certainly been spoofed enough times.  But there’s nothing like the original to remind you what could happen if we continue along our current trajectory, with our population expanding and farmable land shrinking.
8. Happy Feet (2006).  A cute romp that follows lovable cartoon penguin Mumble on his journey to find acceptance.  But viewers can’t fail to get the message about the incursion of humans and the effect they’re having on the penguin habitat.
9. The China Syndrome (1979).  Incredibly, this movie about an accident at a nuclear power plant (leading to the reveal of a cover-up of safety hazards) came out shortly before the real-world meltdown at Three Mile Island.  Coincidence or kismet?  Perhaps it was just timely.
10. Avatar (2009).  This spectacle of 3D movie-making provided three hours of CGI that captured the imagination of the public (to the tune of billions of consumer dollars).  Nonetheless, it has a fairly blatant message: it’s wrong to destroy cultures we don’t understand in order to exploit their natural resources.  Done and done.

Jamie Edwards writes for DVD Duplication, a company that provides cutting edge DVD duplication and replication services.

If you’re a card-carrying member of the caffeine club, then there’s likely one reason, and one reason alone, why you drink coffee.  Your morning cup of Joe is designed to wake you up and allow you to face the day with some semblance of a functional brain.  Also, it tastes great (and the smell is enough to pull you from your 6 am stupor).  But did you know that in addition to providing your morning wake-up call, drinking coffee can actually be good for your health?  In fact, coffee, especially of the organic variety, has several health benefits that will make you happy you decided to add it to your daily routine.

For starters, organic coffee is a lot better for you than the regular fare.  Not only do you get 100% of the flavor of the bean, untainted by chemical additives, you’ll also enjoy a product that puts no toxins into your body upon ingestion.  In case you didn’t know, organic coffee is grown without the use of potentially harmful chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and so.  This is good for the Earth and the surrounding ecosystems, but it is also great for your body.  Since some of these chemicals have been known to store in fat cells and remain in the body for years, you’re making a health-conscious choice with organic coffee.

But there are a host of other reasons you might want to drink organic coffee.  It’s chock full of antioxidants, which many people have begun to turn to as a way to preempt diseases like diabetes and certain cancers (since antioxidants are known to counteract free-radicals that can cause tissue damage and lead to a number of diseases and disorders).  It also helps to regulate blood sugar with minerals like chromium and magnesium.  Best of all, you can get these benefits from both caffeinated and decaf versions of your favorite flavor of coffee.

And that’s not all.  Studies have shown that people who incorporate 1-2 cups of coffee a day into their diet are more likely to lose weight.  Of course, adding cream, sugar, and a donut to the mix will counteract the positive effects, but in and of itself, coffee is around 5 calories per cup.  The caffeine in a cup of coffee will serve to both suppress appetite and increase your energy expenditure, helping you to eat less and burn more calories.  It’s no miracle cure (the effects are short-lived), but it’s better than downing a can of diet soda, which is packed with chemical additives (like aspartame, for example) that are known carcinogens.  Can you even read the ingredients on that label?  Here’s what’s in organic coffee: water and coffee.  Sounds a bit healthier, doesn’t it?

Adding organic specialty coffee to the menu is a no brainer.  The health benefits of drinking coffee, especially from beans that eschew the use of chemicals, cannot be overstated.  As with everything, you should drink in moderation, since a ton of caffeine will no doubt make you jittery and possibly even affect your sleep schedule.  But a cup of java in the morning will get you out of the house refreshed and ready to face the day.  And organic beans will simultaneously assure your continued good health.

Just because you’ve started to incorporate more fruits, veggies, and whole grains into your diet doesn’t mean you’re doing everything you can for optimal health (although it’s a good start).  If you really want to give yourself the best available nutrition as a means of living a more healthful lifestyle for today and for your future, then you need to consider eco-friendly options when it comes to your diet.

Instead of just purchasing fresh produce or free-range meats, consider going a step further and buying organic products.  Even better, consider some of the benefits of a raw food diet.  It may sound a little out there, but when you realize what it can do for your health, you may be singing a different tune.

If you don’t know what makes organic foods better than the regular fare, there are a few things to recommend it.  First of all, it denotes crops that are grown without the use of potentially harmful chemical pesticides and fertilizers.  With the occurrence of cancer on the rise over the last several decades and studies showing that pesticides like DDT can live in our bodies for years, eating organic produce suddenly seems like a very good idea.  As for meats and other animal products, those that fall under the organic category are raised without hormone injections (which, believe it or not, can actually unbalance your hormonal system) or antibiotics (ingesting traces through meat is thought to raise your body’s resistance, making other antibiotics ineffective).  So overall, eating organic is a good decision and you can take a look at this selection of healthy organic dinner recipes.

Of course, it’s also good for the planet.  Organic farming is done with sustainability in mind, and items that bear the USDA Certified Organic seal are not only made with at least 95% organic ingredients, they also come from farms that have grown organic for a minimum of three years, and the packaging process is monitored to ensure that safe and eco-friendly practices are observed along every step of the way.  This leads to less pollution and a return to balanced ecosystems even as you restore the balance of your own body.

As for raw food, you may have already guessed that the only foods you can eat with this plan are those that have not been cooked (yup, meat included).  Of course, this does require participants to get high-quality foods, especially the best grade of meat.  The benefits, though, are multiple.  For one thing, you save on your gas or electric bill (and that’s good for the Earth, as well).  But in terms of your overall health, you’ll receive more nutrients and enzymes from food that has not undergone the chemical change that occurs during cooking, and you’ll notice an increase in energy, to boot.  Plus, most raw food proponents also go for organic options, doing the absolute best for both their bodies and the environment.

So if you’re looking for ways to eat healthy and do your part to preserve the planet, consider an eco-friendly diet and try these easy recipes that includes organic produce and meats, raw food, or both.  You can ensure a better future for yourself (and others) on multiple fronts by making some simple changes to the way you look at food.

This blog post on how to grow organic tomatoes will show you how you can have a big crop of delicious and healthy organic tomatoes on your table in the easiest way possible. The tomato is a sensitive plant and there are several traps that lie in wait for your juicy fruit, but with a little care you can expect to have results to be proud of this season.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Planning And Planting

The first point to consider is where you will grow them. If you have a sunny, sheltered, well-drained part of the garden, that is great. Ideally you can train them against a fence or wall, but if that is not possible, it is simple enough to construct a trellis for them. Keep in mind that some varieties grow up to 6 feet tall.

You can also grow tomatoes in containers. This is the ideal solution if you do not have a good site in the garden or if your soil type is not ideal. Tips on how to grow organic tomatoes in containers are pretty much the same, but you have more options. You can move the containers if you wish, even bringing them indoors in cold weather. Your plants also have a greater chance of escaping some of the earth-based pests if they are in containers.

There are many varieties of tomato plant. You will find that you have a little less choice of organic varieties, but most gardeners are not put off by this. There are so many benefits to eating organic, especially for your health.

Having chosen your seeds and planted out your young plants, it is important to keep checking on them. They need frequent watering when the weather is dry, or they will not produce much fruit. The leaves should never be allowed to wilt. You can mulch under the plants to keep the moisture in the soil when the weather is dry, and remember that small, frequent waterings are best.

How To Grow Organic Tomatoes: Dealing With Pests

No article on how to grow organic tomatoes would be complete without a few words on pests. Hornworms are probably the most feared tomato pest in North America. They love plants of the nightshade family, including tomatoes, eggplant, tobacco and potato, and they will eat all parts of the plant that grow above ground.

Hornworms can easily be squished, but you need to check the underside of all leaves frequently if you are going to rely on this method of hornworm control. The best organic alternative is to invest in some braconid wasps which will prey on the hornworms while being harmless to humans.

Eelworms or nematodes are a worldwide tomato pest. They live in the soil and you may not know that you have them until you first try to grow tomatoes. You can spray with an organic fungicide to prevent them attacking future crops. Rotating the location of your plants and having marigolds growing nearby will also help to discourage eelworms from establishing themselves in your garden.

Organic anti fungal sprays can also be used against tomato blight. If you find blight among your plants, it is very important to remove affected plants as fast as possible to stop it spreading. You can often prevent blight by making sure that your plants are not too crowded, but you may still be caught out in a wet summer.

If you are still having difficulty growing organic tomatoes, you could have somebody else show and tell how they do it. Ask your neighbors and friends and find somebody who is really successful with it. They may be doing something different that you never thought about, or they may simply have some tips for you. It could make all the difference to your own success to have somebody else show you how to grow organic tomatoes their way.

For more ways to enjoy your outdoor living space explore Woodmor’s.

Square foot gardening is an idea made popular by Mel Bartholomew in the 1980s. It is ideal for the smaller organic garden, because it is an intensive method of gardening based around ideas of companion planting, water conservation and avoiding pesticides and weed killers.

Square foot gardening is especially good for certain kinds of people, too. Using raised beds means that disabled and elderly people can garden without having to get down to ground level. The method involves minimal work, making it very attractive for those with busy modern lives. It is great for kids too because there will be a lot of plant variety in a small area, easy for kids to reach so that they can help out, and always something to new to see.

To create the raised beds, planks are joined to form an open bottomed box. Initially the recommended size is 4 x 4 ft, divided into a grid with string to make 16 sections of one square foot each. The box is then filled with new soil, purchased from a nursery so that it is nutrient rich. Compost will be added in future years. This means that it is not so important what type of soil was originally in the garden. Square foot gardening can be done over polluted land or even desert.

Then a different kind of plant is planted in each square. Of course, some plants need more space than others. Some such as broccoli or a tomato plant would need the whole square foot for one plant. Other types of plants can be set two, four, nine or even sixteen to a square, depending on size. Just be careful not to plant anything invasive such as mint which will try to take over the whole bed.

Taller plants would be at the north side to avoid shading others. You could run a row of corn or beans all along the north side of the 4 foot area, for example. Plants that normally take a lot of space, such as zucchini or cucumbers, can be grown vertically on a strong supporting frame instead of spreading over the ground.

With this size of bed a gardener can easily reach everything without trampling the earth down. So if you add more beds later, it is important to have paths between them. If you cannot move all around the bed, for example because it is against a wall or a fence, make it just two or three feet across so that you can reach everything.

The close planting means that there are very few weeds. Of course you will need to remove weeds from time to time but once every 10 days is enough, and it is an easy job. Once the plants have begun to grow they will crowd out most weeds. The variety of plants stops plant diseases from spreading easily, and discourages pests. All in all, square foot gardening is a very efficient and pleasant way to produce an interesting and productive garden in whatever space you have.

If you have sensitive skin, you are no doubt well aware of the fact that many cleansers, creams, and treatments contain chemicals, dyes, and fragrances that can leave your skin irritated or even cause rashes and other serious problems.  As a result, you have no doubt invested in skincare items that are free of these toxins.  As for the rest of you, you likely continue to use whatever tried-and-true brand you have been buying for the last ten years, with no notion of the damage it could be causing both you and the environment.  In short, it’s time to take a look at the products you’re putting on your skin and start to consider if there could be alternatives that are equally effective but a bit more eco-friendly.

A good place to start is with your cleansers and moisturizers.  You may think that a laundry list of ingredients you can’t pronounce serves as proof positive that these products are worth the heinous amounts of money you spend on them.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  If you can’t read a label without a pharmaceutical dictionary, there’s a good chance that it’s chock full of chemicals and mostly unnecessary toxins (like fragrance and dye) that do absolutely nothing good for you and may, in fact, cause you some harm down the road.  Not to mention, anything you’re using as a cleanser is going straight down the drain and probably turning male fish female somewhere down the river.  Okay, that is a gross exaggeration, but you get the point.  Consider opting for all natural and organic items (both cleansers and lotions) that offer the same results as the products you’re currently using, but without the attendant chemicals.

You should also take a long, hard look at your makeup bag.  You no doubt have a lot of items without a trace of natural substance in them.  Some mineral makeup provides the exception to the rule, but on the whole, your beauty products can have some pretty ugly side effects (not only because of chemicals seeping through your pores and into your bloodstream, but also through manufacturing processes, animal testing, etc.).  Luckily, there are quite a few companies who have heard the protests and started producing lines that are more in keeping with both a social consciousness and a desire to remove chemical hazards from our homes.  You’ll want to avoid anything with parabens, phthalates, mercury, formaldehyde, and pretty much any chemical dyes, fragrances, or preservatives.  Instead, check out eco-friendly offerings from designer Stella McCartney, model Josie Maran, and holistic company Dr. Hauschka, which offers both skincare and makeup (just to name a few).  For the most part, their prices are no higher than what you would pay at a department store.

In the long run, developing a toxin-free, eco-friendly skincare routine will not only do wonders for your health and beauty, it will have the added benefit of helping to preserve the health and beauty of our planet.  And frankly, a clear conscience is an excellent addition to any skincare and beauty routine!

Breana Orland writes for The Best Degrees where you can find information on tops schools and find out which fields offer the highest paying jobs upon graduation.

Sustainability is a concept that has been thrown around a lot lately, mainly in regard to the food industry.  With viral videos of the horrors of feedlots flooding the internet and more and more people suffering allergies from harmful pesticides, herbicides, insecticides, and even fertilizers that seep into our food and water and contaminate fabrics and home items alike, it’s no surprise that people are looking for ways to protect themselves and the planet from pollution, waste, and the inhumane treatment of animals.  Luckily, there are sustainable alternatives for practically every item in your house, from the floors you tread to the shirt on your back to the food in your fridge.  Here are a few options for those of you who want to make sustainable choices, starting at home.

1. Think twice before trashing.  Just because your jeans are SO last season doesn’t mean you have to send them to the landfill.  If you can manage, keep your clothing (and other household items) as long as you can.  Once you feel that they no longer suit your needs (or they’re simply ruined), recycle them through donation or try to think of another use for them.  Many items can be turned into something else (fabric can be used to make quilts, pillow shams, or for other craft projects, and old furniture can be reupholstered rather than scrapped).
2. Eat right.  Whether you’re shopping at the farmer’s market to support local growers, buying organic and humanely treated meats, or becoming a vegetarian, changing your diet to support sustainable foods is as good for you as it is for the planet.  Even though pesticides and fertilizers come to you in small amounts, residual traces can cling to even thoroughly washed produce.  And the hormones and antibiotics found in feedlot animals can wreak havoc on your body’s natural hormone levels and defenses (not to mention the animal cruelty that occurs at those “farms”).
3. Clean green.  Since sustainability means a policy of non-pollutants, you can clear your cupboards of harmful solvents and opt instead for greener cleaning with products made from all natural elements (like lemon and various oils) that scour, scrub, and disinfect just as well as the chemical-filled options.  And while all of these cleaners are non-toxic (absolutely no chlorine bleach or ammonia), many are also hypoallergenic and non-irritating.
4. Tune out, turn off, unplug.  If you run your household entirely on eco-friendly energy (such as solar or wind power), then you number among a lucky few who enjoy a useful climate and enough money to install the necessary hardware.  But if a clean-energy overhaul is beyond your means, there are other ways to stay sustainable.  Unplug electrical items that aren’t in use (to avoid phantom drain), use natural lighting whenever possible, and invest in smaller energy- and water-saving devices like compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), energy-star appliances, low-flow toilets, and a tankless water heater.
5. Consider green housing.  If you’re on the move, look into one of the many eco-friendly planned communities that are popping up throughout the country.  Houses are built green from the ground up, using concrete in place of wood, and outfitted with the environment in mind, using local resources and products that won’t pollute.  While they may be more expensive initially, all of the upgrades will save you tons of money on your monthly utility bills.

Daniel Lawrence is a writer for Yard Sale Search. Check out the site to find garage sales in your neck of the woods.

If you’re looking to remodel part, or all, of your home, consider working some green ideas into your budget.  If money is not an issue, you can certainly go all out, but with eco-friendly products flooding the market due to an increase in demand over the last several years, you can often find green options that are similar in price or can even cost you less for comparable products.  And with government incentives and continued energy savings, some of these products can be the gift that keeps on giving.  Here are just a few of the many options available if you’re looking to keep the planet healthy while you beautify your home.

1. Start on the bottom.  Green flooring doesn’t have to be concrete or laminate.  There are a wide variety of materials to choose from that are sustainable, renewable, and energy saving.  You can go with recycled materials like glass tiles or reclaimed hardwoods and stone, or you can opt for something modern like bamboo (which renews in three years, unlike hardwoods, which can take up to thirty).  Many green flooring is also engineered to provide increased insulation to cut down on heat or cooling loss.
2. Re-use and re-use again.  If you’re looking to upgrade shabby cabinets, consider donating them to a local center that will restore and sell them.  You can also consider purchasing your new cabinets at such a store.  You’re sure to find something nicer than your current cabinets, but at a much more reasonable price than retail stores.  You trade in your car, why not your cabinets?  Plus, that’s two sets of cabinets you’re keeping out of the landfill.
3. Go low-flow.  Installing low-flow or dual flush toilets can have many surprising benefits.  For one, you probably won’t even notice the decreased water level half the time.  And while you stand to save quite a bit on your water bill, you can also get a mail-in rebate from your water company (most will send you up to half back on your toilet purchase if you mail them a copy of your receipt).  Also, consider a tankless water heater to replace that ancient behemoth in your basement.  It takes up a lot less space and it only heats the water you use rather than wasting energy on warming water that sits all day.
4. Get energy efficient.  Energy-star appliances will not only cut your electric bill (even light bulbs claim to save you up to $30 over the life of the product), you can also benefit from government incentives.  The federal tax credit will allow a return of up to $1,500 on qualifying items (and installation), so check to see if you can take advantage of these additional savings.
5. Install solar panels.  These are the greenest of the green when it comes to energy.  They produce absolutely zero pollution.  They do come with a eye-popping price tag, but keep in mind that you can work the system to get some of that money back through government programs (do some research to see what your state or county offers).  And if you do it right, you will not only save the money you would have spent on electricity, you can also sell any extra energy to the power company for use in other homes, cutting down on pollution from other sources.  That’s a pretty sweet deal!

Jennifer Kardish is a communications coordinator at Kitchen Cabinet Mart. You can check out their free design tips for your kitchen and home.