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• design and layout– this is about planning and preparation. It covers the choice of the location, the layout and orientation of the house, construction materials, accessibility features, choice of appliances and systems.
• energy performance – this refers primaily to electricity usage but also includes natural gas and other fuels. Energy performance is more than electricity. It is materials and techniques that reduce the need for additional energy to maintain comfort levels. This include insulation, use of natural heating, cooling and lighting when possible, energy star appliances . It means using nature to conserve energy, as in daylighting and use of plants for shade.
• conservation of resources - includes indoor and outdoor water, low flow fixtures, water efficient landscape and irrigation strategies. Using less resouces to achieve the same results (or even better) is the goal of conservation. In cases where more money is available, even greater conservation can be achieved by including alternative energy-generating systems like solar panels and windmills.
• indoor environmental quality - includes aspect of ventilation and thermal comfort, moisture control and humitity, and, most of all, pure, polutant-free breatheable air. This means using low-emitting and non-toxic materials in the home. Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the quality of the air and environment inside buildings, based on pollutant concentrations and conditions that can affect the health, comfort and performance of occupants -- including temperature, relative humidity, light, sound and other factors.
• environmental impact - this is the interaction between the home and the environment. What is done inside the home affects the outside. A reduction in the use of resources means less expense for the homeowner and less waste to dispose of. Use of recycled and biobased materials also reduce waste. The choice of building materials is important for sustainable homebuilding because of the extensive network of extraction, processing and transportation they require. Activities to produce building materials may pollute the air and water, destroy natural habitats and deplete natural resources. In fact, construction and demolition wastes constitute about 40% of the total solid waste stream in the United States. This is one of the reasons environmentalist consider refurbishing of older buildings to be among the most positive and ecofriendly of green building initiatives.

In the Neighborhood - and in our World

Having a home that contributes to a healthy environment is important, but a home is only as green as the people who live in it. In and out of the home, there is a lot you can do to help your neighborhoods air, water,and land. H2O are located in neighborhood's with easy access to the essentials of life: work, school, transportation and shopping.

So what can you do? Well, if have a green home you are already doing a lot. You are conserving energy and saving resources - but let's take it a step further. Consire the 3 R's of ecology: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. These simple rules encompass almost all aspects of greenness and will make a big impact on the environment. Lets talk about each...

• reduce– Buy products that don't have a lot of packaging. Stop unnecessarily junk mail and advertising flyers. Use the computer to get news and shop. Start a compost bin. it disposes of left-over foods and plant materials--and helps the soil. Instead of buying new things, see if you can borrow or fix old products. All of these reduce the amount of waste that goes into dumps and landfills. You can also reduce driving and car use. Cars use energy and cause pollution. Plan your activities so unnecessary trips are avoided. Use alternative transportation like carpooling, walking, taking the bus, or riding your bike. This is healthy, saves money and helps the environment. There are so many other simple things you can do, such as turning off lights that you are not using them or turning off the faucet while you are brushing your teeth. If everybody does the small things, they will add up and make a big difference in our lives.
• reuse – Instead of throwing things away, try to find ways to use them again. Take resuable bags to the grocery store to carry your items. This saves both paper and plactic. You can use these sacks again and again. Use plastic containers, coffee cans, shoe boxes, and other types of containers to store things. Don't throw out clothes, furniture, toys, and other things that you don't want anymore. Give them to friends or family or donate them to charity. Use metal tableware and glass or ceramic dishes instead of disposable plastic utensils and plates. If you must dispose of all objects, such as electronics, TVs or computers, take them to specialized places that are equiped to handle these items and can recover metals and parts.
• recycle - Many of the things we use every day, like paper bags, soda cans, plastic bottles, carboard boxes and milk cartons, are made out of materials that can be recycled. Recycled items are put through a process that makes it possible to create new products out of the materials from the old ones. In addition to recycling the things you buy, you can help the environment by buying products that contain recycled materials. Look for products that are identified as "recyclable" by their labels, or that are made from recycled materials. Always use the recyclable bins outside your home. For some difficult items like motor oil or batteries, there are specialized recycling centers where you can drop off these materials.

Wherever possible, reducing waste is the preferred option. If waste is produced, every effort should be made to reuse it if practicable. If it cannot the reused, then recycle it if possible. Although recycling does help to conserve resources and reduce wastes, it is important to remember that there are economic and environmental costs associated with waste collection and recycling. For this reason, recycling should only be considered for waste which cannot be reduced or reused. If none of these are possible, then garbage or trash must go to the city dump - but remember, even the most environmentally friendly landfills (an oximoron) have a residual poluting effect on the environment.

Some experts even add a 4th R - recovery. This is variation of reuse. It focuses on the concept of fixing things instead of buying new ones -- from appliances to cars and even mending clothes and putting new soles on shoes.

Studies clearly show that by practising the 3Rs of waste prevention, people and companies can cut costs and save money while helping the environment. Some of the elements including in this estimate are savings on materials and supplies, lower energy and utility costs, lower waste disposal or treatment costs; lower inventory and and storage costs, generate revenue through the sale of recyclable materials, and, of course, the savings inherant to reusing or fixing a product instead of buying a new one. All of these are tangible benefits of a greenlife style. All let's not forget the equally important health and safety benefits derived from a cleaner, less polluted environment. Greenness makes sense.