"Going Green" at Home
National Information
- Protect the Environment: At Home and in the Garden
- Protect the Environment: While Shopping
- At Home
- Climate Change - Personal Household Emissions Calculator
- Construction & Demolition Waste
- EarthDay.gov - Take Action at Home
- EarthDay.gov - Volunteer
- Energy Efficiency Software - Residential
- Design for the Env't Labels
- Go Green! Monthly Newsletter
- Green Indoor Environments
- Pollution Prevention at Home
- Pollution Prevention in the Garden
- Pollution Prevention on the Road
- Recycle Your Cell Phone
- Shopping
- Sustainability - How Can I Help?
Links to Other Organizations
- Drive $marter Challenge
- Earth 911 - Find a Recycling Center
- Earth 911 - Household
- Eat Well Guide - Find Local, Organic, Sustainable Food
- Global Stewards - Eco-Gifts
- Global Stewards - Ecotips
- Green Seal
- Natural Resources Defense Council - Green Living
- New American Dream
- Sierra Club - Sustainable Consumption
- Sustainable Communities Network
- Ten Things to Recycle You Never Thought You Could - Forecast Earth
Mid-Atlantic State Information
- Delaware - Energy Star
- Delaware - Indoor Air Quality
- Maryland Loan Programs for Energy Efficiency
- Maryland - Montgomery County Planning - Going Green at Home
- iConserve Pennsylvania - Live Green
- Pennsylvania's Special Loan and Rebate Program for Energy Efficiency Home Improvements
- Virginia, Arlington - Green Home Choice Program
- Virginia - Energy Star
- Virginia Sustainable Building Network
In the design, construction, and operation of a green home the focus is on energy and water efficiency, resource efficient building design and materials, indoor environmental quality, and the home's overall impact on the environment. Here are the top 10 steps to greening your home:
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs
- Program your thermostat
- Plug air leaks
- Tune up your heating and cooling (HVAC) system
- Choose ENERGY STAR appliances
- Reduce water use
- Switch to green power
- Use low-VOC products
- Plant trees to provide shade and wind protection for your house
- Use native plants -- they are hardier and require less maintenance
EPA can help you reduce your environmental footprint and lead a healthier life. Here's how. The links below include both mid-Atlantic and Agency-wide resources.
- Air Quality Action Days / AirNow - find out when the amount of ground-level ozone and amounts of particulates in the air are predicted to approach unhealthy levels
- Composting - turn organic waste, like fruit and vegetable waste and yard waste, into a product which will help gardens grow
- Don't Top Off Your Gas Tank! - save money and the environment when pumping gas
- eCycling - donate or recycle used electronics
- Energy - energy efficiency offers significant cost savings
- Fuel Economy - what you can do
- Green Building - have healthy buildings, protect the environment and save money
- Green Landscaping / GreenScapes - save money and time and conserve resources through your landscaping choices and techniques
- Build Your Own Rain Barrel (PDF) (2 pp, 188K, About PDF)
- How to Build Your Own Rain Garden (PDF) (2 pp, 962K, About PDF)
- Green Vehicle Guide - find the cleanest and most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs
- Household Hazardous Waste - how to dispose of household items containing potentially hazardous ingredients, like paint thinner, pesticides, and oven cleaners
- Integrated Pest Management / Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program - think like a bug -- manage pest problems with the least possible hazard to people, property and the environment
- Low Impact Development - reduce stormwater running off your land and causing flooding; mid-Atlantic universities working on low impact development
- Radon Testing / Map of Radon Zones - radon, an odorless and colorless radioactive gas found in soil and water, can leak into buildings and cause lung cancer; are you at risk?
- Recycling - separate, collect, process, market, and ultimately use materials that would have been thrown away
- Sustainable Healthcare / Disposal of Medicines - help prevent medicine and personal care products from entering our environment
- Transportation and Air Quality
- WaterSense - water-saving products
- Wood Stove Changeout Campaign - receive rebates to replace older wood-burning stoves
- MORE PROGRAMS