Accidental environmentalist: easy ways to have a greener home

Stevens gushes about the joys of composting and her home's state-of-the-art "micro-cogeneration" heating system that generates electricity from energy waste.

But I'm not ready to give up my garbage disposal, and while I'm planning on replacing my old furnace with a more energy-efficient one, I don't have the extra funds for one that recycles its own energy. What I'm willing to try are tips on the website -- you can earn badges if you decide to register for free on the site -- that don't require me to step too far outside the box. These include:

-- Embracing recycling. Sure, I already recycle glass bottles, cans, and newspapers since my town provides handy containers and threatens to issue citations to those who don't. But I'm thinking of trying recycled toilet paper and napkins. I'd be willing to pay a little extra if the quality is decent.

I'd also like to recycle my old toner cartridges since disposing of them in the garbage can put hazardous toxins into landfills. I used to get postage-paid envelopes included in new toner packages making it easy to mail old cartridges back to the company, but I don't anymore. Stevens tells me I can take them back to Staples for a store coupon. "That's what I do," she adds.

-- Reducing water consumption. I was recently in water-starved Israel where dual-flush toilets -- button one for a weaker flush, and button two when you need a stronger one -- are standard, and now they're making their way into American home renovations along with low-flow shower heads and Energy Star dishwashers.

I might consider a dual flusher if I replace my toilets, but for now I'll follow some simpler tips like turning off the water when I brush my teeth and only running the laundry and dishwasher when they're full. Stevens says she's no longer watering her lawn.

-- Green cleaning. I'm thinking of trying some new cleaning agents since I get pretty queasy from the fumes from products I'm using now. And I paid a little extra this week to get a professional exterminator to remove ants from my home -- he uses only nontoxic products -- instead of the spray cans I used to buy at the supermarket.

While the website is chock-full of environmentally friendly products, some are in the form of sponsored ads. Look carefully for reviews from actual folks who use the products to see which might be worthy to purchase.