Sierra Club Green Home Green Home Information & Articles

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We at Sierra Club Green Home have created original educational content so you can get all the green home information you need in one place. Please browse our green home articles to learn what steps you can take to lessen your footprint and get a healthy home. Also visit our Solar Center, CO2 Center and Home Health Center to learn even more on specific topics and read detailed green home articles. And if you’re ever confused by a “green” term on our site, visit our green glossary to get back on track.

Air sealing
- How Southern California Homeowners Can Prevent Blackouts
- Essess Recognized at United Nations' Rio +20 Conference
- Austin, Texas Mandates Energy Audits to Encourage Efficiency
- Energy Saving Tips: Air Sealing and Weatherization
- 9 Simple Steps to a Carbon Neutral Home
Apparel
- Sierra Club at Fashion Week - NYC, September '08
- Environmentally Friendly Clothes
- Eco Friendly Clothing: Warm Yourself, Not the Planet
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Greening Your Halloween
- Recology Totes: A San Francisco Upcycling Treat
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Khmu Craftswomen Create Earth's Greenest Bag
- Las Vegas Fashion Show Dons Green
- Women Eco Leaders in Film, Fashion, Corporate Responsibility
- Recycle Your Running Shoes: Afterlives for Old Sneakers
- Reusable Bags for Every Occasion
- Crowdfunding: Green Start-Ups Crowdfund Their Way to Success
- Eco-Friendly Sunglasses Make Waves
Appliances
- Garbage Disposal: Do You Really Need One?
- Trash Compactors - Do They Reduce Landfill Space?
- Toasters and Toaster Ovens
- Ovens and Cooktops
- Vacuum Cleaners for Home Health
- Microwave Ovens: To Zap or Not To Zap
- Energy Efficient Washers and Dryers
- Refrigerators and Freezers, The Energy Efficient Way
- Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency May End Soon
- EPA Builds New Web Page to Help Consumers Shop Green
- Solar Clovers and Gadgets Galore
- Top 10 Tips to Lower Your Home Energy Bills
- DIY Tips and Technology for Double Energy Savings
- Technology for Smart Homes, Smart Cities
- Panasonic's Novel Japanese Recycling Plant
- E-Waste: Out of Our Sight, Into Their Air
- Customized Reports Save Money, Electricity
- Batteries' Eco Afterlife
- How Southern California Homeowners Can Prevent Blackouts
- General Electric Lighting Tour: Beyond CFL and LED
- Auto Toilet Could Save Water by the Millions
- Green Home Product Giveaway from EarthEasy and SCGH
- To Buy Green Or To Be Green?
- Water Saving & Energy Efficient Dishwashers
- Misto Reusable Cooking Oil Sprayer: No Chemicals, No Aerosols
- Trash Compactors: Another Look
Bath
- Environmentally Friendly Towels
- Shower Curtains and Barriers
- Bathroom Fans for Home Health
- Water-Saving Toilets
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Is the Leading Baby Shampoo Toxic?
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Soaps, Detergents, Cleaners, and Cleansers: Less is More
- Los Angeles Decorator Does Interior Design from the Outdoors In
- Auto Toilet Could Save Water by the Millions
Bed
- Blankets, Comforters, and Quilts
- Environmentally Friendly Bed Sheets
- Environmentally Friendly Beds and Bedding
- Environmentally Friendly Pillows
- Mattresses, Box Springs, and Bed Frames
- Mattress and Pillow Covers
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Los Angeles Decorator Does Interior Design from the Outdoors In
Body Care
- (Do) Judge a Product by its Label: Tips on Natural Skin Care Products
- Environmentally Friendly Beauty Guide
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Is the Leading Baby Shampoo Toxic?
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Holiday Shopping? Check the Eco Price.
- Recycle Soap To Clean the World
- Women Eco Leaders in Film, Fashion, Corporate Responsibility
Books and DVDs
- The Best Green Home Books and DVDs
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Local + Mission = Great Eatery
- Green Living Project Brings Eco Projects to the Screen
- Will Oil Alternatives Free Us?
- The Hero of Biofuel Documentary FUEL? Algae.
- Sundance 2012 Environmental Films
- Connecting Obesity, Hunger, Poverty, and the Environment
- Be an Activist in Your Everyday Life
- Crowdfunding: Green Start-Ups Crowdfund Their Way to Success
- Green Gift Guide: Editors' Choice
Cabinets
- Environmentally Friendly Cabinets
- Environmentally Friendly Countertops
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
Children and babies
- Diaper Options for Your Baby's Health and the Environment
- Bottles & Sippy Cups
- The “Rubber Ducky” Chemical: Phthalates
- Side Effect of Plastic: Aggressive Kids
- Natural Toys That Keep Children Safe
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Greening Your Halloween
- Is the Leading Baby Shampoo Toxic?
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- State Bans: Beginning of End for BPA?
- Dangers of Artificial Turf Shown by Fourth-Grader's Research
- Recycle Soap To Clean the World
- New Toy Teaches Kids to Power Up With Renewable Energy
- Los Angeles Youth Plant Seeds of Sustainbility and Social Justice
- Healthy Lunches Without Waste or BPA
- Kids Promote Sustainability with Green Your Schools
- Nine Environmental Summer Reading Books for Kids
- Teaching Kids Environmentalism with Edible Schoolyards
- Why Adoption Is A “Green" Dream Come True
- Green Halloween: Editors' Top 5 Tips!
- Raising Healthy Children
Cleaning
- Environmentally Friendly Carpet Cleaning for Home Health
- Cleaning Products That Are Environmentally Friendly
- The Ultimate Guide to Greening Your Home
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Rain Gutter Protection With Water Reclamation
- Household Chemicals: Don't Dump 'Em!
- Homemade Windshield Washer Fluid: More Green than Blue
- Soaps, Detergents, Cleaners, and Cleansers: Less is More
- How Your Business Can Help the Environment and Save Money
- Green Your Home with Environmentally Friendly Cleaning
Composting
- The Best "How To Compost" Video You Will Ever Watch
- Composting 101 Video
- Composting, the next recycling?
- Home Composting Guide
- Composting: Tips for All Seasons
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- City-Wide Program Composts 1 Million Tons
- Top 10 Reasons to Compost
- This Mulch Grows on Trees
- Racing to Zero: Documentary on Waste in America
- Compost Expert Talks Soil, Wine, and Microbes
- Urban Homesteading: Environmentally Friendly and Self Sufficient
- Los Angeles Hyatt: Sustainability and Luxury
- Green Home Product Giveaway from EarthEasy and SCGH
- Environmentally Friendly Dog Waste Disposal
- Curbside Food Waste Collection - A Growing Trend
Countertops
- Environmentally Friendly Countertops
- Local + Mission = Great Eatery
Dry cleaning
- Environmentally Friendly Dry Cleaning
Electronics
- This Computer Tip Will Save You $200 A Year!
- 50 Green Gadgets You Can Use To Help Save The Planet
- Save Energy While Watching Television
- Virtually Green Music
- Environmentally Friendly Music Technology
- Computers: Best Ways to Buy, Use, and Dispose of your PC
- Take-Anywhere Solar Chargers
- Be the Office Eco-Hero!
- Cloud Computing: Energy Savings and Carbon Reduction
- Panasonic Makes Eco Innovation Central Focus
- Steve Jobs Leaves Apple With Green Legacy
- Exclusive Interview With Panasonic Vice President
- How Apple’s Carbon Footprint is Reduced by Its Product Design
- Old Plastic Bottles Bring Light
- E-Waste: Out of Our Sight, Into Their Air
- Customized Reports Save Money, Electricity
- Batteries' Eco Afterlife
- Smelting Saves Electronics from the Landfill
- Hidden Energy Saving Features
- New Toy Teaches Kids to Power Up With Renewable Energy
- How Southern California Homeowners Can Prevent Blackouts
- To Save Trees, Just Sign on the Virtual Line
- Streaming Movies is Now Portable with mUVichip
Energy Auditors and Home Performance Contractors
- Weatherization / Home Energy Audit
- A Sustainable Home in 10 Steps
- Home Energy Audit
- Home in a Box: Cargo Container Dwellings
- Take Control of Your Energy Consumption
- 15 Tips to Save a Buck and a Watt
- RVs Go Green (or at Least Try)
- New Kind of Urban Housing with the Eco-Density Initiative
- Four Steps to Becoming a Renewable Energy Resident
- Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency May End Soon
- A New Interactive Green Building Community: Green Hippo Hut
- Increase Your Home Property Values and Get a $2000 Rebate
- Essess Recognized at United Nations' Rio +20 Conference
- Homeowners Save Energy and Money with GreenPoint Rated
- Austin, Texas Mandates Energy Audits to Encourage Efficiency
- Beautiful Los Angeles GreenPoint Rated Homes
Flooring
- Environmentally Friendly Wood Floors
- Linoleum Floors Made from Flax Seeds
- Bamboo Floors, an Environmentally Friendly Floor Option
- Cork Floors, an Environmentally Friendly Floor Option
- Concrete, Stone, Terrazzo, and Tile Floors
- Environmentally Friendly Floor Options
- Environmentally Friendly Carpet Overview
- Beautiful Los Angeles GreenPoint Rated Homes
- FSC Certified Lumber: Available by Popular Demand
Food
- A Vegetarian Test Drive
- 10 Ways to Eat Well
- Jennifer Schwab on ABC Good Morning America
- Eating Healthy Food Can Change the World
- Food Gone Frankenstein: GMOs
- Plastic Wrapped Fruit: Two Skins for the Price of One?
- Tips for an Environmentally Friendly Thanksgiving Celebration
- Eat a Low-Carbon Diet
- Stop Waste, Stay Green at Restaurants
- Mint Lemonade With a Side of Solar
- Online Retailer Delivers Customer Service
- Greening Your Halloween
- Local + Mission = Great Eatery
- Floating Solar Panels Power Napa Winery
- Shop Once, Buy Twice (as Much)
- Recipe for Healthy Eating: It's 'Morselicious'
- Chef Mary Sue Milliken and the 'Low-Impact Diet'
- Thanksgiving Trouble: BPA in Canned Food
- City-Wide Program Composts 1 Million Tons
- Top 10 Reasons to Compost
- Urban Farm - A Growing Trend
- State Bans: Beginning of End for BPA?
- 12 Green Things I Am Thankful For
- Plastic Bottles from Plants: Step Forward or Spin Marketing?
- Hospital Food Gets Healthy and Sustainable
- Community Supported Agriculture: Fresh, Green, Local
- FRESH Look at Local Food
- Hormone Strip Prevents Food Decay
- Success for Sustainable Sushi Smartphone App
- Urban Homesteading: Environmentally Friendly and Self Sufficient
- Test Tube Meat: Eco Friend or Foe?
- Sustainable Seafood Guide: How to Save the Seas with Your Diet
- World Water Day: How Much Water Is on Your Plate?
- Starbucks Brewing Fresh Juices and Smoothies with Evolution Fresh
- Los Angeles Youth Plant Seeds of Sustainbility and Social Justice
- Grow Your Garden Up with this Tower
- Healthy Lunches Without Waste or BPA
- Seven Simple Celebrations for Earth Day
- Shrimp Cocktail with a Side of Snared Endangered Species
- Is Your Coffee's Journey Sustainable?
- Healthy, Environmentally Friendly Pet Food
- Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?
- Can Environmentally Friendly Agriculture Grow As We Grow?
- Connecting Obesity, Hunger, Poverty, and the Environment
- Cooking with the Sexy Vegan
- Teaching Kids Environmentalism with Edible Schoolyards
- Sustainable Farming Gets New Look in the State of Jefferson
- Food Production & GMOs: Defining the Future with Prop 37
- Be an Activist in Your Everyday Life
- Green Gift Guide: Editors' Choice
- Food Waste: We Leave Tons to Rot
- Misto Reusable Cooking Oil Sprayer: No Chemicals, No Aerosols
Furniture
- Environmentally Friendly Cabinets
- Environmentally Friendly Furniture
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- Local + Mission = Great Eatery
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Unique Furniture from Salvaged Materials
- Eco Friendly Closets: Making a Difference One Space at a Time
- Crowdfunding: Green Start-Ups Crowdfund Their Way to Success
- Recycled Furniture Art: Old as the New Modern
Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC)
- Sierra Club Programmable Thermostats
- Indoor Heating by a Concrete Wall
- How To Heat Your Home with Geothermal Renewable Energy
- Woodstoves and Pellet Stoves
- Green Fuel Gone Residential
- Keep Your Fireplace Burning Efficiently
- Humidifiers for Home Health
- Programmable Thermostats: Save Energy, Save Money
- Heating Systems, the Energy Efficient Way
- Air Conditioning, the Energy Efficient Way
- Air Purifier Systems
- Four Steps to Becoming a Renewable Energy Resident
- Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency May End Soon
- Greenest Places on Earth
- Solar Clovers and Gadgets Galore
- Top 10 Tips to Lower Your Home Energy Bills
- DIY Tips and Technology for Double Energy Savings
- Technology for Smart Homes, Smart Cities
- Panasonic's Novel Japanese Recycling Plant
- Customized Reports Save Money, Electricity
- Fireplace Safety at Home
- Two Home Improvements to Save Money, Conserve Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- Tankless Water Heater, Without the Burn
- How Southern California Homeowners Can Prevent Blackouts
- Essess Recognized at United Nations' Rio +20 Conference
- Austin, Texas Mandates Energy Audits to Encourage Efficiency
- 9 Simple Steps to a Carbon Neutral Home
Holiday
- Environmentally Friendly Halloween Ideas
- Tips for an Environmentally Friendly Thanksgiving Celebration
- Eco-Friendly Gifts for the Holidays: Go Green and Give Green
- 25 Eco-Friendly Gifts for the Holidays
- Save Energy This Holiday Season: Tips & Tricks
- Should You Choose A Real or Artificial Tree?
- Greening Your Halloween
- Top Green Halloween Ideas
- Recipe for Healthy Eating: It's 'Morselicious'
- Edible Bouquets: Beauty You Can Taste
- An Eco-Friendly, Healthy Thanksgiving
- Thanksgiving Trouble: BPA in Canned Food
- City-Wide Program Composts 1 Million Tons
- The "Thankful" Project: Tell us what you are thankful for!
- Black Friday: Spend Your Green on Green
- Environmental Progress to be Thankful For
- Green Holiday: Shop Less, Celebrate More
- Greener Christmas Tree: Rent It and Plant It
- 12 Green Things I Am Thankful For
- Yoga, Music and Sustainability for Earth Day
- Seven Simple Celebrations for Earth Day
- Green Halloween: Editors' Top 5 Tips!
- Visiting Paris? Try a Bicycle Tour!
- Green Gift Wrap with Found Materials
Home renovation helpers
- How to Seal Holes
- How to Seal Rim Joists
- How to Seal Air Ducts
- How to Seal Windows
- How to Seal Doors
- How to Seal Gaps and Cracks
- How To Choose A Builder for Your Green Home Project
- Environmentally Friendly Remodeling: Deconstruction, Not Demolition
- Share Your Green Home with This Old House
- Sustainable Interior Design: A Beginners Guide
- Affordable AND Sustainable Homes
- Environmentally Friendly Architects: How to Pick the Best One
- Hiring a Home Improvement Professional
- Home in a Box: Cargo Container Dwellings
- Deck the Walls with VOC-free Wallpaper
- Los Angeles Decorator Does Interior Design from the Outdoors In
- Increase Your Home Property Values and Get a $2000 Rebate
- Economy of Sharing Helps Environment, Builds Community
- Homeowners Save Energy and Money with GreenPoint Rated
- Green Home Product Giveaway from EarthEasy and SCGH
- Beautiful Los Angeles GreenPoint Rated Homes
- How Green Building Truly Rebuilds Disaster Struck Communities
- Eco Friendly Closets: Making a Difference One Space at a Time
Home safety products
- Radon Testing: Why You Need It
- Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors to the Rescue
- Squash Bed Bugs With This Natural, Effective Solution
- This App Can Fight Forest Fires
Indoor Air Quality
- Indoor Air Quality
- Home Performance and Indoor Air Quality Experts
- Environmentally Friendly Floor Options
- Dehumidifiers for Home Health
- Los Angeles Decorator Does Interior Design from the Outdoors In
- Increase Your Home Property Values and Get a $2000 Rebate
- Homeowners Save Energy and Money with GreenPoint Rated
- Beautiful Los Angeles GreenPoint Rated Homes
Insulation
- Types of Insulation
- Eco-Friendly Insulation
- Tax Credit for Energy Efficiency May End Soon
- Styrofoam's New Competitor: Mushrooms
- Technology for Smart Homes, Smart Cities
- Save Energy with Shrink Wrap and Foam Insulation
- Two Home Improvements to Save Money, Conserve Energy and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
- How Southern California Homeowners Can Prevent Blackouts
- Soy Foam: Green Hoax or Real Solution?
- Essess Recognized at United Nations' Rio +20 Conference
- Austin, Texas Mandates Energy Audits to Encourage Efficiency
- 9 Simple Steps to a Carbon Neutral Home
Landscaping and outdoors
- Burning Leaves is Bad News
- What Can a Plant Do for Your Home's Indoor Air Quality?
- Healthy Garden and Lawn Advice
- Environmentally Friendly Garden Guide For Every Climate
- Wood Outdoor Furniture
- Organic Seeds Guide
- Environmentally Friendly Gardening Supplies
- Environmentally Friendly Decks
- Environmentally Friendly Lawn Care
- Permeable Paving - The Environmentally Friendly Driveway
- Water Conservation Overview
- Safe and Environmentally Friendly Pesticides
- Best of Green Building Design Modeled in EcoCenter
- Rain Gutter Protection With Water Reclamation
- Take-Anywhere Solar Chargers
- NYC Bike Race Is About Being Green, not Fast
- Race Results: NYC's Green Challenge
- Edible Bouquets: Beauty You Can Taste
- Public Parklets Make Use of Urban Sidewalks
- This Mulch Grows on Trees
- Urban Farm - A Growing Trend
- 12 Green Things I Am Thankful For
- Changi Airport, Singapore's Green Gateway
- A Container Garden For Any Space
- Flower and Garden Show Inspires Green Growers
- Grow Your Garden Up with this Tower
- Seven Simple Celebrations for Earth Day
- National Parks App Helps Hikers Navigate Nature
- Stumbling Upon Big Sur's Sustainable Marathon
- Soy Foam: Green Hoax or Real Solution?
- Increase Your Home Property Values and Get a $2000 Rebate
- Free Trees and Tree Care Instruction at Green City Fair
- New Sustainable Gardens Take Root in Japan
- California State Parks Have Film, Citizens Fighting Closures
- Economy of Sharing Helps Environment, Builds Community
- Queen of the Sun: What are the Bees Telling Us?
- Park in the Sky: New York's High Line
- Polymer Lawn Care Saves Water - A Ton!
- Homeowners Save Energy and Money with GreenPoint Rated
- Carbon Footprint Shrinks, Trees Grow with Green Air Project
- Green Home Product Giveaway from EarthEasy and SCGH
- Teaching Kids Environmentalism with Edible Schoolyards
- Can Your Collection of Business Cards Grow Flowers?
- Columbia River Crossing: An Alternative Proposal
- FSC Certified Lumber: Available by Popular Demand

Lighting
Lumber and panel products
Miscellaneous
Paints Finishes and Adhesives
Passive Solar
Personal Care
Pest control (indoors)
Pets
Recycling
Renewable energy
Roofing products
Siding
- Environmentally Friendly Siding
- Pros and Cons of Common Siding Options
Solar
Transportation
Waste
Water
Water fixtures and plumbing
Windows skylights and doors

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