YOU’VE HEARD Redecorate with low-VOC paint
WE SAY Do it—and breathe easier
There’s a reason a fresh coat of paint has that distinct smell—you’re breathing in low levels of toxic emissions called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). They not only pollute indoor air, experts believe they also contribute to the depletion of the ozone layer. Fifteen years ago, companies began offering low- and no-VOC paints, which have since been improved to match the durability and coverage of traditional paint, minus the off-gases. “It’s one of the easiest ecofriendly choices you can make in your home,” says interior designer Kelly LaPlante. “Just about every company now has low- or no-VOC options. They do cost more [anywhere from 15 percent extra to double the price], but as companies continue to jump on board, we’ll see prices coming down.” LaPlante’s favorite green paints include Benjamin Moore Natura (benjamin moore.com), Yolo (yolo colorhouse.com), and Devoe Wonder Pure (devoepaint.com).

YOU’VE HEARD Replace your toilet; it uses way too much water
WE SAY Just a little retrofitting can reduce your water usage
If you have a perfectly good toilet and aren’t in the process of renovating your bathroom, save yourself the hassle and expense of installing a low-flush model. Instead, for less than $2, you can drastically reduce the water you use by installing the Niagara Conservation Toilet Tank Bank (energyfederation.org), one of Dorfman’s favorite gadgets. “It looks like a whoopee cushion. All you do is fill it with water and hang it in the tank and it’s like you’ve put in a new high-efficiency toilet,” he explains. (Standard toilets manufactured since 1994 use 1.6 gallons per flush; most high-efficiency models use 1.28 gallons. The Toilet Tank Bank reduces water usage by 0.8 gallons per flush.)

If you are ready to replace an old toilet, don’t assume low-flush is the way to go. HGTV’s Carter Oosterhouse, host of Red Hot & Green, suggests installing a dual-flush model instead. They’re not as easy to find (check at Home Depot and at specialty home and kitchen stores) and cost about $100 more, but the home-reno guru praises their ecofriendly technology. “The problem with some lowflush toilets is you often have to fl ush more than once to get everything down,” explains Oosterhouse. “A dual-flush has two buttons—one for liquid waste, which uses just 0.8 gallons of water, and one for solid, which uses 1.6 gallons.”