So you won't be building your eco-temple this year. Green your existing abode with these simple, energy-saving—and healthful—options.

With our move-in date one week away and an apartment to paint, I selected the only low-volatile organic compound (VOC) option available at the hardware store on the corner. But when two one-gallon canisters were slammed onto the checkout counter, the "low-VOC" designation was glaringly absent from the labels. "I asked for EcoSpec," I said as the cashier began bagging the cans. "It's basically all the same," an attendant said. When I refused to purchase the paint, he reformulated his approach. "Look," he said, his voice streaked with annoyance, "there is no difference." This clerk didn't know the whole story.

On the Wall . . .

"Federal standards require that VOCs in paint be reduced significantly by 2008, and most companies have started that process," says Monica Gilchrist, center coordinator of the Global Green USA's Green Building Resource Center in Santa Monica, California. "That said, there are much better options." Gilchrist recommends AFM Safecoat's no-VOC paints and the plant-based BioShield for walls as well as the more pricey, less toxic milk paints for painting furniture.

AFM Safecoat paints ($33-$43/gal.)
The Old-fashioned Milk Paint Co, Inc. paints ($43.95/gal.)
BioShield paints ($32-$40/gal.)

If you opt for Benjamin Moore's EcoSpec ($26-$33/gal.) or Dunn-Edwards' Ecoshield ($27-$40/gal.)—both low-VOC paints—the area should be well ventilated. And no matter how low the VOC levels, pregnant women should not be painting.

Should old paint always be tested for lead? Gilchrist says yes. Contact the EPA's National Lead Information Center for more information.

Lead paint may be sealed before a new coat is applied. Try Child Guard Paint Encapsulant ($44.95/gal.)

Beneficially Bright

Gilchrist also encourages homeowners to upgrade on the energy front. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use up to 75 percent less energy than their incandescent counterparts. Flood and porch lights, which shine for extended periods of time, are ideal CFL candidates, as long as the bulb you buy is designed for outdoor use.

CFL bulbs Look for bulbs with the Energy Star seal ($5 and up, available at most hardware and home-improvement stores).

In the Bathroom

Check for mineral buildups in showerheads, which increase your time in the shower. For those beyond repair, replace with a low-flow showerhead. Bid adieu to old vinyl shower curtains. Replace them with canvas.

What About Wood?

For shelves, save trees by purchasing used items through your local paper or check craigslist.org. Reclaimed wood, available at salvage, deconstruction and demolition companies, works well for garden edging (check local listings).

Another option is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified shelving from well-managed forests. You'll find Radiata pine boards or 3' and 4' shelving boards at most Home Depots (call ahead before visiting). If mounting shelves on wall brackets, screw brackets into joists for support; if assembling a freestanding shelf, be sure to use wood screws for strength.

Decks or play areas with arsenic-treated wood should be sealed every six months with a water-based sealant such as SoySeal Wood Sealer and Waterproofer or SoyGuard Premium Water Repellant & Wood Sealer.

But when building new decks, fences and play areas, opt for the less toxic ACQ- (Ammoniacal Copper Quaternary) or CBA- (Copper Boron Azole) treated wood (treatedwood.com, naturalselect.com). For ultimate chemical-free peace of mind, purchase the more expensive pest-resistant woods, like redwood and cedar.

In the end . . .

I did leave the store with the low-VOC paint, but only after threatening to take my credit card elsewhere. As more hardware and home-improvement stores, like The Home Depot and Lowe's, begin stocking eco-sensitive products, you no longer have to settle. Whether you are about to embark on a flurry of home fixing or just happen to be browsing in your neighborhood hardware store, make your green predilections known. Your future home-improvement projects depend on it.

By Naomi Kirsten, www.thegreenguide.com