Doing your part to protect the environment once meant separating paper from plastic in your recycling bin and buying organic greens that you carried home in a reusable bag. But these days, there is a lot more you can do to create a green and healthy home.

Global warming, soaring energy costs, and other environmental concerns are front-page news and eco-friendly living means conserving natural resources whenever and however we can. It also means making some lifestyle changes to help save the planet. But the good news is that these changes will help keep your family healthy, and they don’t need to cost a lot – in either Rands or time.

It turns out that “going green” doesn’t have to mean expensive investments like solar panels, sustainable wood flooring, and nontoxic paints. Experts say that simple changes in your everyday life are all it takes to make your home a healthier, safer, greener place to be. But don’t forget that human beings are creatures of habit, and change takes time. Begin with small steps. For example, make a commitment to change just one habit every month.

To help you get started, we will be posting tips in the next couple of weeks on how you can turn your home sweet home into a home green home, utilising 7 different areas in and around the house.