Our pals Eric Ryan and Adam Lowry, authors of Squeaky Green: The Method Guide to Detoxing Your Home, share their tips for eco-tizing your digs.

In the Living Room

Today
Unplug any electronics that you’re not using. Leaving them plugged in—yes, even if they’re turned off—wastes lots of energy and ups your monthly electric bill as well.
This month
Buy a vacuum that sucks...dust particles, we mean. It needs a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter to collect and trap dust. Try the Hoover Mach 5 Cyclonic. $169, Hoover.com
This year
If you’re painting, shop around for no-VOC and low-VOC formulas. (Most paints have VOCs, such as formaldehyde.) Try Benjamin Moore Aura paints. About $19/quart, MyAuraPaint.com

Photo by Ellen Silverman