When budgets are tight, we generally delay non-vital home improvement projects, but greening your house can actually save you money in the long run, and done smartly doesn’t demand much up-front investment.  The New York Times recently asked a handful of experts from a variety of companies and publications, to recommend simple, inexpensive changes to their homes to make them more environmentally friendly and energy efficient.

Most of the projects they suggest could be done in a weekend for less money than a night at the movies (except for relocating to a less car-centric neighborhood), including planting a garden on your roof, installing a low-flow showerhead and programmable thermostat, and sealing heat leaks around doors and windows.  If you can afford to install solar panels right now, go for it!  But, no one should feel like a greener house and lower energy bills are beyond their reach.

Hey, what do you know, here’s a short video of me explaining the benefits of installing a low-flow showerhead:

Alright, so next time I’ll show you how to actually install the showerhead, but trust me it’s very easy.
takepart by learning what you can do today to reduce energy waste and save money with Grist’s guide.