Energy Star compact fluorescent
light bulbs use two-thirds less
energy than standard incandescent
bulbs to provide the same amount of
light. They last up to 10 times longer.

Defining Green

Good news for you, Kermit: It's not that hard being green anymore. Products claiming green status seem to be popping up all over, and support for the concept has almost become a given. In fact, the only hard part now is pinning down exactly what it means to be green.

Joyce Mason, vice-president of marketing for California's Pardee Homes, has an answer. The company built its first Energy Star home in 1998 and has built 3,000 energy-efficient houses with environmentally friendly materials since 2001. Here's this residential builder's definition of green:

• Minimizes the use of nonrenewable energy, water, and other natural resources.
• Provides a house with a healthy indoor environment built in a community with a healthy outdoor environment.
• Uses products that reduce harmful effects on the environment.
• Controls house size.
• Designs appropriately for the climate zone.
• Treats a house as a system of interrelated components.

The company matches products with these principles in four categories (more to follow on each):

• Energy smart
• Earth smart
• Health smart
• Water smart

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