From the environmental activist Newsweek called the "star of climate change" comes the ultimate guide to living green for those ready to take their eco-efforts up a notch.

Ed Begley, Jr.'s Guide to Sustainable Living lays out a detailed road map culled from Ed's thirty-nine years of green living. For the first time ever, a comprehensive plan is provided, from effective conservation techniques to producing your own energy.

Starting with the energy audit, Ed shows us how to create a game plan for resource conservation in the home. Then, once an adequate baseline of resource use is achieved, he leads us into more in-depth eco-matters, such as the production of alternative energy, and how to use solar and wind energy and a geothermal pump. As Ed's guide continues, the focus then turns to sustainable lifestyle management choices, such as home gardening, and guidelines on creating a green nursery for your children. This book covers it all-small to large-in plain language and in a progression from resource conservation to energy production and lifestyle management that makes both environmental and fiscal sense.

There's something here for everyone-new and experienced environmentalists alike-and Ed walks you through every step of the way with helpful sidebars that outline costs and paybacks, as well as essays detailing his experiences of completing these eco-projects on his own home.

Chapter 1

I know, for a lot of folks, it's really tempting to go straight to the shiny, sexy stuff, like installing solar panels or a whole-house fan or geothermal heating and cooling. But before you mount solar panels on your roof, before you invest in a residential wind turbine, before you buy new windows, before you install more insulation - in fact, before you spend a dime on changes to your home and your lifestyle - you'll want to have someone perform a green energy audit on your home.

This audit will identify the areas where you can conserve energy, where you can become more efficient. This type of audit will establish a baseline: It'll give a snapshot of where you are right now. I promise you, the time and money you invest in an energy audit will pay off several times over.

In order to take your level of green up a notch, first you want to conserve. Establish a baseline, see the challenges you face with your home, and see where you can improve the situation. Then go from your baseline to a lower energy-usage position before you do anything else. First you want to work to get your use of electricity down to the lowest possible level. Only then can you start to think about creating your own electricity on-site. Otherwise, you're just going to be overproducing electricity, and that's wasteful in many, many ways.

Let's begin with some ways to establish that all-important baseline.

Different Types of Green Audits

The best way to figure out your home's energy performance is to perform a green home energy audit. This term is used a lot these days. Some people call it a green home audit. Some call it an energy audit, but the terms are not always used to describe the same types of activities.

Actually, there're all different kinds of green home audits and energy audits. Some audits look at your electricity use. Some look at your natural gas use. Some look at your water use. Some look at all of the above. Some also consider your recycling habits and your waste management. And some go so far as to consider your overall carbon footprint.

For simplicity's sake, we can break down the offerings into three levels of green home audits. From the most basic to the most detailed and involved, you can

1. use an online resource to get a general idea of your home's energy use

2. contact your local utility company for an audit, which is often free

3. get a professional green audit, in which a company sends representatives to your home to evaluate your energy usage, water usage, and more

Another really valuable type of home audit is a green home health issues audit. Many professional energy auditors will address potential health threats from your home during their audits, too.

Tap Into Free Resources First

When you look at the different levels of green home audits, the first two typically are free - at no cost to you, the consumer. So start with the free options and consider the results.

A great example of a free audit is on the Energy Star website (see Resources, page 340). In the website's section on home improvement, you'll find the interactive Energy Star Home Energy Yardstick. You'll need to have your last twelve months of utility bills (or ask your utility company or companies to get you a twelve-month summary). Plus, you'll have to enter some basic information about your house, including the following:

• your ZIP code
• your home's age
• its square footage
• the number of occupants

The site will tell you how your home's energy efficiency compares with similar homes across the country, and it provides recommendations for energy-saving home improvements.

If you want more detail, another great free resource online is ENERGY Guide (see Resources, page 340). Check that site to see if your electric or gas company offers a "personalized energy center." Many utilities from all across the United States are included. Once you choose the link for your utility, you can get some pretty helpful information.

Copyright © 2009 by Ed Begley, Jr.

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About the Author

Ed Begley, Jr. is a veteran actor and a committed environmentalist. He resides in Los Angeles in a self-sufficient home powered by solar energy.