As we posted back in October, CBC is hoping to mobilize people to commit One Million Acts of Green. Here are a few suggestions, courtesy of David Suzuki Foundation’s Lindsay Coulter.

We’re late to the party on this one but we just finished reading the book and thought we’d post about it today.

In The Lazy Environmentalist book, Josh Dorfman—host of the Sirius Satellite Radio program of the same name—provides comprehensive guidance to fashion-forward consumers who are as concerned about the long-term health of our planet as they are about the design of their bathroom fixtures. Covering topics that range from clothing to electronic gadgetry, home decor to recreation, and gardening to financial investment, Dorfman lets us know which trends to watch and which eco-conscious products—cars, toothbrushes, cell phones, pet accessories—to buy. Green, it turns out, can be an extremely stylish color.

LIKE his uncle, his grandfather and many of their neighbors, Arie Versendaal spent decades working at the Maytag factory here, turning coils of steel into washing machines.

Except that Mr. Versendaal has a new factory job, at a plant here that makes blades for turbines that turn wind into electricity. Across the road, in the old Maytag factory, another company is building concrete towers to support the massive turbines. Together, the two plants are expected to employ nearly 700 people by early next year.

And so starts an interesting New York Times piece on new green industry. Enjoy.

As so we reach the end of our list of tips on how to save energy easily around the house. We have discussed winter energy saving tips, hot water energy saving tips, energy efficiency in the kitchen, and also how to save energy in the laundry room. This last one’s a little trickier and quite a bit more expensive. But it can be worth every penny.

Most windows lose a lot of heat, forcing you to spend extra on energy each month. By installing windows that meet ENERGY STAR efficiency standards, you can save energy and cut your monthly costs.

ENERGY STAR windows:

• Keep heat in and cold out, helping you save on your heating and cooling costs

• Reduce drafts and minimize air leakage

• Let you raise your home’s humidity, reducing static shocks

• Decrease window condensation, which can damage frames, cause mould and limit visibility

ENERGY STAR window advantages:

• Double or triple layers of low emissivity (low-e) glass: This glass has an invisible coating that keeps heat in during the winter and out during the summer.

• Sealed panes that contain inert gas (argon or krypton): This gas fills the cavity between the panes of glass in your window, slowing heat loss and, when combined with a low-e coating, preventing condensation.

• Insulating frames and sashes with “warm edge” spacer bars: “Warm edge” spacers are strips of material that separate two panes of glass to reduce heat loss and condensation.

• Fewer air leaks - Weatherstripping provides a tight seal between the frame and sash.

CleanMPG is a Web community dedicated to sharing tips for exceeding the E.P.A.’s fuel economy rating for conventional vehicles. It’s a good read. Oh, those hypermilists.

The GE Homespring program purifies water for the entire home through a membrane system. Used in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and in tsunami-ravaged areas in India and Sri Lanka to provide safe drinking water, the system removes bacteria, cysts and viruses.

Most water treatment systems on the market take up space underneath the sink, in the refrigerator or on the countertop. They require constant monitoring, frequent replacement and provide water of questionable purity. These systems could be considered inconvenient to use and provide a limited supply of water to the home, usually through one special tap in the kitchen.

The Homespring Central Water Purifier enables the homeowner to obtain this treated water from every tap in the entire house by filtering water at the point of entry.

Sounds kind of neat.

Salt has stood the test of time and not just for flavor. Historically, salt has had many household uses, such as cleaning leafy greens and vegetables, removing stains from fabrics, and de-greasing cast iron pots and pans.

To create the Solay Simple Multipurpose Cleaner, Himalayan crystal salt is combined with 100% naturally derived ingredients to create a non-toxic, biodegradable product. This cleaner is effective on surfaces that water alone won’t harm. To use, spray on surface, leave for a few seconds, and wipe.

Also available: Solay Simple Fruit and Veggie Wash, Dish Soap, Laundry Soap, and Glass Cleaner.

And speaking of water pitchers, Design Within Reach has a beautiful glass pitcher that filters water with Japanese Iouseki stones and high-grade Binchotan charcoal – also from Japan – that lasts up to six months. Attractive enough for fridge and table.

Using Iouseki stones and Binchotan charcoal, the Charcoal Water Pitcher creates filtered, mineral-rich water. The stones come from the mountains in Kanazawa, the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, on the Sea of Japan coast. The charcoal is specially prepared for potable water use, and also works as a deodorizer to create odor-free water. In place of filters that need monthly replacement and add to landfill, Iouseki stones and Binchotan charcoal last up to six months (depending on use).

New York Times: A noxious cocktail of soot, smog and toxic chemicals is blotting out the sun, fouling the lungs of millions of people and altering weather patterns in large parts of Asia, according to a report released Thursday by the United Nations.

Your laundry room is yet another place to save energy in your home. As just one example, you can upgrade to a natural gas clothes dryer and increase your drying efficiency over electric units. But no matter what type of dryer you use, there are always ways to cut energy costs. Such as…

When You’re Washing

• Wash full loads only, but don’t overload your machine.

• Adjust the water level to suit the size of your load.

• Use cold water—85% to 90% of energy used to wash clothes goes to heating water.

When You’re Drying

• Put heavy items through a longer spin cycle in the washer to rid extra moisture.

• Include a dry, lint-free towel with each drying load.

• Clean your dryer’s lint filter after every use.

• Make sure the flapper in your exhaust hood moves freely, and remove any lint buildup.

• Hang your clothes outside to dry—they’ll last longer and smell fresher.

Pending our review of the new monster on the block, let’s look at the Clear2O, another new water pitcher with a filter that goes right from the fridge to the table. Clear20 uses compressed carbon, which reduces chlorine taste and odour, lead, cysts and certain volatile organic chemicals. It’s hard plastic and has a slim profile that makes it easy to tuck into a corner of the fridge.

The Clear20 system promises:

• Cleaner water and fewer contaminants due to block carbon filtration*

• Pitcher fills in seconds — not minutes — with the advanced quick-connect feature

• Holds 50% more clean water versus comparable pitcher thanks to a space-efficient pitcher design

• Takes the questioning out of replacement water filters with the Intelligent-Filter Indicator

To use, the Clear20 has a threaded knob attached to a tube that fits neatly into the handle of the unit. To fill it, the unit is placed beside the sink. Then the knob is lifted out of the handle and attached to the faucet, allowing tap water to flow into the unit.

BookSwim is the first and only national online service that rents paperback and hardcover books Netflix-style, including new releases, bestsellers and classics, without the need to purchase them.

BookSwim ships the books to readers, who can keep them for as long as they like with no late fees. After a book is returned, the next book is sent - with free shipping in 100% recycled plastic bags both ways. The site is also now offering digital gift cards starting at $9.95 per month. For every gift card sold, BookSwim, in association with Eco-Libris, will plant a tree to offset the environmental impact of producing paper for books - BookSwim estimates that 20 million trees are cut down every year for American book production!.

It must be repeated often, kitchen costs go beyond your grocery bill. You also have to think of the energy you use to cook meals and heat leftovers. To cut back on these costs of cooking, you can always consider upgrading to energy-efficient appliances. But you can also try these efficiency tips:

On Your Stove

• Choose a burner size that matches your pot.

• Use flat-bottomed pans for greater contact with your burner.

• Use lids to conserve heat and decrease cooking time.

• Turn your burner down once liquids boil.

• Use your oven instead of your range—an insulated oven uses less energy.

In Your Oven

• Defrost your food before baking to cut energy use by a third.

• Don’t pre-heat your oven for dishes that take over an hour to cook.

• Use the window and a cooking timer instead of opening your oven door. You let 20% of the heat escape each time you break the seal.

• Never line your oven with aluminum foil—it can reduce hot air flow, lower the inside temperature or block a vent. Use a cookie sheet to catch drips and spills.

• Make sure the seals and hinges on your oven fit tightly and don’t leak heat.