In terms of doing something that gives the immediate gratification factor and is fun and not overwhelming, I would say, "paint!" Green retail home improvement centers are opening all over the country. There may be one in your town and you don't even know it yet. Most of the owners have done their research and are carrying paints that cost the same as mainstream paint brands, but have no VOCs (volatile organic compounds - nasty cancer-causing agents) and meet European indoor air quality standards, which are much more stringent than United States'. As a designer, I have become enamored with a boutique paint line with a relatively small number of colors (cuts back on the overwhelm factor). The colors were developed by artists, so as a designer, I’ve found them rich and versatile. Check out their site and find a store near you carrying their products, or you can purchase on-line: http://www.yolocolorhouse.com

Yolo even has a different way of dealing with paint-outs: instead of buying a quart of a color you think you might want, you buy a poster that has sticky-tape on the back, so you can move it around the room to see how the color looks in different light and on different walls. After you choose, you can wrap a present or do some scrap-booking with the poster.

Another wonderful alternative option is clay paint, and Green Planet paint is my favorite. They have formulated a soy-based paint body with natural mineral pigments. For still more options, check out GreenHomeGuide's paints directory.

Go green (and it can even be on your walls) and try out some eco paint. Your body and your family will thank you and you'll be able to have a dinner party five minutes after finishing the project and no one will know!

Lydia Corser
Columnist, Going Green Blog