Not long ago, solar panels seemed sort of quaint and out-of-date. But they're emerging as a trendy new status symbol, thanks to eco-friendly legislation in California.

Could you eat only local — or food grown within a 100 miles of your home — for a year? A Canadian couple did, even though it meant a year without flour, sugar and fair-trade coffee.

When you're expecting a baby, you want a nursery that's beautiful, welcoming and soothing. But you also want to create a place that's safe for your child to breathe and play. Many building supplies and home furnishings contain chemicals that can be harmful when ingested or inhaled.

"Children are like canaries in the coal mine," says Maggie Wood of Maggie Wood Design, a New York-based design and consulting firm focused exclusively on green residential and commercial design. "They're the ones who will be affected by much lower levels of toxins and chemicals. If you make one room in the house green, make it your children's room."