Seven simple steps to make your house greener

http://www.tehelka.com/story_main52.asp?filename=Ne090612KEEN.asp From Tehelka Magazine, Vol 9, Issue 23, Dated 09 June 2012 CURRENT AFFAIRS HOUSING
Keen on Green? Seven simple steps to make your house greener
By Tehelka Bureau
1 SKY TUBES Highly reflective tubes carry sunlight from external receptors to any part of the house. Receptors are designed to cut UV and IR rays and boast of minimal heat emission.
2 SKY LIGHTS Placed above 'view windows', polycarbonate sheets with embedded metal strips cut heat and deflect the direct rays of the sun towards the ceiling, providing diffused light.
3 SINK-COMMODE 90% of the water that ends in the drain is 'fresh' water. A sink-commode reuses water from the basin in the flush.
4 WIRE MESH By mixing air into the water, the thin wire mesh placed at the mouth of a faucet reduces water flow by 30% and creates a frothy stream, giving the illusion of more water.
5 BUILD LOCAL Materials not only have a financial cost but a carbon footprint (emissions behind its transport) as well. Excavated soil from a basement can be converted into stabilised earth blocks to build your house or you can use hollow interlocking blocks made from 50% papier-mâché and a cement mix. They work out cheaper and are good insulators, cutting long-term costs.
6 SOLAR INVERTERS For every watt absorbed by a conventional inverter, it only returns half - that's 50% electricity lost. Instead, replace your inverter with a small solar power system and save money and electricity.
7 CHIKS & SHADES Old school chiks and shades placed outside windows not only cut heat but provide diffused light.