Seattle Culture
Inside Seattle’s Super-Eco Homes
You don't have to go totally gaga for green to reap the rewards of a few simple home-improvement mov
By Seattle Mag September 16, 2011

This article originally appeared in the October 2011 issue of Seattle magazine.
Those who grew up in the 1970s may recall the appearance of a brick in the bathroom toilet tank—a popular do-it-yourself water-saving measure. Fortunately, living green has become a little more sophisticated in recent decades. In Seattle—a city famous for its green-built, LEED-certified offices, restaurants and condos—many residents have taken the green-living ethos into their own hands, and homes. The three locals profiled here show that it is possible to sharply reduce your water use, create a low-toxicity home and build so efficiently you rarely need to turn on a heater. For those of us who aren’t prepared to start a major remodel or build anew, we’ve stolen ideas from the supergreen: a variety of the best small and big ways to turn your standard home into a healthy, water-saving, energy-sipping enviro-pad.
Explore all three house profiles from our cover story by clicking these links: