• Flooring from bamboo is a green product.bamboo image by cyndi Claessens from Fotolia.com
  
  Green or environmentally friendly renovations can update and beautify your home. They also help protect the environment by relying on recycled or renewable resources and consuming less energy. Choosing to go green when it's time to remodel can make economic sense, as well. According to a 2003 study by California's Sustainable Building Task Force, green building products cost about 2 percent more than conventional products, but they save consumers 20 percent in operating costs over time.
  
  

Flooring

• Replace old flooring with products considered rapidly renewable, including bamboo, cork and eucalyptus. The grasses and trees that go into these products mature in about half the time of traditional hardwoods such as oak or maple but are as durable as their hardwood counterparts, according to Toolbase Services. Recycled carpet is another flooring choice. Made from recycled plastic soda containers or carpet fibers, this green flooring features the same look, feel and warranties as carpet made from virgin polyester, olefin or nylon fibers, Toolbase Services reports.
  
  

Lumber

• Choose wood products harvested from sustainable forests. The U.S. Green Building Council (GBC) recommends looking for the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certification. An alternative particularly good for decks, plastic lumber consists of either recycled or virgin plastics, according to the Healthy Building Network (HBN). The "most environmentally preferable" type of plastic lumber consists of polyethylene and contains 50 percent or more recycled material, according to HBN.
  
  

Energy Star Appliances

• Update your home with Energy Star appliances, which include kitchen, laundry and heating and cooling products. An appliance that features the Energy Star label can save you up to $50 a year per unit on electricity bills, according to the GBC. The Energy Star program, a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, grants an Energy Star rating to energy-efficient homes, appliances and other products.