Everyone is keen on "green," meaning environmentally friendly, energy-efficient and just plain kind to the Earth. Though green materials and products are generally more expensive up front than their counterparts, they often use less energy and save money in the long run. Even if they don't, you can rest easier knowing you're doing your part for the environment.

Here are our top 10 green products used in home building and remodeling, starting with the least expensive:

1: Compact fluorescent lights use about one-quarter the electricity of incandescents and last five times longer. The knock on them used to be higher prices and that cold glow. Prices have come down and the light quality is closer to sunlight. But we still prefer the warm yellow glow of incandescents in living and dining rooms.

2: Low- or no-VOC paints are latex-based and have fewer volatile organic compounds, which compromise indoor air quality and contribute to smog in the atmosphere. Your nose will notice the difference immediately indoors. Some painters gripe that low-VOC isn't as durable, especially outdoors. Then again, they said the same thing about latex vs. oil-based paint. The new formulas are better inside and out.

3: Storm windows or high-performance wood replacement windows. Don't be so quick to tear out your old windows! An old house's original windows almost always look better than replacements and new tight-fitting storms will cut drafts and save on energy bills.

If you really need to replace them, thermal wood windows generally require less energy and create less pollution during manufacture than vinyl, fiberglass or aluminum. Also, low-e coatings and gas between the double or triple panes saves even more money on your energy bill.

4: Energy Star appliances. If you've bought an air conditioner, washing machine, refrigerator or computer over the past five years, you've probably noticed the EPA's Energy Star logo and a yellow sticker showing how much it costs to operate. Likewise, low-flow or dual-flush toilets use less water than the original throne, and, if you have lots of boys, waterless urinals are the stingiest of all.

5: Rain barrels, porous pavement and living roofs. Rain barrels keep rainwater out of the storm sewer and put it to use in the garden. The other two go them one better, watering lawns and landscapes where nothing used to grow.

Geoblocks and Grassy Pavers are two types of plastic grids that can support both cars and grass. Locally, R.I. Lampus Co. makes Eco-Tek, a concrete paver with gaps to let water drain through. Living roofs naturally insulate and use rainwater to support low-maintenance plants.

6: Architectural antiques such as doors, fireplace mantels and other old house parts not only add character but are generally better made and cheaper than new ones. Reusing or finding a new purpose for building materials keeps them out of the landfills and always costs less than making new stuff. Construction Junction in Point Breeze has lots of neat old parts plus surplus paint, tiles and other items.

7: Bamboo, cork and real linoleum flooring are darlings underfoot because they're sustainable and give off less pollution during and after manufacture. Bamboo is a renewable grass that matures in about five years, cork is harvested without killing the tree and true linoleum is made from linseed oil and other natural materials. The downside is that they all cost more than vinyl. Also, bamboo and cork are imported, and fossil-fuel transportation pollutes.

8: Radiant floor heat, tankless water heaters and passive heating. Radiant floors warm a room from the bottom up with hot water or, in small spaces, electrical wiring. The cost-saver is that if your feet are warm, you might turn down the thermostat a few degrees. Tankless units save money by heating water as you use it rather than storing it. And passive heating can be as easy as leaving the curtains open on a bright winter day, letting the sun warm your home free. (Don't forget to close them at night).

9: Icynene insulation and weatherizing. Adding insulation of any kind and sealing up gaps around windows, doors and the foundation will make any home more comfortable and save on heating and air conditioning costs. Although icynene is usually more expensive than fiberglass, cellulose and other types of insulation, it's a water-based foam that fills spaces better than batts or loose material, without any airborne pollutants.

10: Metal or recycled rubber roofing and fiber cement siding. Asphalt shingles and vinyl siding are most homeowners' choices because they're cheap and fairly durable. But metal and recycled rubber roofs last longer, create fewer toxins during manufacture and can be recycled.

Fiber cement siding by James Hardie and others comes in almost as many colors as vinyl and is more durable than wood. If you paint, it holds paint better than both of the alternatives. Of course, it also costs more than wood or vinyl. But if you're planning to stay in your house for a while, you and the Earth will be better off.