Flip or Flop, Tiny House Nation, Restore This House … trends in real estate. While I love the idea of a tiny house, my son and I sit there and discuss (during commercial breaks) that people will realistically need to also have a garage or storage building for stuff. Normal stuff — not decades of rare china or retro Farrah Fawcett posters — real stuff like sports equipment or winter gear. The tiny house trend is very exciting yet it, too, shall evolve just like green building practices.

Remember when being green meant simply solar panels? Or Kermit The Frog’s song that made it to the top 10 back in the late ‘70s? Extreme Green meant being totally off-the-grid? I had to ask what a “grid” was back then and wondered why someone would want to be without electricity?

I’m a realist, which is why I’m pretty excited to see the green movement morph and become available to almost anyone at any price point, and any age home can benefit from major or minor upgrades. Take advantage of some fantastic ideas that, over time, will put more green in your pocket.

Real-estate wise, having green features enhance the market value of your home. More and more homebuyers will pay extra for features that will help save them thousands on utility costs alone during their stay.

Just think of the flexibility of your budget if you are saving $900 a year in utility costs. More floaties for everyone! Or an extra growler a month, or a special date night with your kids.

Here are some fun and functional green ideas that I love and see a return on value time and time again:

1. Composite decking is made of recycled wood waste and recycled plastic. If this is installed correctly, you are maintenance-free (no additional cost) for 10 to 20 years. The initial cost isn’t much more and our beautiful cedar trees will thank you! So will your kids by missing out on those deck splinters that show up right at dinner-time.

2. Paper-based countertops utilize tree pulp taken from strictly managed sustainable forests and are a great alternative to stone or plastic surfaces. I tend to be cynical as to how strict a “strictly managed sustainable forest” is; so if you are interested in this heat and stain-resistant product, research the Forest Stewardship Council for more information.

3. Solar panels. It’s not 1970 anymore! If your roofing satisfies the requirements of facing the proper way and is not compromised by shade seriously consider the multitude of options. With the amount of sunshine we have in Central Oregon, it could very well be worth it.

4. Natural linoleum flooring. It’s warm on the feet, made of linseed oil, resins and wood flour and is superb in fighting microorganisms. (Germaphobes love this type of flooring! Can I say that?)

* As a side note, cork flooring is also popular and warm on the feet. I have found, however, that cork flooring and shoes with snow on the bottoms cause unstable footing. When a cork product meets snow and ice, it becomes slicker than an ice rink. Be thoughtful in choosing cork in high-traffic areas during our winter months and always remove your snowy shoes before walking on it – unless you are 6 years old and made of rubber.

5. Recycled glass countertops are very optimal in both colors, looks and finishes. Windshields, stemware and bottles are bound together with concrete and fly ash (a waste by-product of coal-burning power plants) as opposed to a petroleum-based resin binder. The countertops are comparable to granite in terms of strength, scratch resistance, heat resistance and maintenance.

Other ideas that benefit your home and pocketbook are installing spray foam insulation for energy savings and indoor air quality, a tankless hot water with endless supply of heated water (could be a trade off if your teens like long, hot showers), and Energy Star-rated dishwashers and other appliances. Newer dishwashers are also very, very quiet which can help those of us sensitive to noises.

Older homes can benefit from sealing the crawl or basement spaces, installing a radiant barrier in the attic which cools the attic by as much as 30 degrees in the summer, geothermal heating and cooling (this one is a tad high on the $$ scale), and built-in recycling centers in your kitchen or garage. My other favorite is the rainwater collector systems you can install on your downspouts. Why not collect more of our rainwater?

A free consultation with your favorite green energy company in town may get you as excited as I am about the possibilities. The 16th Annual Green Tour is happening this month — get out and grab some ideas by the horn! See you on the river as I’m on my third floatie this year.