By Katie Vaughn
Madison Magazine
Special To Channel 3000

A

Arbor House
The Inn Way to Live

For green-home inspiration, visit this historic building - one of Madison's oldest, dating back to 1853. Run by John and Cathie Imes since 1994, the eight-bedroom "environmental inn" uses organic or natural unbleached cotton linens, organic mattresses and biodegradable cleaners, and is outfitted with sustainably harvested woods and energy and water-efficient appliances. 3402 Monroe St., 238-2981, arbor-house.com.

B

Basketball
Running & Soccer Shoes

You can recycle cleat- and spikeless athletic shoes through the Reuse A Shoe program, a partnership with the city of Madison and the National Recycling Coalition. Simply drop off a pair of sports shoes, and Nike will turn them into Nike Grind, a material used to make basketball courts and running tracks. Drop-off locations include the city of Madison Streets Division, Movin' Shoes, the Shoe Box, the Shoe Box Outlet, Supreme Health and Fitness, Camp Randall Memorial Sports Center and Fleet Feet Sports.

C

Cleaning Products
Spray the Right Way

It is possible to tidy your home without polluting the earth: You just have to choose the right products. Beware of the labels "natural," "organic," "biodegradable" and "non-toxic." Such claims are unregulated and insignificant in cleaning products unless they're backed by specific ingredient info. Proven eco-friendly brands include Seventh Generation, Ecover, Citra-Solv and Naturally Yours. Check for these products at health-food stores or at naturallyoursclean.com, seventhgen.com, ecover.com, and citra-solv.com. And try reusable cleaning cloths instead of paper towels.

D

Dane County Farmer's Market
Veggies are Just the Start

You'll find no shortage of fresh, locally grown and oftentimes organic fruits, veggies, meats, cheeses and much, much more at Madison's favorite farmers' market. Buying local means your food comes without the superfluous packaging and shipping inherent in items cultivated elsewhere. If you want to do a little armchair foraging, pick up longtime market manager Mary Carpenter and Quentin Carpenter's The Dane County Farmers' Market: A Personal History. (UW Press, $19.95) 455-1999, madfarmmkt.org.

E

EnACT
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Environmental Action teams give regular folks tools and encouragement to live green. Formed by the Madison Environmental Group in 2003, EnACT creates neighborhood groups to reduce waste, conserve energy and water, reduce automobile use and choose healthy and sustainable foods. Annually, participating households save an average of $281, 183 pounds of garbage, 14,487 gallons of water and 1,126 vehicle miles. 204-2888, enactwi.org.

F

Flor
Walk this Way

Made of nylon or natural fibers such as hemp or wool, these modular carpet squares contain antimicrobials to inhibit bacteria and mold growth, and are low in volatile organic compounds. The company offers a Return & Recycle program, in which used tiles are recycled into new products. Available at Pop Deluxe, 310 State St., 236-1966 or

florcatalog.com.

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