LIFE/TRAVEL

Design: Will the Obamas turn the White House green?

AP

Frank Fontana, designer and host of HGTV’s "Design on a Dime," shows a rendering of a redesign idea for the Red Room of the White House.

Change is nothing new for the White House, which is redecorated every four to eight years. Several interior decorators who agreed to sketch design schemes for the Obama White House focused on environmentally friendly materials, modern furnishings and high-tech flourishes.
See the designer's ideas

Green remodeling: Tips and products for an eco-friendly home
Consumers have more options to make their homes eco-friendly, from solar water heaters, smart sprinkler systems and new lighting fixtures to home cooling products and a growing variety of environmentally sustainable materials for flooring, cabinets and countertops.

Wal-Mart buying wind power for Texas stores
The retailing behemoth said in a press release Thursday it will buy 226 million kilowatt hours of wind power each year – enough to supply 15 percent of the electricity it needs for 360 Texas stores.

Oklahoma poised to become renewable energy leader

With a huge wind corridor in western Oklahoma and local researchers working on creating biofuels from perennial native grasses, experts say Oklahoma is poised to become a leader in the renewable energy industry.

Green house effect: Realtors responding to demand for eco-friendly homes

FILE/Denton-Record Chronicle

Green home features, such as rainwater recapture systems, have gained popularity with buyers.

With the housing market in a slump, real estate agents all over the country are hoping to boost business by embracing environmentally friendly, energy-efficient homes.
MetroTex Going Green seminar