By Kristy Guthrie, 26, sales representative, Indianapolis

Being “green” started with recycling at the home Tod Karpinski and I own. Tod was the lead on this, but once I saw how easy it was (and the volume that we can recycle), it’s something we consistently do.

Many things came with the purchase of our first home in the Greenbriar neighborhood in spring 2008.

The first project I tackled was a compost tumbler. I took a plastic trash can, drilled some holes in the side and used a couple of bungee cords to keep the top on when it’s “tumbled.”

I spent probably $30 on the whole thing. With all of the mature trees in my yard, I soon realized that the tumbler couldn’t handle all of the materials from our household that could be composted.

I then set out to make a compost bin out of free wooden pallets. This can hold a larger pile and produce more compost. Yard waste and natural kitchen waste (vegetables, coffee grounds, etc.) go into the tumbler and the pile to eventually decompose into a nutrient-rich “soil.”

We use the compost to amend our clay soil. This compost is free and mostly eliminates the need for fertilizer.

This past spring, we also created a rain barrel. I purchased a food-safe 55-gallon barrel and the necessary equipment to collect rainwater from a downspout. We had such a rainy season this year that we only used the hose to water the vegetable garden a few times.

Inside, we use cloth napkins and towels for cleaning. They get more than one use, unlike their paper counterparts. Cloth shopping bags go with us to the grocery.

Some people associate being green with buying eco-friendly (but new) products. One of the three Rs is “reuse,” so I try to find items that have had a past life. I shop at antique, vintage and thrift stores. I’ve upholstered chairs, refinished furniture and mosaic-tiled a shelf to make items interesting and useable in their new life in my home. Salvaging these items keeps them out of a landfill and prevents new resources from being used for a new piece.

While I don’t think that anything we’re doing is groundbreaking, I do believe it is making a difference. We’re currently shopping for “Energy Star” appliances and are considering bamboo flooring instead of carpet.

As told to TJ Banes at tj.banes@indystar.com