It’s no big secret that going green is all the rage these days-in fact, being eco-friendly is more popular and well accepted now than ever before in history. The thing is, going green is not only a respectable thing to do for the environment, but also for our own personal pocketbooks too. Here are 51 realistic ways homeowners can go green and save some serious money immediately…

1. Have a new energy efficient HVAC system installed. While the initial financial outlay can be up to several thousand dollars, the energy savings will pay for themselves several times over during the lifespan of the system.