What are some of the best ways to "build" green as a renter?

I'd say a good way to approach green living as a renter is to think of three general conceptual buckets regarding green living:  resource efficiency, indoor air quality, and environmental impact. 

As a renter, it's easy to be proactive with resources.  If you have a lawn, be proactive with the owner and take control of the sprinkler system.  Make sure water is used appropriately and sparingly.  Install Energy Star CFLs (and properly dispose of old light bulbs).  When you buy appliances, make sure they are Energy Star certified.  Think about curtains or blinds to shade the interior during the sunny parts of the day (and open them up during the winter). 

If you're going to repaint, you'll want to use the low- or no-VOC paints (don't need approval to do that, just submit the receipt if approved or pay out of pocket).  Use natural cleaning supplies, where possible.  Bring in some good plants to lighten up the place, too.  All these things will affect the quality of the air. 

With environmental impact, you'll want to think about the source of everything coming into the home and the destination of everything leaving the home.  Maybe invest in a couple garbages (one for recyclables and the other for non-recyclables).  Did the goods that you've purchased come from companies with progressive social policies?  etc.  

The sky is the limit when you break it down and think in terms of these conceptual buckets.  Resources, Air, and Impact.   

i have a Culligan chlorine filter on my shower (aerated chlorine in the form of steam is highly poisonous) - $20/$15 for replacement, 5 minutes to install.

i have the highest Pur filter on my kitchen sink - no more bottled water and you can use super-clean water for cooking - $40/$20 for replacement, 5 minutes to install.

paint is less than $20/gallon. please do not "hold out" for a landlord to reimburse you - if you want a certain paint, ask if you can supply the paint and they supply the labor (i have also done this with all my plumbing fittings since i want nice ones). even if they won't, painting a bathroom will take about 4 hours, start to finish, so just go for it.

same with caulking, weather-stripping, dimmer-switches, etc. these are all super-cheap, so don't let the price or landlord negotiations stop you.

"living green" is not just for building, though. there are millions of products from printer paper to produce, clothing, cleaning supplies, cars, publications, electronics, and beyond which you buy anyhow, and how you choose them can make a dramatic difference to the planet. consider fair-trade, organic, sweatshop-free, local, bulk, recycled, efficient, small, all-natural, "green" and similar products.

beyond purchasing, think hard about your daily routines. recycle, reuse, and conserve. walk, cycle, or take public transportation. volunteer to plant trees, clean up trash on beaches/highways, maintain trails, and petition politicians to make better choices - you can start by supporting HR 550, the pro-solar-rebate initiative dying in congressional committee, and objecting to LA's disingenuously named "green path," which exploits the green name but really consists of destruction of miles and miles of pristine and fragile ecosystems to build massive additional power-lines (which are not restricted to "green" power generated in CA, but are likely to be used to transmit "dirty coal" power from Mexico), rather than promoting local/solar generation (which will also reduce A/C use and "thermal island" effects), retrofitting existing transmission lines and requiring green-building codes (building accounts for a huge percentage of greenhouse gas emissions).

Pay attention to what is brought into your home. Cleaning supplies, personal care products, furnishings, etc. All of these things may contain harsh chemicals that aren't good for you OR the planet and may off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOC's).

Don't let anyone use pesticides in or around your home. Utilize Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices instead which don't rely on toxic chemicals.

Pay attention to your energy and water consumption. Think about installing a low-flow shower head and asking for reimbursement from your landlord.

If the home has carpet, invest in a good HEPA vacuum cleaner. Also upgrade your air intake filters to HEPA filters and change them on a regular basis.

Get permission to plant a garden or plant veggies and herbs in containers.

Stacey Champion, CIE
Owner/Consultant
Champion Indoors, LLC/Champion Indoor Env. Services, LLC

"Dedicated to the mission of assisting in the creation of healthier indoor environments."

Only joking, kind of ... With the surge in green building popularity that we're seeing right now, I think landlords might give more weight to green tenant requests. For instance, my bathroom desperately needs a new coat of paint and I want to make sure when it happens that the paint is zero-VOC. I'm planning on making that request. Hopefully they will either a) have the bathroom painted with zero-VOC paint or b) allow me to do it myself and reimburse me. I'm optimistic!

I heard from David Kurland at MV Bamboo that one can lay bamboo flooring directly over carpet, and take it with you when you leave... not a cheap thing, necessarily, but if like me you don't anticipate buying or moving anytime soon, and have crummy carpet everywhere, it's a thought....