It's been a long, harsh winter in Canada and having spent so much time indoors, many of us are approaching the spring with just one thought: home renovation.

Even before the frost is out of the ground, plans to improve all the things in your home that have driven you crazy all winter can be drawn. Furthermore, given the emphasis on "green" issues recently, early planning provides the opportunity to incorporate some environmental improvements into your design.

Think about ways to incorporate recycled building materials - including ones that might otherwise be discarded during the renovation. If you're making structural changes to an older home, you might be able to re-use any wood that you're removing to frame new stair or window openings. Bricks can be used to pave a walkway or build planters.

You might also want to investigate donating anything you're discarding to organizations that recycle building supplies or those that use them, like Habitat for Humanity.

There are also all sorts of new "low toxicity" products on the market including carpeting, floor coverings and water-based paints, adhesives and finishes that produce little or greatly-reduced chemical "off-gassing." For example, ceramic tiles, cork and bamboo, are all eco-friendly options.

Increasingly, suppliers identify goods that are sustainably harvested and it's also good to source as many of the supplies as locally as possible to cut down on long-distance transportation - and emissions.