Bamboo
Easily renewable, readily available and aesthetically pleasing, bamboo is something of a poster child for the green movement. Multiple uses have been known in Asia for centuries, but only recently has America recognized what a great alternative bamboo can be to traditional woods. In fact, it isn't really a wood but a type of oversized grass that grows at an incredible rate of up to 24 inches in a single day. That makes bamboo highly renewable, but since most bamboo sold in the U.S. is farmed in China or Vietnam, we have little control over the environmental regulations in place for manufacturing (if you purchase bamboo, make the effort to ask about your supplier's cultivation and harvesting practices). There aren't strict standards for quality, so one producer's bamboo may scratch or warp easily while another's shows excellent durability. Its terrific appearance has made bamboo a favorite choice for flooring and cabinetry and for smaller pieces like dishware, cutting boards and utensils. Bamboo hasn't yet been widely embraced as a fabric, but its fibers have been woven into super-soft linens, towels and clothing.

Recycled glass
Ever wonder what happens to all of those glass bottles and jars you rinse and set out for recycling? Some of them make their way back into your home in the form of fiberglass insulation. Glass can also be crushed and remade into packing material, epoxy, concrete or paving material ("glasphalt"). Ground glass is frequently used in sand filters for water and septic treatment, and when pulverized can be heated and poured into molds for making mosaic tiles, jewelry and opaque panels. Recently, recycled glass has made an appearance in the garden, too. "Glass mulch," typically in the form of rounded, colored pebbles, can be spread around plants and landscapes for good drainage and a unique aesthetic effect.

Organic cotton
The world produces and uses such an incredible amount of cotton that even a small push toward eco-friendliness would have a significant global impact. In the U.S. alone, textile mills spin enough cotton to make over a billion pairs of jeans every year (and we're third in production behind China and India). Buying products made with organic cotton is a step in the right direction. Organic farmers don't use synthetic fertilizers or chemical pesticides and herbicides, leading to healthier soil, clean water run-off and the elimination of sprayed pollutants in the air. Some environmentalists have estimated that every T-shirt manufactured by conventional means uses a third of a pound of chemicals. Still, some material made from organic cotton will need to be softened or treated with chemicals somewhere along the production line, and few designers go 100 percent organic. But several mainstream clothiers have incorporated organic cotton, resulting in less irritation to the skin and to the conscience -- especially when it's guaranteed that the fabric in question was also produced under humane work conditions. A quick online search will point you to many brands that certify their cotton products to be fair trade or sweatshop-free.

Cork
Cork has lost a number of proponents in the wine industry, which debates its value compared to metal twist-off corks or synthetic cork stoppers. However, the market for this highly renewable resource is on the rise based on its use in everything from furniture to flower pots to floor tiles. Naturally watertight and resistant to mold and mildew, cork panels or mosaic tiles are a great choice for bathroom floors. Cork is also perfect for the bathroom since it feels springy and cushioned under bare feet, and it's never as cold as marble or slate. Real cork comes from the bark of cork oak trees, which, unlike other trees, will survive after the bark is stripped off. It takes around 10 years for the bark to grow back, but a tree that lives for 200 years can yield a good 20 harvestings -- providing one more reason to leave trees standing.

Hemp
The hemp plant is remarkably versatile, and since time immemorial has been grown and harvested for countless applications. You can eat it, as well as clean, paint, make paper, create cosmetics and develop nontoxic fuels with it. You can improve your nutritional intake with hemp seeds, which are rich in fiber and omega 3's. You can wash with hemp soap, tie hemp rope, build a hemp house, drink hemp milk and eat hemp candy. What you can't do with it, contrary to popular opinion, is get high: Though it contains THC, the natural substance responsible for a high from its cannabis cousin, marijuana, the levels in industrial hemp are far too low to induce a euphoric effect. Once a leading natural resource, hemp has been sidelined by U.S. agricultural regulations, but it may see a resurgence as a singular renewable resource.