Want to bring environmentally friendly values to the bathroom? Luckily for you, it's not difficult. Going green in the bathroom doesn't require an expensive redesign or a drastic change in habits. Here are a few ways you can make your bathroom more environmentally friendly-without straining your budget.

Buy organic bathroom linens. It takes approximately half a kilo of fertilizers and pesticides to grow the cotton that goes into a single bath towel. Go organic instead with organic cotton, hemp or bamboo for your bath towels, washcloths, bath mats, and shower curtains. Hemp and bamboo, while not as common as organic cotton, are naturally mildew-resistant, durable, and absorbent. In addition, shower curtains are made from vinyl-basted plastics that emit toxins such as phthalates; choose an organic hemp or bamboo curtain instead.

Choose green soaps and shampoos. Items like shampoos, toothpaste, and soap are not exactly environmentally friendly. The plastic containers they come in can be recycled, but they often aren't-they take up space in landfills and don't biodegrade readily. In addition, soaps and shampoos contain a great deal of artificial chemicals and scents that can cause environmental damage-not to mention health problems in those who are sensitive to them. Instead, choose green and natural soaps and shampoos in recyclable plastic containers. Some natural shampoo and soap companies sell their products in containers made from biodegradable corn starch instead of plastic.

Buy recycled paper products. Toilet paper is often made from virgin forest, especially in the U.S. Save trees by using recycled toilet paper instead. This type of paper is generally just as high-quality and soft as non-recycled paper products-but better for the environment.

Compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are approximately 90% more energy-efficient than incandescents. They're also brighter, which is better for the bathroom.

New paint on the walls. If you haven't repainted your walls in the bathroom in a long time, now may be a good time to do it. The dampness of the bathroom environment can cause paint to flake more quickly than it would in drier areas of the house. New paint can lock in microscopic particles of flaking paint that can get into the dust that you breathe in the bathroom.

VOC's (volatile organic compounds) are chemicals that evaporate from many products found in the home, including paint. Studies suggest increased exposure to VOC's may have negative health effects, and they also contribute to global warming. Paint your walls with a VOC-free latex paint designed specifically for bathrooms. Natural plaster materials made from gypsum, clay or lime can add interesting textures to your walls, and environmentally, vinyl-free wallpapers can also provide an updated and eco-friendly look.

Save water. A lot of water gets wasted in the shower, bath and toilet. If you want to save water, replace your standard toilet with a dual-flush toilet. This type of toilet includes two types of flushes-one for liquid waste, which uses less water, and one for solid waste, which uses more. Typically a standard toilet will flush about as much as is necessary for solid waste on every flush, which can waste water.

Leaky bathroom taps send millions of litres of perfectly good water down the drain each year, and can make your water bill more expensive as well. Check your faucets to ensure you don't have any leaks-it will save you water and money. If necessary, replace your old taps with self-closing faucets. These cut the water supply off as soon as you're done pressing the button for water flow.

The shower is perhaps the worst culprit for water waste, however-not to mention the natural resources used to heat that water before it's wasted. A standard showerhead sprays approximately 25 litres of water per minute, while a reduced-flow model will spray only about 6 to 15 litres. Choose a reduced-flow showerhead or an air shower, which can cut your water use another 30% on average. These shower heads pump each water drop full of air, making them bigger and simulating the feel of a standard-flow shower.

Many people waste a lot of water and electricity in the shower-not to mention using a great deal of disposable products that are not exactly environmentally friendly. Simply make a few adjustments and change the products you buy, focusing on natural products and recyclable or biodegradable packaging. Do this, and you'll go a long way toward making your bathroom as green as it can be.