With the seasons ready to change, it's getting to be about time to think about spring cleaning.

For starters, how about a new approach? Save the windows and the dusting for a little later. Think about your house as a smaller version of the global environment. What can you do around the home to improve the environment you live in? What you do here will also be good for the world outside of those walls.

Pollution doesn't just spew from factories -- indoor air pollution is a real concern. The average house has far too many toxic products around -- especially when every one of us uses an estimated 25 gallons of toxins per year. These substances pollute the air and pose other unnecessary risks to health and safety.

Consider that shelf of cleaning products, or that stash of cans and bottles under the bathroom sink. We keep everything in our living space, from powerful cleansers, to solvents, and poisonous pesticides. Almost everyone's got this kind of stash somewhere in their home -- getting rid of it is in the best interest of your lungs and all the rest of you.

If you are using a chemical cleaning agent, don't leave the leftovers around the house. Instead of letting it sit around, take the old cans to the local hazardous waste disposal site. But first try finding alternatives, like cleaning the tub with vinegar and baking soda. This easy, biodegradable recipe works great; right up there with Mr. Clean.

The toxic products we use aren't always that easy to spot. Smog doesn't necessarily come from cars. VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) are found in oil-based paints, as well as in automobile emissions. California statistics show that more than half of VOCs in the state come from paints and other coatings.

These chemicals are doubly bad: in the lower atmosphere, like the air in your house, they create smog by producing ozone, and higher up they do the opposite, depleting the ozone layer. Unnaturally high levels of ozone in our air can irritate eyes and noses and affect breathing.

Water-based latex paints can reduce this problem considerably. They generally contain less than a quarter of the VOCs found in oil-based paints. Even lower levels can be found in some new products. Check the labels on your paints.

And if your spring cleaning includes some more serious renovations, you might want to consider what you put on your floors.

We don't often think of carpeting as an unhealthy part of our house. Carpets made from synthetic materials -- which means most wall-to-wall carpets -- pose several problems for the environmental householder. The reality is that synthetic fiber carpets and their installation materials can contain many toxic chemicals (up to 120, at one estimate) which contribute further to indoor air pollution.

One of the best alternatives is to have no carpets. Hardwood and tile are more durable, and you won't have the same trouble with dust or pet hair. Area rugs made from natural fibers can also be a good alternative.

Take a close look at your entire house. Everything that was used to put it together and to keep it livable should make it a healthy environment to live in.