Would you like to feel better about a slightly dysfunctional part of your home or relationship? Are you curious about the latest eco-friendly home and living solutions? If you'd like to satisfy both of these desires in just 30 minutes, I recommend tuning into an episode of "Living with Ed" on HGTV.

The show stars laughable, lovable actor-turned-eco-guru Ed Begley Jr. and his wife Rachelle, who is the perfect straight man to Ed's well-meaning, if occasionally random-acting, personality. Ed and Rachelle examine a wide variety of green living options by touring the homes of Hollywood notables and assessing their eco-friendly efforts. These visits are juxtaposed with green living projects and lifestyle changes at their own home -- and therein lies the humor.

Ed's eco-initiatives, though well-intended, are not always executed to the satisfaction of Rachelle. From water conservation to growing corn, Ed's Earth-friendly projects at times pale in comparison to what the couple sees while visiting the lavish homes of Hollywood's eco-minded elite. Trust me, the relationship humor alone makes it worth watching a few episodes.

Humor aside, the show reveals notable greener living alternatives that support, and often enhance, the stars' incredible homes. Solar power, attractive water collection and storage, high efficiency appliances, and climate-appropriate landscaping are among the eco-minded choices you'll see. Most of the show's featured personalities put an impressive amount of money toward sustainable alternatives that keep them in true Hollywood style.

Turning to Ed's and Rachelle's home, we're shown some great ideas that don't require quite the price tag -- plus a few attempts that need a bit more work to be viable in Rachelle's view. Ed certainly is eco-minded in every area of his existence and Rachelle seems to go along with most of it. But she draws the line at, say, keeping carpet far past its prime just to keep it out of a landfill. Happily for all involved, situations like this always have a green outcome.

If finding greener ways to live -- without sacrificing to the point that your lifestyle suffers -- interests you, this show is worth a look. I once worked for a large recycling company and have put that experience toward finding easy, low-cost and effective ways to "green-up" our home and habits. I measure our success by the fact that our busy family of three generates only one partially full kitchen-size bag of garbage per week. So, I definitely identify with Rachelle - and even Ed on occasion.

In upcoming posts, I'll feature some recycling FAQ's (do you know what those numbers REALLY mean?), and will expand on many ways to live greener without breaking your stride -- or breaking the bank!

And please post any green living or recycling ideas that work for your busy family or home.