Ask the Editors Live forum: Martin LaMonica CNET news.com reporter live!

Hello, I'm Martin LaMonica, senior writer at CNET News. I cover green technologies here. I'm ready to take your questions on green buildings. So go ahead!

Do you see an increase in residential solar installations?

Up-front cost is definitely a big issue in the solar industry. That said, costs are going down as the industry scales up the volume of panels manufactured. And, as the industry gets bigger and the components are standardized, the installation cost should go down as well.

There's a lot of cool technologies we could talk about. But my advice would be start with the small things--when put together, they can add up.

This is not glamorous...but more insulation, compact fluorescent bulbs, and energy-efficient appliances (like your fridge) can make a big difference.

Sealing your windows, etc. can also make a difference. Fiberglass won't keep cold air from seeping in.

Can we talk about why we think prospective buyers wanting to go Green need to research before they move forward? The reason Solar is having a hard time is that the Governor of California and others are pushing for rooftop installations of photovoltaic panels that simply do not pay for themselves. That means less people are interested in doing their part because the economics are just not there.

I am thinking of installing an inground pool. What kind of options are there to make it greener? I would like to heat it and I hve heard of geothermal but don't think it is practical.

I've been curious about this home that I see everyday on my way to work. The house's roof top is entirely covered with plants! As if the roof top was used as an open planter. Any idea what that's all about? Insulation?? Or just being different?

Is there other options to the fluoresent bulbs? I have seen studies about them and hyperactivity, what about disposal? I have installed motion switches in a bunch of the rooms. They are great!

Is there a difference to what I am thinking of the traditional office fluoresent and the compact you mentioned?

I would be remiss in writing to a CNET audience interested in greening their homes if I didn't mention power strips. A lot of electrical gadgets suck juice from the socket even when they're not on. They're called "vampire" appliances. Use a power strip and just turn them on when you want--that'll save you a bundle on electricity. There are also "smart power strips" that can make decisions on when to turn things off. Of course, using the sleep function and turning your computer off is a little step toward greening your digital life

There are a number of things you can do--many of which you just mentioned--that pay for themselves quickly. Air sealing is perhaps most overlooked, but hey who likes to work with caulk? That said, there are some utilities that have people who do energy audits (for free, often) and will do some of the dirty work. good comment!

If this is the same video I saw, John Doerr--one of the most successful venture capitalists in Silicon Valley--goes through the urgency of climate change and why he's investing in green tech. Here's a You Tube link, for AFTER this forum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuXJFbJNltg

Germany is by far the biggest consumer of solar PV panels in the world. And they don't have a good sun resource compared to much of the United States. They do have very supportive policies. So a lot of this comes down to what you want--do you want to support a solar industry? That said, I think the decision to get them or not should make financial sense. And there are various ways you can look at it--payback for the initial investment, adding value to your house, etc. People could also get a home equity loan if the math makes sense to them. Some installers are starting to offer financing as well.

The thing you want to look at when you buy windows is the R value, ie the insulating value. I know that's obvious but it's one of those things that makes a big difference when you consider how long you have your windows. This is one of those areas where replacing all of the windows in say, a single family house, is relatively expensive. But you can do it little by little. I haven't heard about gas escaping--I'd say check that you have a long warranty. Thanks Lee!

I have a question: Why is the portable media industry so obsessed with "pocket sized" HDD PMPs?!

I travel A LOT and need a video player on the plane to help keep me distracted -- to help me forget that my fat butt is crammed like a sardine up in the Unfriendly Skies. But most PMPs have only a 3-4" screen (iPod Video, Creative Zen Wide, etc., which are too small for nice viewing on a plane). And there are only a couple 7" options -- Archos comes to mind here.

My question is really this --

There is a HUGE market for Portable DVD players -- you know the ones with the flip up screens that play actual DVDs. I have one like this that I use on the plane. But because most of my trips are very long -- 14 hours or more -- I need to carry extra batteries, both for the unit and the powerful headphones, PLUS two or three cases of DVDs for extended trips. That means that my carry-on bag -- JUST FOR MY VIDEO OPTIONS -- is very large!

I want a hard drive based portable media player that has a minimum of 160 Gig and a minimum 7" screen.

It can be as large as my current portable player -- imagine how cool that would be, I could just carry a PMP that size and it would be large enough to house a massive hard drive, EXTRA battery space for super-long battery life, all kinds of space for extra stuff. With something like this, I would not need to carry so many extra external batteries or cases and cases of DVDs -- it would all be in one cool unit! (And to think of it, a FLIP UP screen would be PREFERABLE because it wouldn't get so scratched up!)

If the industry is selling so many portable DVD players, why hasn't it seen the market that I am talking about -- a market that says it wants:

7"+ Screen size
Massive HDD space (250 Gig would be even better)
Easy file transfer options
DVR options
All video and music protocols
etc.

I don't need a pocket player -- I need a really good one for the plane! And, obviously, so do a LOT of other people: Just look at the sales of portable DVD players!

Can CNET help get this ball rolling!! I NEED THIS!!!

Geothermal is one of those technologies that people just don't think about much. It's interesting to hear that it's worked out well for you. Anecdotally, I've heard similar stories--people like them because they work year round. On the other hand, an architect in Texas told me that the effectiveness of the system went down after 7 or 8 years, because they were just pumping so much heat down. I suspect geothermal for large scale power production will go up in the next couple of years.

Thanks for sharing your experience! A lot of these decisions hinge on location conditions and, let's face it, local installers with the right expertise.