People who want to make their kitchen more environmentally friendly can make small changes that do not stretch the budget, one expert has suggested. Joan Gaither, teacher of interior design and owner of her own renovation business, offered a number of tips for sustainable, energy-saving upgrades, the San Antonio News reports. Bamboo is top of the list for flooring, Ms Gaither noted, as it is both durable and attractive, as well as being very sustainable due to the prolific rate at which it reproduces. Painting a kitchen is also an affordable way of improving a room and those who wish to lessen their impact on the environment should opt for paint that has low or no volatile organic compounds, she remarked. Homeowners were also advised to install a ceiling fan to cut down on cooling costs. Siobhan OConnor and Adam Matthews, writing for Good Magazine, recently recommended using a dishwasher rather than a kitchen sink to save money on water bills.