Karen Bergman and John Thyfault’s daughters Isabelle and Julia.

“We didn’t operate from an all-out, green-as-we-can-be, off-the-grid idealism, but from a more pragmatic time- and budget-oriented approach,” David says. “We made things as green as could be within those constraints.”

As for Karen and John, they are now are spreading the green message. “We have started to entertain in our new kitchen and renovated home, and we are sharing sourcing, materials selection, and design thoughts with many friends who are, in turn, considering alternative materials for their projects,” Karen says. “The greening of our suburban California ranch may be infectious.”