Search giant Google will "go dark" tonight for an hour -- ala Blackle -- in support  of this evening's Lights Out San Francisco event.

Lights Out San Francisco draws its inspiration from Sydney's Earth Hour, which dimmed Australia's largest city this March in support of measures to curb global warming. Organizers are asking Bay Area residents to switch-off non-essential lights this evening from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Pacific time and install a at least one CFL (Compact Fluorescent Bulb) to improve awareness of energy savings.

Google's is being joined by Craigslist, which is featuring links to Lights Out San Francisco's homepage from its Bay Area and Los Angeles sites. California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is also lending his support for the event.  

Lights Out San Francisco is a run-up to Lights Out America, a national switch-off set for March 29, 2008. Eleven major metropolitan areas have already committed to participate, with several dozen other expected before next spring. 

One of the problems with indoor carpet -- other than offgassing of Volatile Organic Compounds -- is that they are the ideal home for mites, molds, and dust.

Vacuuming is your front line defense. But carpet eventually means carpet cleaners, many of which contain the infamous dry cleaning agent, perchloroethylene (perc). We've written about this substance in the past. If you go with a pro cleaner, inquire about plant-based alternative cleaning solvents and opt for steam extraction methods, which remove as much of the chemical agents from your carpet as possible.

Postpone a general cleaning with spot maintenance. Here you have some natural options: salt for mud, dirt, and red wine; club soda for coffee stains; and cornstarch or cornmeal for grease. To control odors, liberally sprinkle carpeting with baking soda and allow to sit overnight before vacuuming. Direct sunlight is also a great deodorant. A couple of hours in the sun does wonders to freshen bathroom mats and area rugs.

Eeew ... household dust. It's unsightly. Worse yet, dust contains molds and mites that make life miserable for allergy suffers.

But the cure may be worse than the cause. As the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency points out, commercial furniture polishes can contain petroleum distillates which irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract. And it's not as if we need more petroleum products in our lives.

You could take polish out of the equation completely by switching to a reusable microfiber dusting cloth. If you want more cleaning power, make your own dusting spray by mixing a cup of vegetable or olive oil with a half cup of lemon juice. Apply with a repurposed spray bottle. Yields a warm, durable glow for a fraction of what you'd pay at the store!

Yes, you can reuse that "disposable" paper vacuum cleaner bag.

There's not much green about an electric vacuum cleaner. but if you're still using one, you can cut down on paper and landfill waste by emptying the bag for another use. Most will last three or four cycles before needing replacement.

A word of warning: the stuff inside a vacuum bag is pretty nasty, especially if you're allergy sensitive. For safety's sake, wear gloves and consider a paper breathing mask. This is a job you'll want to do outdoors.

Watching for sharp debris, reach into the bag and withdraw the contents. It should come out in clumps. Be careful not to tear the latex gasket. A final shake, and you should be good to go.

Vacuum lint is sometimes compostable. If yours isn't, wrap and toss it. Tomorrow: green dusting products!