Welcome to the Home Accents Today 2008 Green edition.

This is our second year of dedicating our September issue to eco-matters.

We really do believe this is more than a passing phase. It is an intensely complicated subject, to be sure, and we are all still wrapping our arms around it, but it is not going away.

Last year I talked about the lack of standards and certifications. Since then, a lot has improved on that front, but it is still confusing and green-washing is still happening. So in this issue, we take a look at some of the new standards, business practices and products that are helping to save the planet.

In this issue, we profile a brand new -- and truly green -- retailer in Savannah, Ga. (that operates without air conditioning – no small feat in the super-humid coastal South).

We also talk to our vendors about their approaches to doing green business in our Business Update. There's a lot that goes into truly being green, and it's nice to see the thoughtful approach that some are taking to all aspects of running eco-conscious operations.

Our retailer survey this month (page 16) looks at how many of our respondents are going green in their stores, as well as the reasons why they are (or are not) doing so.

For products, visit our In Living Color story (page 18). It proves that being eco-friendly does not have to mean being neutral.

The green drumbeat continues. It is a more steady drumbeat now, I think, though perhaps a little quieter than last year, if that makes sense. Kind of like the “speak softly and carry a big stick” approach.

On an unrelated note, make sure to check out Randy Eller's guest column on page 82. He directly responds to some of the questions I posed to independent retailers in my August column. It's fun for me to get some response, and I think the ideas he proposes are creative and very thought-provoking.

I am going to post his column on our In the News section at homeaccentstoday.com, too. You can use the Talk Back feature to respond directly to him, or to comment on his column or mine. That feature makes responding to him, me and the rest of the HAT staff really easy.

I want to encourage all of you to respond to what we write on an ongoing basis. We crave feedback, even when you're unhappy with something we've written (or not written). The Talk Back section of our Web site is a start, and I am always reachable via e-mail at jheinzen@reedbusiness.com. We have some exciting ideas for 2009 to help build our level of interaction with our readers and our vendors. Stay tuned for more on those.

In the meantime, I hope this issue provides a little more green food for thought. Improved consciousness is the first step toward improved conscientiousness.