The Bite
Come back down to Earth. You might've seen the acronym LEED around - it stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, and it's the most widely accepted stamp of approval to certify that a building's green. Plant your non-UFO vehicle down right here for the full translation.

The Benefits
A universal yardstick. LEED provides standards to look for when building or buying an apartment or house, helping us determine what's really green.
Black-holing pollution. Buildings account for more than 40% of CO2 emissions worldwide. (Yeah, that's more than the 35% that car emissions create.) LEED buildings - which take into account the site, water, energy, resources, and indoor environmental quality - reduce CO2 by 30%-40%.
Galaxy-sized payoffs. According to a study conducted by the CA Sustainable Building Task Force, green buildings typically cost 2% more initially, but you'll recoup 20% of building costs over 20 years, thanks to lower utility bills.

From The Ideal Bite