Go Green and Save Green: Part 1

Go Green and Save Green

Part 1: Green Rebates and Incentives

That’s right, going Green can actually save you some major Green. If you are like me, you save money whenever and wherever you can. Well, there are so many ways you can save money by making your home more efficient that I’ve compiled everything I can find to save your hard earned cash.

If you are thinking about making major investments, contact me to find out how much your home is worth first and I can help you to build your equity. When I purchased my new Energy Star kitchen and laundry appliances last summer and spring I had no idea I could get money back and missed out on a couple hundred dollars I could have saved had I been informed. Don’t miss out!

Federal Tax Credits:

30% of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 & 2010 (for existing homes only) for:

▪ Windows and Doors

▪ Insulation

▪ Roofs (Metal and Asphalt)

▪ HVAC

▪ Water Heaters (non-solar)

▪ Biomass Stoves

◦ Tax credits are available at 30% of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes & new construction) for:

▪ Geothermal Heat Pumps

▪ Solar Panels

▪ Solar Water Heaters

▪ Small Wind Energy Systems

▪ Fuel Cells

Arizona Tax Credits:

Tax credits are available at 25%, up to $1,000 and 100% of sales tax for:

▪ Passive Solar Space Heat

▪ Solar Water/Space Heat, Solar Ovens, Solar Cooling, and Solar Pool Heating

▪ Photovoltaics (PV solar panels)

▪ Wind

▪ Daylighting

Personal income tax deduction of up to $5,000 for selling a new energy efficient home with an energy rating of 90 or above.

Utility Rebates and Incentives:

SRP offers:

▪ Rebate of $50- $75 for energy efficient clothes washer

▪ Rebate of $20 for energy efficient dish washer

▪ Rebate of $200- $400 for heat pump or A/C, depending on SEER

▪ Discounts on CFL bulbs at: Costco, Sam’s Club, Home Depot, and Walmart

▪ Discount on shade screens at $3 per sq. ft.

▪ Incentive to recycle your old refrigerator or freezer of $30

APS offers:

▪ Rebate of $175- $525 for heat pump or A/C, depending on SEER

▪ Rebate of up to $250 for a duct test and repair.

▪ Discounts on Energy Star CFL bulbs. Choose from 20 participating retailers here: http://portal.ecosconsulting.com/locator/default.aspx?id=1

▪ Incentive of $3 per DC watt generated by a PV solar system. For example: 4000 watt (4kW) Grid Tied system installed.
$3 x 4000 watts = $12,000 incentive

▪ Incentive of up to 50% of the cost of a solar water heater. For example: Water heater with first year savings of 1800 kWh based on OG-300 rating.
$0.75 x 1800 kWh = $1,350 incentive

▪ Incentive of $0.75/kWh for solar space heating

▪ Incentive of $2,50 per watt for wind energy. For example: 5000 watt (5kW) Grid Tied system installed.
$2.50 x 5000 watts = $12,500 incentive

Additionally, if you were to generate your own power (solar, wind, etc.) the utility companies have to pay you for any extra that you make at the rate they charge their customers. It is called net metering.

Some manufacturers also have rebates available.

More info at:

http://www.energystar.gov/taxcedits

http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/

http://www.aps.com/main/green/choice/default.html

http://www.savewithsrp.com/

Trash Talk

Bring the Green: Trash Talk

9/18/09

by: Melisa Camp

This week I wanted to talk about trash. While on a trip from Phoenix to Tucson I noticed all kinds of garbage lying around roadside. It made me sad to think that this is the world I have brought my three month-old son into. I’m hoping to do something about it and I hope you will choose to take action as well. Join my cause on Facebook: http://apps.facebook.com/causes/355419 and pledge to recycle litter in your community on October 30^th.

By now, most people recycle some of their garbage regularly, but do you really know what you can and cannot recycle in your blue recycling bin? I found a few surprises.

Recycle

• Any and all paper: magazines, newspapers, and even your mail.
• Phone books- recycle the ones you have and sign up to stop receiving them on your doorstep at this website in seconds: http://www.yellowpagesgoesgreen.org/stop-yellow-pages/
• Plastics with the numbers on the bottom of the container that your city recycles. For example, Phoenix only recycles #1 or 2; Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa, and Gilbert recycle #1-7, and Chandler recycles #1-6. A quick google search of your city and recycling should pull up the information for you.

Don’t recycle

• Shredded paper
• Soda and beer boxes 6 to 12 packs*
• Laundry detergent boxes*
• Plastic bags- Plastic bags can be recycled at: Alberrtsons, Bashas, Circle K, Fry’s, Safeway, Sprouts, and Sunflower Farmers’s Markets.

*Wet strength boxes are treated with a waterproof sealant that makes them difficult to recycle.

Reuse

• Sell or trade in your old electronics to Costco. They have a program for laptops, cell phones, digital cameras, LCD monitors, MP3 players, Blu-Ray, Gaming Sytems, GPS, and more. See website for details. http://costco.gazelle.com/
• Donate old items you don’t want. Find a drop off store here http://locator.goodwill.org/.
• Repurpose things you would ordinarily throw away. For example recovering furniture, using an old two liter for a bird feeder (upside-down), or cutting the bottom off of a plastic bottle with a handle and using the remaining part as a scoop; I use mine for dirt, bird seed, and plant food.
• Bring ink containers into local office supply stores like Office Max to be reused and get money back.

Reduce

• Buy in bulk and reduce your garbage. Costco or Sam’s club anyone?
• Use a lunchbox instead of paper bags.
• Send an email instead of mail. Print only what you need. My newest trick is to email directions from mapquest to my phone instead of printing them.
• Use a few reusable shopping bags instead of plastic ones. The hard part is remembering to bring them into the store. If you have small purchases refuse a bag.

Finally, if you have kids and want to teach them about recycling, check out this fun interactive webpage. My students last year loved starfall.com, and especially got into this activity. http://www.starfall.com/n/holiday/earthday/

Pets Gone Green!

September 11, 2009
by Melisa Camp

Pets Gone Green!

For many of us our dog, cat, or bird is part of the family. They deserve nothing but the best in living a healthy and happy life too, right? Bring some Green into your pet’s lives this week with these 5 easy tips.

1. Make your own toys. Save green (cash), packaging, a trip to the store, and garbage from when Fido tears his toy to shreads by making your own from things you already have. Get creative with old socks, old stuffed animals, tennis balls, and string/rope.
2. Buy eco-friendly products. There are many eco-friendly pet products available. From biodegradable doggie pick-up bags, to recycled collars and toys, to organic pet beds. Be sure whatever products you use to clean up after Fluffy are organic to protect your pet and your family from harmful chemicals. For cats, be sure to purchase a non-clay clumping litter because they have carcinogens that are harmful to kitty and humans. I found some great products from all over the web on this blog. http://greatgreenpet.com/
3. Say adios to fleas naturally. Forget harsh and expensive chemical pesticides like Frontline. You can kill fleas with salt and vinegar and keep your pooch flea free by making sure they are clean, and vacuuming often.
4. Feed your pet certified-organic food and make your own treats. Most pet foods are made from 4-D animals, meaning dead, diseased, dying, or disabled. Food of this grade is not consumed by humans, and should not be consumed by pets either. Buying certified-organic foods for your pet ensures that they are eating food that was raised sustainability, chemical, hormone, and pesticide free, and is regulated by the USDA. Making your own gives you control over the quality of food you give your pet. Check out this website for recipies. http://www.dogtreatkitchen.com/organic-dog-treats.html
5. Adopt and spay or neuter your pets. Not only does it help to prevent over crowding from the 70,000 puppies and kittens born each day but it also helps pets to live longer, healthier lives. Adopt instead of shop for your next pet.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

By Melisa Camp

9/4/09

What is a carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) you produce relative to the amount you consume over the course of a year. The more CO2 in the air, the more heat it traps and contributes to global warming. The amount of CO2 is measured in pounds. The average American’s footprint is 26.5 tons [53 pounds], not far from Australia’s 28 tons [56 pounds] per person, but in less-developed India the number dwindles to one ton, according to National Geographic’s Green Guide.

Here are some steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint and help to slow global warming.

• Wash your clothes in cold water. This way you do not have to use energy to heat the water first. And wash only full loads to reduce the number of times you have to run your washer and dryer.

• Run your dishwasher only when it is full for the same reason as above.

• Print only the things you need at home and work, use both sides of paper, and recycle paper instead of throwing it in the trash. You can also recycle your mail.

• Carpool, walk, or ride a bike when possible and run all of your errands in the same trip.

• Drive nicer. Aggressive driving, like accelerating quickly, braking hard and not anticipating stops, and speeding all produce more CO2. According to Carbonfund.org you can reduce your footprint by over 2000 pounds by driving better.

• Clean your refrigerator coils and clean any items off the top to allow it to vent properly and not have to work harder/use more energy than it has to.

• Install CFL lightbulbs to reduce energy use.

• Turn off lights and other electrical devices that you are not using, including the tv, cable box, audio system, computer, printer, cell phone charger, digital picture frame, x-box, fans, etc. I challenge you to take a walk around your house and see how many items are using power at any given time. I did and the results were surprising. There were things on that really didn’t need to be.

• Wrap your water heater in a ‘jacket’ and turn down the temperature to reduce energy use.

• Insulate and seal your home to prevent energy loss. Hire a professional to properly insulate and weatherproof your home with an efficient insulator like soy-based spray foam.

• Hang your clothes out to dry. Bonus: the sun is the best stain remover and color preservative.

Calculate your carbon footprint at these websites:

www.earthlab.com, www.carbonfund.org, www.conservation.org

Breathe Better Air

August 28, 2009

by Melisa Camp

Most of your time is spent inside of your home and air quality is important as it can affect the overall health of you and your family. The EPA shows that poor IAQ results in reduced productivity and adverse health effects, including asthma, headaches, and respiratory infections.

Indoor air quality (AIQ) is affected by many factors. The most common pollutants are: VOCs (volatile organic compounds), lead, pesticides, asbestos, combustion-related (nitrogen-dioxide, carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke), radon, and mold. These pollutants enter the air through off-gassing. Here are some ways you can bring the Green to your home and life by improving air quality:

• Install “Green Label” carpeting, padding, and adhesives to prevent harmful chemicals from off-gassing.

• Use low/no VOC paints, materials, and wallpaper. VOCs can be found in paints, lacquers, adhesive removers, carpet, cleaning supplies, pesticides, wood preservatives, furniture, and cabinets.

• Be sure the wood in your home is certified to meet low-formaldehyde standards.

• Use an organic pesticide.

• Change your air filters regularly.

• Have your air ducts insulated, cleaned, and sealed.

Keeping Cool in the Heat

It’s summer time, the sun is shining and the weather is warm or more accurately- hot if you live in Arizona. Have you noticed the temperature inside of your house increasing with the weather? Well, there are some things that you can do to make your home more energy efficient by preventing the elements from entering your home. Using less energy will also save you some Green ($), while also reducing your carbon footprint.

• Get a programmable thermostat and use it wisely. If you already have one, set it higher when you know no one will be home and at night. If you have a large home, you can go one-step further by installing multi-zone heating/cooling and only alter the temperature for the parts of the home being occupied.

• Use a fan. You can make the temperature in the room feel about two degrees cooler. Just be sure to turn them off when you leave the room and don’t leave them on while you are at work for your pet. Fans do not work for animals because they don’t cool the skin the same. We sweat- animals pant.

• Purchase sunshades. Installing sunshades on East and West facing windows will have the largest impact on temperature control.

• Install awnings. Awnings can provide shade and help to keep your home cool from the sun.

• Upgrade your windows. Think about replacing your windows for multi-pane, Energy Star, low-E (emissivity) windows. Be sure to recycle the old ones by donating to an organization such as Habitat for Humanity.

• Schedule an energy audit. An energy audit will produce a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) score. This is one of the best non-biased indicators of how Green and energy efficient a home is. An audit can show you exactly where your home is susceptible to the outdoor elements with an IR camera. The auditor will check your insulation, windows, doors, heating and cooling system, and air ducts to look for energy loss. Even better, there are $75 to $175 in rebates from APS to have this done. The cost is $250 for one A/C unit and $500 for two A/C units. Contact me to set one up.

Finally, If you do upgrade the windows, install sunshades, have multi-zone heating and cooling or have a HERS score, they are all newly searchable “energy efficient/green” features on the MLS and can help increase the resale value of your home.

Clean Green

Just how safe are your household cleaners? Are you sure that you and your family  are not being exposed to harmful chemicals? This week’s tip is about Green  housekeeping and learning about Green methods and options for cleaning.    

There are currently no standards for the labeling on cleaning products or any  requirements to disclose all ingredients. Additionally, unlike foods, the order  of ingredients listed is not reflective of  greatest amount to least amount.  Many products on the market claim to be “natural”, “safe”, biodegradable”, and  “eco-friendly” but are left unregulated. The terms are vague and can be left to  interpretation Here are some ways to avoid false marketing claims and clean  healthier.

    • Look for the word “organic.”  

Cleaning products that have the word organic on them are the only products that have passed Federal standards.

    • Read the labels.  

Avoid products containing the following harmful chemicals: Ammonia, butyl cellosolve, chlorine bleach, d-limonene, disinfectants, fragrances, hydrochloric and sulfuric acid, naptha, petroleum-based ingredients, phosphates, sodium  hydroxide (lye), and diethenolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA).

     • Make your own (non-toxic) cleaners.  

Baking soda can be used to clean in the kitchen, to treat stains, and remove odors. White vinegar can be used to help kill germs, kill weeds, as well  deodorize the home. Hydrogen peroxide can be used in place of bleach for stain  removal and bleaching and killing of germs. Borax could be used to freshen  laundry and cream of tartar can be used to remove stains in bathtubs/showers.  Home made cleaning recipes can be found at greenerchoices.org and thegreenguide.com.

    • Do the research to find healthier products before you get to the store.  

Green Seal and the EPA’s Design for the Environment are two organizations identifying green household products. (Greenseal.org and epa.gov/dfe) Two of the  most familiar brands I noted from the websites were the Green Works and Method  cleaning products. I personally use Mrs. Meyers all-purpose cleaner; you dilute  it and it last forever, cleans everything, and the lavender scent is refreshing.