Greening Your Home Before Travel

As we prepared to leave for the holidays today we realized that there were several things we could do to save money and energy while we were gone.   While Jon is driving, I have a spare minute to write about some of the things we did and you should consider doing as well.

We have three heating zones in our house, and therefore three Energy Star programmable thermostats.   Jonathan went around to each of them and set the temperature to 58 degrees and pressed the hold button.  We chose 58 degrees because one of our cats is fairly old and we didn't want to make it too chilly for her, otherwise I might have chosen 55 degrees.  You don't want to turn the system off completely during the winter because you could end up with frozen and burst pipes if there's a cold spell.

He also turned down our hot water heater.   Our hot water heater has a "vacation" setting - apparently most do.   You may want to put a mark with a sharpie or painters tape to indicate where you have the heater set to before you turn it down.  The trick with this is to remember to turn it back up *before* you want to take a shower when you get back.

If you don't normally keep your entertainment system unplugged,  this is a good time to unplug it.   This includes DVD players, VCRs, tuners and cable boxes - if you don't need it on for your DVR.  This is also a good time to look around and see if there are other things you typically have plugged in all the time that you won't be needing.  For example we unplugged (and took with us) our baby monitors.  Be sure you shut your computer down and turn off your printer, etc.

We recommend that you turn off all your lights before leaving.  If you feel it's important to have lights on while you're gone, put them on a timer - that will be more realistic looking anyhow!

Some other housekeeping things to remember now that you're being totally green include emptying your table top composter (this is a good time to clean it out and let it dry too), taking out your trash (we produce so little trash with all the composting and recycling that we only take it out once or twice a week), and making sure your windows are all closed!  (If you're in a cold climate like we are, hopefully that won't be an issue.)

To summarize:

• Turn down thermostats and set hold function
• Turn down water heater
• Unplug entertainment center
• Unplug miscellaneous items
• Shut off computer and peripherals
• Turn off lights, put on timer if necessary
• Empty table top composter
• Take out trash
• Close all windows

Happy Greening and Happy Travels!

Alicia & Jon

Jon's 2009 Green Gift Guide

Have you been struggling to find the perfect gift for that eco evangelist friend?  Here are some ideas that any Eco Guy or Gal would be happy to receive:

• The Energy Detective TED-5000 home energy monitor From my research this home energy monitor is the right balance of affordable, expandable and practical for that eco person who wants to know when and how much electricity being used in the home.  The TED-5000 is compatible with Google's PowerMeter, so you can access your logs from anywhere on the web.  Check out the TED-5000 in action.
  You can typically save 10-20% on energy use from simply measuring and being more aware of what behaviors result in more or less energy use.
  
• Solio Classic Universal Hybrid Charger
  
  
  
  Turn his/her cell phone into a solar phone by charging the internal battery in the Solio during the day from the sun and then charging the phone at night. Of course this only eliminates emissions from one side of the equation for cell phones, but it is a start.
  
  
  
  

• USB Powered Heated Gloves
  
  
  Keep his/her hands warm while typing away on the computer. Have you ever been working on the computer and realized that your fingers were freezing? With these gloves, your friend can stay warm even in a cold office or when they turn down the heat to save energy.
  
  
• Wonderworld Eco-Friendly Dollhouse from Smart Gear (Treehugger Gift Guide)
  
  Not your average doll house.  Though a bit on the pricey side, this helps inspire young minds to think about including things like solar and wind on homes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Power House Green Essentials Edition from EcoPlanet (Treehugger Gift Guide)Empower that kid in your life with this sustainable and renewable project kit.
  
  The ten buildingprojects include: the power house itself, a greenhouse, a solar cell array, a passive solar collector, a solar oven, an air conditioner, a refrigerator, a hydrometer, a lemon battery, and a wind power generator.
  
  Let them experiment with the heating, cooling, and insulation of the house and greenhouse. Test passive solar collection methods with a solar collector. Assemble a solar power array to explore active solar power with photovoltaics. Build a model refrigerator and air conditioner to learn about heat transfer. Experiment with a lemon battery to learn about power storage. Set up a wind turbine to generate electricity from the wind.
• 
  
  
  
  
  
  Wind Turbine Neck Tie - Give him the gift of eco flare for that next dinner party or tie requiring event.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• 
  Kill-a-watt I use it to measure everything from the dishwasher to my iPhone charger.  You can quickly seem how much power a device is using or leave it plugged in over time to measure things that have variable loads, like a refrigerator.  If you can measure it, you can reduce it.
  
• Smart Power Strip
  (if they'd use it)
  
  A smart strip is great if you have associated peripherals that you would otherwise have to turn off manually when shutting down a primary device.  Some common examples are a printer for your computer or DVD player for your TV.  The smart strip will sense when the primary device (computer or TV) is turned off (or into a low power mode) and then switch off power to the controlled devices.
  

If you must buy gifts this season, hopefully these will help inspire some ideas.

Happy Holidays!
Jon

Green Snow Removal

In New England, snow is a part of life and dealing with it is something you have to do.  We currently have about a foot of snow and it's still coming down steadily.  So what are the greenest ways to move it out of your way?

Greenest - Snow Shovel

The greenest (and cheapest) is the tried and true snow shovel and a bunch of work.  Shoveling snow is great exercise, but can be back breaking.  You can get the kids involved.  Give them a brush and they can clear off the car or give them a small shovel and set them loose on the walkways and stairs.

Greener - Electric Snow Blower

Shoveling the snow is not always a viable option because it takes time and can be exhausting.When shoveling snow just won't cut it, we use an electric snow blower.  We have this small electric snow blower, namely the Toro Electric Snow Thrower, that makes the job much quicker and less back breaking.   If don't have a driveway, the Toro Power Shovel may be sufficient. Today I was able to clear the snow from our driveway and the parking space in front of our house in less than an hour with my two five year old kids "helping."  I was even able to get things done in time to catch the start of the football game today.

The advantages of the electric snow thrower over its bigger gasoline powered cousins are:

• Cleaner - Because it uses an electric motor instead of a gasoline engine it does not have exhaust that spews CO2 and other pollutants into the air.  It also does not smell either. The electricity is not without emissions, though it is at the power plant and the efficiency of electricity generation is generally better than the internal combustion engine.  Eventually we will hopefully have emission free electricity as the norm.
  
• Quieter - The electric motor is much quieter than the gasoline engines and does not require ear protection, though some sort of hat is good to keep those ears warm.
• No Gasoline Storage - Since you plug it in, you do not have to keep gasoline around the house, though we already have a gas can for our lawn mower, it is usually empty over the winter.
• No Engine Maintenance - The electric motor does not require the usual maintenance associated with a gasoline engine making it easier to maintain.
  
• Easier to Store - Because of its smaller size and lighter weight, the electric snow thrower is easier to store.  During the summer, I carry it down to our basement without any effort.
• Less Expensive - The electric snow thrower goes for around $300, where as the gasoline ones go for much more.
  

As with any power tool, always remember safety first and be sure to wear goggles.  They'll also help the snow from blowing back in your face, which inevitably will happen when the wind is blowing as it usually does during snow storms.

The electric snow thrower does have some limitations. Because they are smaller and not as powerful, they do not handle the heavy wet snow well and take a little longer to move the snow.  Also they require a long extension cord and an outside electrical outlet. 

We are fortunate that we have several very nice neighbors that have big gasoline snow blowers so if we do get a really big storm, we can ask for help.  In the past 7 years of living here we haven't needed the help of a gasoline powered snow blower.

Least Green - Gasoline Powered Snow Blower

Sometimes you do need the power and mobility of a gasoline powered snow blower.  In those cases, the gasoline powered snow blowers are the best option.  They work equally well for light fluffy snow and the heavy wet stuff.  They are loud, dirty and require regular maintenance.  If you can arrange it, try getting together with your neighbors and sharing a unit.  You can split the initial cost, maintenance and storage of the snow blower.

Whichever snow removal method you choose, be sure use the proper safety gear, don't over do it and have some fun.

Happy Greening!
Jon

Insulating Our House Really Worked!

This fall we finally insulated our walls and increased the insulation in our attic.  We had blown in cellulose put in.   It rocks.   Today the high was 25°F outside plus a wind chill in the single digits. Our upstairs thermostat was set to 55°F during the day and it never fell below 62°F upstairs (according to the thermostat). I found it fairly comfortable when I came up to put the baby down for his nap.

The process of installing cellulose insulation was fairly simple.  They took off a few rows of siding around the whole house, 1st and 2nd floors.  Then they drilled holes in the walls, blew in the cellulose, then plugged the holes and put the siding back up.   They used timers each time they had the insulation blowing,  if it ran too long, they'd look inside to see if there was a problem, such as an open wall to the basement.   We didn't have any, because before they started insulating, they air sealed the entire house and made sure that all the walls were closed at the bottom.

We have a 1600 square foot house and the whole thing, walls and attic, was done in a day and a half.

One thing to note is that our house is more humid now that it's all sealed up and insulated.   We put an exhaust fan in the bathroom to help minimize any humidity problems.  So far the humidity has been a good thing meaning we haven't had to set up the humidifiers so far this winter.

I should mention that we also had our 33 year old natural gas boiler (heating system) replaced last winter with a 96% efficient gas boiler.  With the insulation and new boiler, we reduced our gas usage in November by over 55% and saved $82.

I cannot say enough good things about getting your house insulated!   If the benefits to the environment don't convince you,  the benefits to your bank account should!   The insulation work cost us $4,000 before any rebates or incentives (For us the rebate from our gas company was $2,000 and the federal tax incentive is $1,500).   We are on target to save $800 on our heating bill this year.

Happy Greening!
Alicia

Thinking Green When Traveling

While recently attending a conference in Denver, CO, many green travel tips occurred to me and I was also pleasantly surprised by the number of green things already in place.  Many of my thoughts below cluster around the idea  of "Use only what you need" which is what I found posted on stickers in the Colorado Convention Center bathrooms.  

Green Traveling Thoughts

• Drink local beer & wine
  
• Say "No, thank you" to vendor giveaways you do not need
• Turn down hotel thermostats
• Don't fill the ice bucket full
• Composting next to trash

Drink Local Beer & Wine

Have fun with this and try out what is locally produced.  Eating and drinking locally saves on food miles and energy spent to transport the food. While in Denver, I had some local brews on tap, as well as Blue Moon and Fat Tire Ale which are both made in Colorado. As an aside, on tap is more environmentally friendly than bottles because you don't have the weight of the bottles to transport or the bottles to make. Kegs are almost always reused repeatedly.

Say No Thank You to Useless Vendor Giveaways.

Vendors often have small trinkets with their company logo to give away.  As I walk down the aisles of the exhibit hall, I feel compelled to take those free pens, t-shirts, buttons, stress balls, brochures, etc., but I thought about it and limited myself to only taking those things that I would actually use or that my kids would love to have.  My favorite vendor giveaway wasn't actually something I could take with me: a 5 minute chair massage.  After carrying my backpack all day, that really hit the spot.  Some other good tschotskes that I like are:

• small recycled paper notepads
• t-shirts that I'll actually wear
• reusable tote bags
• LED flashlights
• pocket sized hand sanitizer (great during flu season)

I asked a number of vendors to follow up with me and send me their brochures electronically to save the paper and to avoid carrying a bunch of paper that I'll likely end up loosing anyhow, back on the plane with me.

Turn Down Hotel Room Thermostat

When I walked into my hotel room, the heat was on and the room was comfortably warm, the thermostat was set to 70 F.  I turned it down to 66 F, which is what we heat to at home.  After the first night I turned it down to 64 because I was still too warm.  With all the rooms around me and the mild weather, I don't think the heat turned on in my room again, which was fine by me.  I was glad not to waste the energy, especially when I wasn't in the room most of the day while I was at the conference.

Don't Fill the Ice Bucket in the Hotel

Up until this trip, when filling the ice bucket at hotels, I have always filled the bucket to the top.  Inevitably, I would use a little of the ice and then in the morning would pour the melted ice (aka water) down the sink.  Then it hit me: I only needed a little ice to make numerous glasses of ice water.  The energy and water savings between a partial bucket and full bucket of  ice is small, but it adds up when you think of how many people stay in hotels every night.

Composting Next to Trash Cans

At the Colorado Convention Center they had cans for compost right next to the recycling and trash.  This was the first time I'd seen commercial compost collection at a non-eco focused event.  It makes a lot of sense for the Convention Center to do this because they are able to reduce the amount of trash they pay to send to landfills and have the volume of compostable waste (food scraps and dirty paper goods like napkins and plates) to make it worthwhile.  Putting the bins all together enables people to easily dispose of their waste in the most environmentally friendly ways.

As you plan your travels for the holidays, consider how you can make your trips to see friends and family a little greener.  You'll be surprised how good it feels to do several little things along the way.

What are your ideas for greening your travels this year?

Happy Greening and Happy Holidays!
Jon

Energy Bucks Program

Yesterday Jon heard a PSA for the Massachusetts Energy Bucks program and he suggested that it was probably something I should talk about in my seminar and blog about it.   I laughed because it's an important program that I make sure to plug in every presentation.  Unfortunately it's a Massachusetts-only program, but it's a great one and I expect that other states have similar ones.

Energy Bucks is Massachusetts income-eligible program for reduced heating fuel,  but more importantly from my point of view,  it provides income eligible people with free weatherization work and heating system upgrades.  Now, most people hear "income-eligible" and probably think "I'm sure I make too much for that." However, the income limits on this program are quite high.  You can see all the brackets on their web page, but the first few levels are:

Household members	Monthly Income	Annual Income
1	$2,323	$27,876
2	$3,038	$36,454
3	$3,753	$45,031

As you can see, this is definitely something worth exploring for a lot of people.

This program is available to renters and homeowners and provides fuel subsidies, discounted utility rates and weatherization services which include free home energy audits, air sealing, insulation and window work.  The beautiful part about what is available to renters is that it does not look at the landlord's income at all, but rather focuses on the tenants income.  As a tenant, if you meet the requirements, you can receive the assistance to your apartment, and if 50% or more of the tenants in a building meet the requirements, the entire building qualifies or weatherization work, regardless of the landlord's income.

So now, if you're a Massachusetts resident you're probably saying "How do I get in on this deal?"  You need to go through your local Community Action Program (CAP).  To find the CAP for your area,  go to the Energy Bucks website and plug in your zipcode.  The site will then tell you who to contact for more information.

Happy Greening!
Alicia

Upgrading Your Existing Decorations to LEDs

I have always loved the spiral tree lights in front of homes during the holidays.  I broke down and bought one a few years ago, but it only lasted two seasons before half of the lights stopped working.  I was bummed, but wasn't about to buy another one to have it go out in a year or two.  Then I got the idea, from my mother-in-law actually, to restring the lights on the tree.  She had done this with a lighted reindeer last year.  I had to take it one steep greener and use LED lights because they should last longer and use a fraction of the electricity. So, I asked my five year old daughter if she wanted to help and we got to work.

Here is how we did it:

• First we setup the spiral tree in our living room.  If you can find a place out of the way, your wife/husband and other family members will be much happier about the project.
  
  
  
  
• Then we checked to be sure the lights really didn't work and in fact, about half the lights were out.  There were four or five bulbs that were suspicious, including one that was broken and shocked me.  Ouch!  When working with electricity, especially with things like broken lights, be careful!
• After unplugging the lights, we proceeded to remove the clipped on lights.  I worked from the top and my daughter started at the bottom.  Be careful not to damage the frame, but don't worry if you break a couple of the plastic clips, we did, because those lights are broken anyways.
  
  
  
  
  
• The star, which had lights mounted inside of it took a bit of patience and persistence.  I slowly worked a flat head screwdriver around the edges and was able to separate the star into its two pieces.  Inside was a mounting bracket from which I removed the old incandescent holiday lights.
  
• When picking out an LED string to use, be sure that it is UL rated for Outdoor use.  The string of LEDs I was originally going to use was only Indoor rated, so I found another one that was rated for Outdoor use.
  
  
  
  
  
• Once the old string of lights was removed, we started by mounting the LED string in the star and working our way down the spiral of the tree.  One hint for next time, make sure that you compare the length of the old string with the new string.  You may need to use multiple LED strings to cover the entire tree.  Use small cable ties to secure the lights to the metal wire that makes up the spiral.  We found about every 2-3 LEDs was the right spacing.  I showed my daughter on the top ones and then she proceeded to do the majority of the tree by herself.  You can trim the cable ties or not.  We left them and pointed them down to resemble icicles.
  
• Plug in and enjoy -- You may want to take it outside for others to enjoy as well!

All in all the project took us a little under an hour to do.  I'm sure it would have been quicker if I had done it myself, but it was much more fun to work with my daughter on the project and she is very proud of the tree that she helped fix, reuse and make energy efficient.

The next time you have a holiday decoration that is broken, consider if you can fix it up instead of throwing it away and buying a new one.  You'll save money, help the environment and you can have fun doing a project with your kids.  And for that special "green" flare, go for green LEDs!

Happy Greening!
Jon

Jon Learns about Expanding Foam at HEET Barnraising

This past weekend I participated in my first Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) Weatherization Barnraising.  About 35 folks showed up to lend a hand. Several companies helped by sponsoring the event and providing some of the supplies, including our favorite supplier, EFI. We were divided into teams based on what we wanted to learn and do.  Each team had a team leader who was either a contractor in the trade or someone who had a lot of experience with the various tasks.  There were teams to install CFLs, caulk windows, work on the attic hatch, install programmable thermostats, reduce water usage, install weatherstripping and seal exterior air leaks.  I worked on the team that was sealing exterior air leaks.  The HEET folks conducted a blower door test before we arrived.

I wasn't really expecting to learn much as we had already done all of the planned tasks at our own home.  I was surprised to actually learn a few things. My thanks to Jeremy, the leader for our team.  We did exterior caulking and spray foaming to seal air leaks.  He showed me and the team about the sill plate and why not to seal the gap between the siding and the house. He explained it would lead to water damage as well as other problems.  Using the foam takes some practice and Jeremy showed us a number tips which I've included below.

Things to keep in mind when using expanding spray foam:

• Wear safety googles
  
• Wear latex gloves because the foam will not come off of your skin
• Wear clothes you don't care about because it does not come out of clothes
• Prep the areas (perhaps marking with blue painters tape) because once you start the foam, you need to keep working until you are done using the can
• Don't use the expanding foam around door frames and window frames because the pressure from expansion can warp the frame (you can get expanding foam that is specially made for doors and windows)
• Don't try and work the foam (wait for it to cure and then cut or scrape to clean up)
• A little goes a long way
• The can works best upside down

In addition to learning more about the spray foam and getting some practice working with it, I also got a chance to explain to others the reasoning behind some of the things we were doing.  For instance, I explained why we were installing switch plate cover foam insulation on interior walls and how tight we would have to make the house before needing active ventilation.  These are topics worthy of future posts.

My thanks to Audrey, the project leader from HEET, because of whom I got the experience of setting up the blower door and conducting the test.  She showed me how to set the unit up and how it worked.  She also answered my questions about what is involved in setting up a HEET program in our town.  Hopefully I will be able to assist in setting up a HEET program in Medford in the future.

All in all, the five hours spent helping weatherize this three family three story house was a good use of my time.  I learned some things, shared my knowledge and got to help others save energy. For even more about HEET barnraisings, you can read about Alicia's experience volunteering on a HEET weatherization last month.  If you are interested in learning how to do these things, see if there is a program near you by visiting http://heetma.com and volunteer, no experience needed.

Taking the Brown Bag out of Brown Bag Lunches

I have been trying to find ways to reduce my family's impact on the environment in ways that are low-impact on our family.  I also try to find things that are inexpensive or save us money at the same time.    Regardless of how much money you have, it's always good to save money where you can, at least so you have it for other things!  "Brown bagging it" or taking your lunch to work or school, rather than buying every day, can definitely save money.  Taking your lunch in reusable containers also saves money over buying plastic & paper bags, foil, etc.

There are several websites that are now selling reusable lunch kits that come with an assortment of containers to go in your lunch box.  These are very pretty with all matching pieces.  If you're rich, by all means, this may be something you want to spend your money on.  Be sure you have enough containers to pack several meals at once so you can have some in the fridge, some in the dishwasher and some out at school.  I prefer the flexibility and cost of a more ad-hoc system.

For the outer container I bought each of my children a lunchbox at our local Mothers of Twins Club sale.  I picked up containers that were in excellent shape for just a couple of dollars.  My husband uses either a plastic shopping bag (in case of leaks) or one of the cooler bags that we have received on occasion as free giveaways. Buying used is good for the environment because it creates a market for things that would otherwise have been thrown away.

Read more »

Recycling Juice Boxes

Ever since September, when my son started taking juice boxes to school, he's been bringing them home.  We've had a running argument that he should just throw them out, because they can't be recycled and they were dripping on his papers.  Then one day my friend in Portland, Oregon mentioned that juice boxes can be put in her commingled recycling.  I wrote to the recycling coordinator for my DPW and it turns out we recycle juice boxes too!   Who knew?  Luckily the recycling coordinator knew! For the record, they are not mentioned on our recycling flier that we receive each year.

If you're wondering if juice boxes can be recycled in your community, you could ask your Department of Public Works, or you can check Earth911.com - this link is to my local area, update it with your zip code for your information.  You need to search on "drink boxes" not "juice containers"  as that refers to the milk and juice larger containers that are recycled differently.

If you cannot recycle them,  people have started coming up with ideas for reusing including making ipod and iphone cases and container gardening.

I also stumbled upon an interesting article on enotes.com about how juice boxes are made and their history.

My new goal is to get the word out through the schools that juice boxes are recyclable in our town.  Think about how much less waste would be produced from by our schools if they added recycling juice boxes to the list of things they do!

Happy Greening!
Alicia

About Us

My husband and I started Green Lifestyle Consulting because we are overflowing with ideas on how to live an environmentally friendly life,  without impacting our lifestyle.  We have become the environmental go-to people for our friends and family and after much encouragement, decided that we should start a blog to share this knowledge with a broader audience.

In 2008 we participated in a year-long contest called the Energy Smackdown, which was designed to teach people how to reduce their carbon output. I was skeptical,  but after the first few months we had reduced our monthly electrical and gas usage by over 30 percent without making any radical lifestyle changes or spending a lot of money. I was hooked. I began trying to find more ways to lower our bills even further, and I was hired to create Home Energy Seminars that would be presented around Massachusetts. 

We have three small children, so you can rest assured that suggestions we make are feasible for people with children - if not, we'll say so!  In fact, many things we have researched and learned are because our children also feel very strongly about doing what's best for the planet.   One example is that my son kept bringing his juice boxes home from kindergarten, insisting that they shouldn't be thrown away.  I was sure they were not recyclable,  but I finally wrote to the recycling coordinator for the Department of Public Works in our town,  and she told me that they could be put in with the commingles!

Between us we have three degrees from MIT,  so we are very critical in our approach to change, always looking for sources and studies that support the "green" and "environmental" claims that products and people make (or perhaps that's the cynical New Yorker in me?).   We have been featured on Going Green Boston on WCVB (Channel 5) as well as on Making Cent$ on Boston's WHDH (Channel 7) for our savings. We have also been profiled by Energy Star as an example of what people can do in New England to save energy without spending a lot of money.

Our goal is to save energy and the environment, therefore we make our advice available for free through our blog, twitter and facebook.  We are also available to do in-person and phone consulting and provide several services such as green birthday parties, home evaluations, and getting households set up to do a number of eco-friendly and sustainable activities (like composting, gardening and recycling).  We enjoy giving presentations and teaching classes on all of the topics that we write about on our blog.  We are happy to customize them to your specific needs. Contact us for an estimate.

Remember that to make a lasting impact we need to make changes that fit our lifestyles and have fun doing it.

Happy Greening!
Alicia & Jon

Tis the Season for Tax Incentives

While the Federal Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit is good through December 2010, if you want to get your credit this tax season, you need to complete your projects before New Years so you can get your $1,500 tax credit this spring.

The credit applies to energy efficiency improvements in the building envelope of existing homes and for the purchase of high-efficiency heating, cooling and water-heating equipment. Efficiency improvements or equipment must serve a dwelling in the United States that is owned and used by the taxpayer as a primary residence. The maximum amount of homeowner credit for all improvements combined is $1,500 for equipment purchased during the two-year period of 2009 and 2010. - DSIRE

This tax credit applies to all sorts of greening projects around the home like:

• air sealing and insulation
• installing a high efficiency boiler or furnace
• installing a high efficiency water heater
• installing high efficiency central air conditioning

Be sure to check with your local utility for other rebates that you may be available. We have taken advantage of National Grid's (our local gas company), $2,000 rebate for Air Sealing and Insulation work and earlier this year another $1,000 rebate for installing a high efficiency boiler. To check what is available in your state, check out the my earlier post What Incentives Are Available for You.

Even More Tax Incentives for Renewable Energy Projects

The tax incentives do not stop with energy efficiency and building envelope improvements, though that is the best place to start.  Beginning January 2009, the cap on the federal personal tax credit for residential renewable energy projects was lifted.  You can now get 30% of the total project costs for:

• solar-electric (PV)
• solar-water heating (thermal)
• fuel cell - there is a maximum
• small wind
  
• geo-thermal heat pump
  More details, see the DSIRE listing.

For example, if you install a $20,000 solar PV system (1-2kW range) you would get an $6,000 credit on your federal taxes.  Many states also have very attractive tax incentives to encourage the move away from fossil fuels.  Massachusetts adds another 15% up to $1,000 personal tax credit for the same types of renewable energy projects. Therefore in Massachusetts you would get a $6,000 Federal tax credit and $1,000 MA tax credit lowering the total project costs to $13,000.  You could also be eligible for various state or local solar/renewable energy rebates.  The rebates in Massachusetts have been pretty generous (another $2,000 to $5,000 for this sized system), but are currently in flux with the implementation of the Green Communities Act, so I cannot be more specific.

If you have been talking about doing an energy efficiency project, see if you can get it done before the end of the year, so you can leverage the various tax credits a year sooner than if you wait until January.  I know how long that can be as we replaced our boiler this past January and will not see a penny of the tax credits until we file our taxes next April.

Happy Greening!
Jon