by
Travis
22. April 2009 15:41
Earth Day is a very special day that is celebrated on April 22nd every year. Earth Day was actually founded by a United States Senator by the name of Gaylord Nelson in 1970 as an environmental teach-in (a kind of educational forum). This special day is not only celebrated here in the United States, but is now celebrated by countries all over the world. Essentially, that day, April 22nd of 1970, marks the beginning of the modern environmental movement. As such, this is a day that is indeed worthy of celebration, education, and awareness. At its inception in 1970, there were over 20 million Americans who participated, including thousands of colleges and universities who staged protests against the deterioration of the environment. That first Earth Day in 1970 also saw the birth of the Earth Day Network, an organization that promotes environmental citizenship and year-round progressive action worldwide. Through this network, activists can connect change in local, national, and global policies. Earth Day Network's international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year.
While the Earth Day Network and billions of others are making their contributions, you can be doing the same. You do not need to stage a protest or clean up an oil spill to take part in Earth Day. While we should be aware of our environment every day, Earth Day is a special time to heighten this awareness. Do you usually drive to work? On Earth Day, take the bus. Do you usually pack your lunch in a plastic bag? Pack it in a reusable bag on Earth Day. Do you usually throw that newspaper in the garbage? On Earth Day take that extra step to make sure it gets recycled. Whatever you do, just be aware that this is a special day for our planet, and billions of people worldwide recognize that and celebrate the world in which we all live. So have a Happy Earth Day and...until next year!
by
Travis
15. April 2009 17:43
Reduce your carbon footprint. Make a positive contribution to the environment. Help out your family, friends, and community. Save money on your monthly utility bills! The Greenovations Complete Home Audit offers you all of these things and many many more. Consider, just for a moment, the amount of electricity, water, and gas that your household uses. Now, consider the amount of money that you spend every month on these utilities. Although it is a difficult reality to accept, the price that we all pay for utilities will only be going up in the future, with no apparent end in sight. Do we all want to see our wallets, purses, and bank accounts drained of more money than they have to be? Absolutely not! So what is the solution? The Greenovations Complete Home Energy Audit, of course. For a small fee, you and your family could enjoy significant monthly savings on your utility bills, both now and throughout your future. What is more, after only a short time, the savings that you accumulate will have already paid for your initial investment in the audit and continue to bring you additional savings on top of that! As if that weren't enough, on top of that, you will be doing a tremendous service for your family's health and well-being, you will be making a lasting positive contribution to the environment, and you will be saving the planet. So what are you waiting for? Head back to the main page and start today!
by
Travis
4. April 2009 15:46
So you have more than likely heard a lot lately about how our current administration is addressing the nation’s most critical energy and environmental issues. To quell any concerns and clarify any existing confusion, I have taken the liberty of providing an overview of the Obama-Biden “New Energy for America Plan”, a plan with many various aspects that will confront some of the difficulties that America is experiencing both in the realms of environment and the economy. The new plan will:
Provide Short-term Relief to American Families
- Crack Down on Excessive Energy Speculation.
Eliminate Our Current Imports from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 Years
- Increase Fuel Economy Standards.
- Get 1 Million Plug-In Hybrid Cars on the Road by 2015.
- Create a New $7,000 Tax Credit for Purchasing Advanced Vehicles.
- Establish a National Low Carbon Fuel Standard.
- A "Use it or Lose It" Approach to Existing Oil and Gas Leases.
- Promote the Responsible Domestic Production of Oil and Natural Gas.
Create Millions of New Green Jobs
- Ensure 10 percent of Our Electricity Comes from Renewable Sources by 2012, and 25 percent by 2025.
- Deploy the Cheapest, Cleanest, Fastest Energy Source – Energy Efficiency.
- Weatherize One Million Homes Annually.
- Develop and Deploy Clean Coal Technology.
- Prioritize the Construction of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.
Reduce our Greenhouse Gas Emissions 80 Percent by 2050
- Implement an economy-wide cap-and-trade program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050.
- Make the U.S. a Leader on Climate Change.
What a fantastic step in the right direction. Now let's all help by doing our part!
by
Travis
18. December 2008 07:51
According to Section 73 of the California Tax and Revenue Code (can be viewed here: Section 73), for industrial, commercial, and residential areas, the tax exemption amount of Solar Systems is equal to 100% of the value of the system. You need to act fairly quickly to get that Solar System installed because this section and benefit will be repealed on January 1st of 2010. To get a little more specific, so that you do not experience any surprises when you install you system, components such as storage devices, power conditioning equipment, transfer equipment, and parts all fall under the 100% exemption. Other components, such as pipes and ducts that are used to carry solar energy and energy produced from other sources, only fall under 75% exemption. Similarly, dual-usage items for solar-electric systems only falls under 75% exemption as well. Contact your County Assessor's office for additional information.
by
Travis
18. December 2008 07:33
Residential taxpayers in California who take out a loan to purchase and install energy efficient products and equipment can sit comfortably, knowing that 100% of the interest paid on that load is tax deductible. More specifically, the deduction is for loans from a publicly-owned utility company for the purchase of energy-efficient heating, ventilation, air-conditioning, lighting, solar, advanced metering of energy usage, windows, zone heating products, insulation, and weatherization systems. If you are a customer of a publicly-owned utility company who does not offer customer financing, you may still be able to deduct interest from a home equity or home improvement loan used to purchase energy-efficient products and equipment. While this is all true for California residents, do not hesitate to contact your local city or state agency to find similar savings in your area.
by
Travis
17. December 2008 12:03
Yet another quick, inexpensive, and easy fix for saving water, electricity, and gas is to replace your existing shower heads with low flow models and to install low flow aerators on your faucets. These are great DIY projects for that Sunday afternoon and they can potentially cut your water use by up to 50% and energy used to heat your water by up to 50%. The flow of water through shower heads and faucet aerators is expressed as number of gpm's, or gallons per minute. So, logically, the lower the gpm number, the less water you are using, and the more money you are saving. While both of these can be installed by yourself, always call your local handyman if you have any doubts or reservations. The money that you save on your monthly bills and the impact you will have on the environment will pay for the price of the hardware in no time.
by
Travis
17. December 2008 11:43
Ask yourself a quick question: Do you pay money for water to fall from the sky? Hopefully you answered "No", but if you didn't, you need to demand your money back immediately! Yes, it is true, rain water is absolutely FREE. So, then, it would just make sense to collect as much of it as we can. You can go about this in many different ways. It can be anything from putting a couple of containers out when it rains, to having Rain Collection Barrels installed in your home. The water that you collect from the sky can serve so many purposes, including watering your garden or washing your car. When you watch the news and hear that it is going to rain tomorrow, just take a minute to stick that water pitcher out on your patio. You could also go the more permanent route and just have Rain Collection Barrels installed. They come in various capacities and styles to suit your collection needs. Give your hose a rest and use the gift that nature provides!
by
dale
17. December 2008 09:46
While it is true that all washing machines, even Energy Star Washers, have a hot or warm water setting, do we really need to use it? Sure, maybe to help us get rid of that really tough stain, but for normal, everyday washing? Wash your clothes in cold water to save money and energy. The more you wash in cold water, the less energy it takes to heat up the water, and the more you save on your electric and gas bill. Although your current detergent should work just fine, if you are still concerned, there are many different brands now that have formulas designed specifically for cold water washing. Your clothes will be just as clean as before and you will definitely appreciate it when you see your electric or gas bill.
by
dale
16. December 2008 14:30
While you may or may not be aware of the potential tax incentives for "Greening" your home or business, it is time that you listen carefully. The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 that was passed recently, extended and/or amended many consumer tax incentives that were originally introduced by the Energy Policy Act of 2005. So, what does this mean for you as the consumer? Be sure to visit www.energy.gov to find out more information for yourself, but to put it simply, this means that by purchasing or installing various energy and fuel efficient items, such as windows, insulation, solar panels, doors, vehicles, and many others, you could be eligible for both tax breaks and, perhaps, some utility or state rebates. So, while positively contributing to your environment you could potentially save a ton of money! Don't waste another minute and do your research today to start saving your money now!
by
dale
11. December 2008 07:15
By using a broom and not the hose on your driveway, you could do two things at once: Save, on average, 80 gallons of water from going down the drain, as well as getting a small physical workout at the same time by using that broom. We all need be sure to use our natural resources more wisely. Doing things like this are necessary to help us save on our water bills, help us save the supply of water for tomorrow, and give us hope for the future.
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