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How to Go Green: Summer

With the warm weather fully unfurled, you've got some free time and some hot days before you. That means time off to spend at the beach, with the kids, away on vacation, whatever… You've got backyard BBQs, ballgames, trips to the local zoo, and a whole lot more to squeeze in, but you're not so certain how to make sure your summer vacation is looking and feelings its greenest. So let's lotion up, put some beer on ice, and get down to business.

1. Steppin' light

Find local activities with low environmental impacts like a trip to the local park, woods, zoo, ballgame, or beach with friends to relax. Time spent with friends and family can be a great way to catch up and have fun. Picking up that new book you've been meaning to read while lounging on the deck is another great way to pass the time and leave a smaller footprint behind. The Deathly Hallows ought to keep you busy for a little while. Once you've gotten out of the city, check out our guide on How to Green Your Outdoor Sports.

2. Cool and Easy

Air conditioning can offer much-needed respite from the heat and can make sweaty nights bearable, but be sensitive to overuse. Turning up the thermostat a few degrees on your AC is a great way to save tons of cash while making the planet a cooler place at the same time.

3. Up in your grill

Love to BBQ? Propane burns much cleaner than either wood or charcoal briquettes. If you can't resist charcoal, try a natural product like those produced by Cowboy Charcoal-much cleaner than your traditional briquettes. Of course, when you're done grilling, use natural cleaning products such as SoyClean organic grill cleaner to keep your summer as chemical-free as possible. Tests show it's just as tough on grime as traditional cleaners, but won't leave that chemical residue behind to leach into your next burger or grilled tomato. Plus, if you want to give your neighbors something to gossip about, try a solar over from a company like Solar Cookers International. How to Green Your Meals has some tasty advise, as well.

4. The local roundup

Buy food locally. Farmers markets are great places to shop, and ensure that the veggies you're eating hot off the grill or mixed in a salad haven't traveled thousands of miles just to reach your plate. That cuts down on the use of fossil fuels, which leads to significantly reduced levels of pollution and resource depletion over your typical tomato bought at the local supermarket. Websites like Local Harvest can help you find one in your area, even if you've never seen one in your life.

5. The green plate special

Use reusable dishes rather than plastics or Styrofoam. If you absolutely must use disposables, make sure to pick up compostable varieties beforehand to put in the compost bin when you're through. For more, check out Where to Get This Stuff below.

6. Greenie bikini

You don't have to go so far as wearing a biodegradable or solar bikini to make your summer accoutrements more sustainable. Look for eco-friendly products like clothing, swimsuits, sandals, towels, and skin care. Each of them is a step in the right direction, and you might just fall in love with a product or style you never knew existed. Lots more to learn at How to Green Your Wardrobe.

7. Charge!

Pick up a solar backpack or device like the Freeloader or the Solio to take with you on day trips. That way, whether you're at the beach or on the go you'll be able to run and recharge a wide range of portable devices on solar energy. Save a buck by cutting out the electric company and giving your rechargeables the solar power they deserve. More green power tips and a roundup of solar chargers and other products can be found here.

8. No poison, please

Remember those carefree days of running alongside the DDT truck as it sprayed the happy townspeople and iced all the bugs? Well, we're a little smarter now, so use products like garlic barrier to ward off mosquitoes. Traditional products certainly do the job, but they can end up turning your backyard into a deathtrap for every other kind of living thing that drops by for a visit. That means birds, butterflies, ladybugs, and even the family dog gets an unhealthy dose. Not to mention yourself, the kids, the neighbors' kids, and even your bratty nephew who lives down the block. Make sure to apply it when you think it won't rain for several days, and the garlic alternative should treat you right. Planting rosemary is a natural and low-tech way to block skeeters. Then there are always the big guns like the Mosquito Magnet.

9. Wet and wise

Water usage levels are a big deal throughout much of the U.S. and the summer drought season can really make things tough. Be certain to watch what you use, water plants only when necessary, and take a few minutes to install a low-flow showerhead. They're simple steps that can make a big difference. For more, check out How to Green Your Water.

10. The greener road

Have to travel long distances to arrive at your dream destination this summer? Consider making it by road or rail rather than by plane, but be sure to offset your carbon emissions no matter what mode of transportation you choose. Companies and non-profit groups like Terrapass, Climate Care, MyClimate, Native Energy, and American Forests all offer ways to offset the damage done when you pick up and travel to places unknown. Our guide for How to Go Green: Carbon Offsets is a great launch pad.

Source: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-summer/green-summer-tips.html

Spring forward - How Daylight Savings Time Saved Energy.

One of the biggest reasons we change our clocks to Daylight Saving Time (DST) is that it saves energy. Energy use and the demand for electricity for lighting our homes is directly connected to when we go to bed and when we get up. Bedtime for most of us is late evening through the year. When we go to bed, we turn off the lights and TV.

In the average home, 25 percent of all the electricity we use is for lighting and small appliances, such as TVs, VCRs and stereos. A good percentage of energy consumed by lighting and appliances occurs in the evening when families are home. By moving the clock ahead one hour, we can cut the amount of electricity we consume each day.

Studies done in the 1970s by the U.S. Department of Transportation show that we trim the entire country's electricity usage by about one percent EACH DAY with Daylight Saving Time.

Daylight Saving Time "makes" the sun "set" one hour later and therefore reduces the period between sunset and bedtime by one hour. This means that less electricity would be used for lighting and appliances late in the day.

We also use less electricity because we are home fewer hours during the "longer" days of spring and summer. Most people plan outdoor activities in the extra daylight hours. When we are not at home, we don't turn on the appliances and lights. A poll done by the U.S. Department of Transportation indicated that Americans liked Daylight Saving Time because "there is more light in the evenings / can do more in the evenings."

While the amounts of energy saved per household are small...added up they can be very large.

In the winter, the afternoon Daylight Saving Time advantage is offset by the morning's need for more lighting. In spring and fall, the advantage is less than one hour. So, Daylight Saving Time saves energy for lighting in all seasons of the year except for the four darkest months of the year (November, December, January and February) when the afternoon advantage is offset by the need for lighting because of late sunrise..

Tax Time

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Green Tax Guide: Make Your Home Energy Efficient and Save Taxes Too

If you paid for home improvements to make your home more energy efficient in 2007, you may be eligible for tax breaks as well. Federal Tax Credits are available for home improvements that include installing energy efficient windows and doors, roofing, insulation, central air conditioning, water heaters, solar energy systems and fuel cells.

Tax credits are subtracted from the amount of tax due, which can be a lot more valuable than a tax deduction. A tax deduction is subtracted from the amount of income earned and then you must pay whatever taxes are due on that income at your current tax rate.

Tax credits can total up to $500 for home improvements, but if you add a solar energy system or fuel cells the tax credit can be a lot higher. For solar energy systems you can write off up to 30% of the cost up to $2,000. For fuel cells the tax credit can be as high as 30% of costs paid up to $1,000. To get these credits you'll need to file Form 5695 with your tax return.

You may find that your state also offers additional tax incentives. Go to the Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org and click on your state to find the incentives available to you.

(Source: www.greendaily.com/2008/01/22green-tax-guide-make-your-home-energy-efficient-and-save-taxes/)

Introduction to Tax Credits

The consumer tax credits for energy-efficiency home improvements have been revived with a few tweaks for the calendar year 2009. To be eligible, most qualifying products must be purchased and installed between January 1 and December 31, 2009. There also are some new eligible products. Please see below for additional details. Efforts to have Congress further extend the consumer tax credits continue!

A recent law expands and extends valuable federal tax credits for consumers who purchase fuel-efficient hybrid-electric or diesel vehicles and who make certain, specified energy-efficiency upgrades to their homes.

Consumers who employ energy-efficient products in their homes or drive fuel-efficient vehicles enjoy multiple benefits. At home, these benefits include lower home energy bills, increased indoor comfort, and reduced air pollution. On the road, consumers will increase their gas mileage so they lower their gasoline costs, and they will dramatically reduce the amount of air pollution from their vehicles.

In addition to helping savvy consumers lower their energy bills at home and on the road, the energy-efficient products eligible for the new federal tax credits actually lower the amount of federal income taxes that these taxpayers must pay Uncle Sam.

What is a tax credit?
You don’t receive an income tax credit when you buy the product, like an instant rebate. You claim the credit on your federal income tax form at the end of the year. The credit then increases the tax refund you receive or decreases the amount you have to pay.

Tax credits vs. tax deductions:
In general, a tax credit is more valuable than a similar tax deduction. A tax credit reduces the tax you pay, dollar-for-dollar. Tax deductions – such as those for home mortgages and charitable giving – lower your taxable income. If you are in the highest 35-percent tax bracket, the income tax you pay is reduced by 35 percent of the value of a tax deduction. But a tax credit reduces your federal income tax by 100 percent of the amount of the credit.

Please note: you should consult a tax professional regarding your individual tax situation.

Consumer Tax Credit Information
Details on the tax credits for hybrid vehicles and for home improvements are located below. In addition, there is a consumer tax credit for solar energy and fuel cells.

The tax credits took effect in January 2006. The credit for home improvements expired in December 2007 but now is reinstated for all of 2009. The hybrid vehicle tax credit phases out at a different time for each manufacturer.

Here is how much you could save on your taxes if you took advantage of some of these tax credits. But remember that your energy savings each year may be greater than the one-time tax savings.

Selected Tax Credits

* Maximum of $500 total for home improvements.

(Source: Alliance To Save Energy, www.ase.org/content/article/detail/2654 )