The Red, White, and Green

Sure, anyone with deep pockets can go out and buy a new hybrid car or install solar panels at home. But what about those of us who are struggling financially, yet want to do our bit to reduce our dependence on foreign oil? Today’s Wall Street Journal offers 10 ways to help the environment and save money at the same time. A few highlights:

• Leasing solar panels. Buying and installing solar panels offers huge savings in the long-term, but can cost tens of thousands of dollars. In California and a few other states, however, some companies will install solar panels on your property, then charge you for the power from the panels at a much lower rate than a traditional utility bill–expect a savings of about 11 percent in yearly electricity costs.
• Lighting motion sensors. A common scenario in office buildings, installing lighting motion sensors in your home is a simple way to cut costs, especially for outdoor lights that are often left on at night. This is a solution that offers little up-front cost: Many porch lights have built-in sensors and cost around $50. 
• Smarter water heating. If you heat your water with natural gas and pay high utility rates, a drain-water heat-recovery system can be an effective solution. Here’s how it works: Heat from waste water as it travels down your shower drain is captured by the system and then essentially recycled, warming up more water for your shower. If your utility company offers a rebate for installation, expect ROI in less than a year.

This is just more proof that our current economic crisis is going to be the real driving force for environmental change. Sure, there will always be concerned citizens who want to help the world for the world’s sake, but many folks will be making changes solely to cut costs (biking to work to save on gas money, foregoing bottled water in favor of a filtered pitcher at home) that will then in turn benefit the environment. As a green tech expert I spoke to recently said: “Economy and ecology. You cannot separate the two.”

–Jennifer Grayson

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