Brilliant recycled glass tile from modwalls

We had the pleasure of meeting with Sarah Graves from modwalls at the West Coast Green show this week.  Modwalls is a a manufacturer of recycled glass tile, located in Scott’s Valley, CA.

modwalls just announced the availability of their Viridian recycled glass mosaic tile modwall glass tile.  The Viridian line is SCS Certified for a minimum of 98% pre-consumer recycled content.  Contents include old windows and windshields.  The Viridian recycled glass tile series comes in two lines: Viridian Pearl & Viridian Industrial.

Viridian Pearl Viridian Pearl Series recycled glass tile consists of 1″ tiles that carry an iridescent sheen.  The display at the show was beautiful.  The tiles are attached to mesh, and carry a price tag of Read more

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Dimmable Flourescent bulbs from Lithonia Lighting and Lighting Concepts

At West Coast Green this week, Light Concepts is showcasing the L7XFD: a dimmable, 6″ fluorescent recessed downlighting fixture. The latest innovation in recessed downlighting offers the energy savings and lamp life of a fluorescent fixture, and delivering that in a dimmable fixture.  We are told this product is now available and retailing for <$100 per can.

According to the company, the L7XF dimmable is compatible with almost any dimmer switch and boasts a wide selection of trims. ENERGY STAR qualified and Title 24 compliant, Lighting Concepts says homeowners can save $100 against its incandescent counterpart, based on operating three hours per day at $0.10 per KwH over the life of the fluorescent versus incandescent bulb.

The company is also showing seven other fixtures for the decorative fluorescent market, including award-winning Elliptis and Izoro winners of the ALA Lighting for Tomorrow award in 2007 and 2008, respectively.  The products can be purchased on Read more

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National Grid offers new energy efficiency rebates for gas customers

Massachusetts’s resident?  New Hampshire?  New York City, Long Island, Rhode Island?   National Grid customers can now take advantage of new rebates for natural gas and energy efficiency improvements.

Natural Grid recently launched their Think Smart Think Green website which details how National Grid gas customers can save on rebates for energy efficiency improvements such as Programmable Thermostats, Boiler Reset Controls, High-efficiency heating equipment, water heating, weatherizing, replacement windows, and solar water heaters.

Wherever you live, make sure you check with your utility provider for rebates during your remodel - because there are lots of them out there!

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SOLAR: Will solar save you $$’s? We review the best/worst solar calculators!

UPDATED:  9/21/08

“Payback on solar isn’t the most important thing…it is the only thing the vast majority of potential solar homeowners care about.”  

GetWithGreen took a look at how easy it is for us consumers to actually estimate the cost of installation/installing solar during a home remodel - using a web-based solar calculator.  

Below are we have listed a number of sources for solar installation calculators, and we have compiled the most comprehensive list of these calculators available on the web.  We want to warn you, many of these solar calculators appear to made by scientists for, well we couldn’t always figure out who the target audience was :-). 

To help you, we have given a GetWithGreen Rating (”GWG Rating”) to each solar calculator, where 1 is very hard to use, and 10 is the easiest to use - for an average consumer.  You should also know that MANY of the solar calculators on the web are from the same creators, and are just re-skinned (web terminology for different colors).

Before you begin, make sure you have Read more

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Government tax credits and rebates coming for green improvements?

Reuters reports this week that the U.S. Senate will be voting as early as Tuesday on new energy tax credits for homeowners who are remodeling.  The voting on legislation would extend tax breaks and incentives for renewable energy production and energy-efficiency measures taken by homeowners.

Negotiators hammered out the extensive tax rebate package to continue investment credits for solar, wind, and geothermal energy. It also creates a new tax credit for purchasers of plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Homeowners could get a 30 percent tax credit for eight additional years for the cost of installing solar equipment at residences.

Homeowners could claim a tax credit of up to 10 percent of the costs of all qualified energy efficiency improvements, such as insulation, replacement windows, water heaters and heating and cooling equipment.

“This compromise will enable us to become a more energy efficient nation and wean us off our dependence on fossil fuels,” said Democrat Jeff Bingaman, chairman of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

For detailed information on the legislation see the United States Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources

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Are you taking advantage of refrigerator & freezer recycle rebates?

As you are demo’ing your house in preparation for your remodel, stop before you take that used refrigerator or freezer to the dump! There are organizations that will haul away your refrigerator or freezer, pay you a rebate, and then recycle it!

Southern California Edison (SCE) is one such organization. They will pay you to recycle your old refrigerator or freezer. You will receive a $50 check for that working refrigerator or freezer. And, by swapping your old appliances with new, energy-efficient ones or disposing of a spare unit, you can save up to $292 per year on your energy bill says SCE (savings based on 2006, assuming average use and conditions. Actual savings may vary according to SCE).

To be eligible, you must be an SCE customer. The appliance must be picked up at your SCE service address. The appliance must be in working condition at the time of pick up. The size of the appliance must be between 10-27 cubic feet.

Check your local utility for similar rebate and recycle programs for appliances, such as refrigerators and freezers!

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Green flooring options, watch and learn about eco-friendly products

Looking for eco-friendly flooring options for your home?  We’ve talked carpet, Marmoleum, bamboo, concrete and more here on GetWithGreen.com.  The team at Designing Spaces produced this nice nine minute video on options that you can consider for your remodel.  Watch and learn about lifespan, recycling, and installation.

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How do you finance or lease solar panels and electricity for your home?

Considering solar power for your home during your residential remodel?  Financing solar panels is the big hurdle for most us.  Fortunately, the financing options for solar panels is becoming more obtainable.

Whether you are looking at solar panel suppliers and installers such as SolarCity, SunPower, and others, you now have options.  For example, SolarCity offers a leasing program that is targeted at delivering you solar power at a monthly payment less than your exiting monthy electicity/power bill.  With leasing options such as this, any repairs are typically covered, and at the end of the lease you can upgrade, purchase or return.

This timely LA Times article offers additional details and several homeowner examples of how solar panel lease and financing options have helped residents afford solar power for their homes: Solar Power Hits Home

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Hitachi Energy Star plasma televisions, where do they rank?

Hitachi showed off their New Plasma HDTVs at the CEDIA Expo in Denver last week.

The new ENERGY STAR compliant plasma televisions from Hitachi are available in two screen sizes (42-inch and 50-inch).  GetWithGreen.com compared the operating power levels of the Hitachi 50-inch plasma to the models we discussed with you late last year.   The 50-inch models (P50A202 and P50A402) both rank right in the middle of the pack with the other ENERGY STAR plasma televisions.  

The A, S, V and X Series are available now. The Hitachi 2008 Plasma Display Panels are priced as follows. In all instances below, pricing indicated is the Manufacturer’s Advertised Price (MAP): 

• 42-inch A-Series (model P42A202): $1,399
  (Avg Power: 249W, Max Power: 386W)
• 50-inch A-Series (models P50A202/P50A402): $1,599 each
  (Avg Power: 288W, Max Power: 480W)
• 50-inch S-Series (model P50S602): $2,199
  (Avg Power: 388W, Max Power: 571W)
• 50-inch V-Series (model P50V702): $2,499
  Avg Power: 398W, Max Power: 586)
• 50-inch X-Series (model P50X902): $3,199
  Avg Power: 398, Max Power: 586W)

GetWithGreen.com commends Hitachi for making it easy for buyers to find plasma power consumption numbers in the Hitachi manuals.

The new Hitachi HDTVs feature high gloss Japan black and high gloss crystal frames with manual swivel stands or remote controlled power swivel stands. The new UltraBlack Panels boxed cell structure produces darker blacks and the new proprietary phosphor formulations deliver industry leading deep, rich colors say Hitachi.

The new PictureMaster(TM) VI digital video processor features the second generation of Hitachi’s Reel60(TM) technology, a patented innovation that, according to the manufacturer, eliminates “judder” for the ultimate in smooth, clear motion. The new HDTVs also debut a new feature for film enthusiasts called Cinema48(TM). Working with 24p HDMI inputs, Cinema48 provides viewers with the same visual timing and feeling that they experience in movie theaters.

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McCain / Palin or Obama / Biden, what happens to the environment?

So you’ve probably seen the video where Palin is asking her church congregation to pray for the oil pipeline in Alaska, but what’s the full story? How have the candidates voted in congress? What have they said publicly related to their positions on environmental issues? Here are some things to consider (if you haven’t already made up your choice) before you head to the polls.

McCain / Palin

John McCain
- Build 45 new nuclear power plants by 2030. (Jun 2008)
- Realistic climate plan that clashes with GOP. (Jun 2008)
- End moratorium on offshore oil drilling. (Jun 2008)
- Favors wind & solar in ad; favors nuclear in bills. (Jun 2008)
- Support much tougher regulations on emission requirements. (Jan 2008)

Sarah Palin
- Global warming affects Alaska, but is not man-made. (Aug 2008)
- Energy relief plan: $100 per person monthly, for oil & gas. (May 2008)
- Opposed protections for salmon from mining contamination. (Aug 2008)
- Sue US government to stop listing polar bear as endangered. (Aug 2008)
- We must encourage timber, mining, drilling, & fishing. (Jan 2008)
- Cut funding for alternative energy research (May 2008)

Obama / Biden

Barack Obama
- GovWatch: $150B for electric car batteries & new technology. (Jun 2008)
- GovWatch: Supports nuclear power if it’s clean & safe. (Jun 2008)
- $150B investment over 10 years to reduce oil usage by 35%. (May 2008)
- Figure out how to sequester carbon and burn clean coal. (May 2008)
- Raise fuel efficiency standards to reduce long-term demand. (Apr 2008)
- Reduce the consumption of energy and be more efficient. (Jan 2008)
- Aggressively address accelerating climate change. (Dec 2007)
- Passed tax credit for installing E85 ethanol at gas stations. (Feb 2008)
- Sponsored legislations that improve energy efficiency. (Sep 2004)
- Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jun 2007)
- Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)
- Willing to suspend ethanol subsidy to keep food prices down. (May 2008)
- Genesis teaches stewardship of earth: sacrifice for future. (Apr 2008) 
- Promote green technologies and fuel efficiency standards. (Dec 2007)

Joe Biden
- Supports cap-and-trade for greenhouse gases. (Nov 2007)
- Make every automobile sold be a flex-fuel automobile. (Apr 2007)
- Voted YES on tax incentives for energy production and conservation. (Jun 2008)
- Voted YES on addressing CO2 emissions without considering India & China. (May 2008)
- Voted YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies. (Jun 2007)
- Voted YES on factoring global warming into federal project planning. (May 2007)

For complete details, visit: http://www.ontheissues.org/ where you can also get details on the candidates’ views on abortion, family, the economy and national budget, civil rights, crime and much more.

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