Improve Your Property Value By Going Green

As we focus on the business side of green here at Renewable Now, we found a good article on White Picket Fence on simple ways of improving the value of your property by going green.  Here it is:

"With the real estate market the way it is today, you can’t put too much emphasis on improving your property value and the attractiveness of your home to potential buyers.  One of the easiest, most affordable, and best ways to make your properties the perfect properties to attract buyers or renters is to go green.
That’s because going green isn’t just about the environment anymore. When it comes to real estate and home buying, it’s also about efficiency. When the real estate market is struggling, and the economy is tight, like it is right now, anything that speaks to buyers’ sense of thriftiness is a big plus.  Going green doesn’t necessarily mean needing permits and spending a lot of money renovating.  Some simple changes can make a big difference.

Including energy efficient appliances in the price of the home might not seem like a big deal–but to today’s buyers it is. It gives them a chance to include the price of the upgrades in their house payment financing and it can make the difference between two real estate properties that are otherwise equal. Having up to date inspections and maintenance on climate control systems, refrigerators, washers, dryers, and so forth can make a property much more attractive.

Have the house checked for drafts, as well.  This is especially necessary with older homes.  Potential buyers may like the price of an older home but think about heating and cooling costs over the years and shy away. More people consider these things when buying real estate than ever before.  Some simple checks and repairs can make climate control much more efficient, even in an older home or office.
Small changes can turn mediocre properties into perfect properties!"

We'd love to have a real estate expert do a monthly blog with us, as a guest, talking more about this and introducing other money-saving techniques to our audience.  We'd love to do a show with that expert, too.  Please get in touch with us if you are interested.

Renewable Now broadcast live, for the first time ever, on May 11.  Welcome to the show.

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Valley plant could switch to gas

From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

We Energies plans to take initial steps toward converting its Milwaukee coal-fired power plant to burn natural gas, the utility's chairman told shareholders Thursday.

The Milwaukee utility has been under pressure to address air pollution from the power plant located south of downtown in the Menomonee River Valley.

To comply with new federal pollution rules, the utility has been studying whether to convert the plant to natural gas or to add environmental controls that could allow it to continue burning coal.

"We believe we will need to convert the plant from coal to natural gas," Chairman and Chief Executive Gale Klappa told shareholders at Wisconsin Energy Corp.'s annual meeting at Concordia University Wisconsin in Mequon.

We Energies will file an application with the state Public Service Commission in the second half of this year for an initial project that would be needed for that conversion to take place.

"That first step would be to put in a larger natural gas pipeline that could . . . supply natural gas to that facility," Klappa said. "That will be a significant project. It will require PSC approval, it will require City of Milwaukee approval, and it will require us to update a 1949 natural gas line that runs through the area."

Klappa did not announce a timeline for converting the plant from coal to gas. Utility spokesman Brian Manthey said the utility needs to ensure it has the approval and the ability to supply gas to the power plant before it makes a final decision.

"The (Cleaner Valley) coalition encourages We Energies to move as quickly as possible," said the Rev. Willie Brisco, president of Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope. "People's lives are impacted by Milwaukee's dirty air each and every day."

Built in the late 1960s, the Valley plant is the utility's only major coal-fired plant in Wisconsin that lacks modern pollution controls. A much smaller coal plant in Wauwatosa provides steam to businesses at the Milwaukee County Grounds.

Environmental groups and a consortium of other groups in the Milwaukee area formed the Cleaner Valley Coalition to urge the utility to clean up the plant. In addition, the Sierra Club and Clean Wisconsin challenged an air pollution permit for Valley, saying it doesn't go far enough to protect public health.

"We're very happy to hear that they're taking a step in the right direction," said Emily Miota of the Sierra Club. "The biggest concern now is that they move quickly to make this happen."

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Whoa mama!

Nice article from Terra Pass (a very good, carbon offset organization) about advocating home energy audits for moms in honor of Mom's Day coming up this weekend.  Here's the link:  http://www.terrapass.com/blog/posts/whoa-mama?utm_source=bronto&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Whoa+mama%21&utm_content=peterarpin%40msn.com&utm_campaign=Newsletter+05%2F04%2F2011.

Here's bits and pieces, but read the whole thing and get those home audits going: 

"This Mother’s Day, I’m not going to jump on the bandwagon of eco-friendly products. By all means, please (as always) consider the environmental impact of your gifts or check out these great gift ideas from Huffington Post, Treehugger, and Grist. But if I have to read another blog post about how flowers are destroying the planet, I’ll just get depressed."

And: 

"According to an online survey conducted in February by Harris Interactive, only 11% of Americans conduct home energy evaluations or audits. That’s disappointingly low when on a yearly basis, Americans spend $241 billion (yup, with a B) on residential energy costs, resulting in 1.2 billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Conducting a home energy audit can help identify problems, determine efficiencies, lower carbon footprints, and best of all, save loads of money.

And: 

"Some helpful resources from the DOE and EPA for home energy audits include: Energy Star, Home Energy Score, Energy Savers, and the Home Energy Saver™."

And everything in between is good, too.

On our first show, which will broadcast live on May 11, in 5 days, Julian Dash from EDC will touch on some of the many funding programs state EDC's, and the local utility companies, administer for helping consumers and businesses conduct energy audits and finance, cheaply, investments in reducing use/waste and alternative forms of energy.  Be watching on the new ABN, Arpin Broadcast Network, arpin.tv.com which goes live on May 9, two days before Renewable Now broadcast live around the world.

Happy Mother's Day weekend.  Enjoy.

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Another step backward on jobs and energy independence

From an editorial in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Pay attention to this number.

$4.39.

That was the price of regular unleaded gasoline at a station on Milwaukee's south side on Tuesday. It's a number that's likely to rise. It's also a number that Gov. Scott Walker and the Legislature are so far ignoring as they put together a budget that does much for roads and highway funding but threatens to gut public transit systems across the state.

On Tuesday, the Legislature's budget committee took another step backward on transit when it voted to repeal authority for four regional transit authorities created in 2009. One of those would have been responsible for a commuter rail line connecting Kenosha, Racine and Milwaukee.

Keep in mind that Walker's budget also cuts aid to transit by 10%, moves transit aid from the state transportation fund to the general revenue budget and bars municipalities from raising taxes to make up for the loss in aid. By repealing the RTAs, the budget also removes another tool - a cooperative one - that local communities could have used to help them deal with the loss of funding.

The committee also voted to eliminate a $100 million bonding program for capital transit projects in southeastern Wisconsin and to eliminate all state funding - $5 million over two years - for bike and pedestrian paths.

Why does this matter? Several reasons, but let's talk about just two.

First, there are people without cars who rely on transit to get them to jobs, appointments, shopping and friends. Some can't afford a vehicle; others prefer not to have one. Having a car should not be a requirement for living in urban areas such as Milwaukee, Madison, Racine and Waukesha. Giving people options that include transit as well as good roads make those areas more attractive for economic development.

Second, as gas prices continue to rise, many commuters are looking for alternatives to driving to their jobs. In a recent informal and unscientific poll by the Editorial Board, a slight majority of respondents said that a $4-per-gallon price for gasoline would be enough to make them change their driving habits.

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This Common-Sense Change Makes Good Business Strategy

Great article, with some interesting stats, on The Motley Fool site today.  Here's the link: http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2011/05/04/this-common-sense-change-makes-good-business-strat.aspx.

Here's part of the report: 

"Going green" is a popular strategic destination these days. However, it's one thing to rejoice that you've decided to start that journey, and another to actually get there.
While more business leaders and investors now embrace the general idea of environmentally friendly initiatives, the reality of their actions might still fall short of their ambitions. To keep businesses on the right track, savvy shareholders may need to give them a push.

What's your damage?
Last year, environmental research firm Trucost calculated that human activity caused $6.6 trillion in environmental damage in 2008. The top 3,000 global corporations alone caused $2.15 trillion of that projected harm. If this course continues, annual environmental costs could reach $28.6 trillion by 2050. But even as they try to veer off this expensive, unhealthy path, some companies may struggle to change the ways they think about doing business.

Environmental Leader recently reported on a study conducted by U.K.'s Warwick Business School and University of Bath School of Management. After examining 25 years' worth of academic and industry research, the authors concluded that most companies' efforts to create "sustainable supply chains" have focused more on managing risk and avoiding public relations crises than establishing any true environmental benefit.

The authors called out Mattel (Nasdaq: MAT  ) and Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL  ) as examples. Toxic lead paint cropped up in Mattel's children's toys a few years back, while Apple, despite pledges of eco-friendliness, still faces accusations of sweatshop policies, worker suicides at its contracted Chinese manufacturers' plants, and lax environmental standards."

Roll that number around in your head a few times:  6.6 trillion dollars of environmental damage in 08.  Shocking.  From the business side of green, what a disastrous financial hole to dig out of.

So, let's stop the loss and stop the talk and do the right things.  Let's change the way we do business.  Start watching Renewable Now on May 11 and learn how to truely go green.  Together, we will "get there".

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Budget panel votes to repeal transit authorities; KRM line likely in trouble

From an article by Patrick Marley and Don Walker in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

It also eliminates state funding for bike paths

Madison — The Legislature's budget committee voted Tuesday to repeal the state's regional transit authorities, including one responsible for a proposed commuter rail line from Milwaukee to Kenosha.

The Legislature gave four areas the ability to create RTAs in 2009, when Democrats were in charge. Republicans now run the Legislature, and on a 12-4 party-line vote the Joint Finance Committee voted to reverse course and eliminate the RTAs. The measure will go to the Legislature as part of the state budget once the committee finishes its work in the coming months.

After the 2009 law passed, local officials created the Southeastern RTA and the Dane County RTA, but the Chippewa Valley RTA and Chequamegon Bay RTA have not been formed.

The Southeastern RTA, or SERTA, is responsible for the proposed KRM Commuter Link rail line. It has the authority to impose an $18 per vehicle fee on rental cars but has not done so.

SERTA had $1.27 million in its coffers as of August. If it were disbanded, the money would be split equally by Milwaukee, Racine and Kenosha counties unless the counties agree otherwise.

The committee also voted to go along with Republican Gov. Scott Walker's plan to eliminate a $100 million bonding program for capital transit projects in southeastern Wisconsin and to eliminate all state funding - $5 million over two years - for bike and pedestrian paths.

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Billion Acts of Green

USA Today has launched a site to help people of all nations join a forever Earth Day Celebration, and come together to perform a billion acts of green.  Here's the URL:  http://www.usatoday.com/marketing/brand_mkt/splash/greeneffort/index.htm.

This is a great site and effort.  The paper offers readers a chance to sign up for green living tips, get expert advice from their reporters, green their home, offices, and participate and contribute in a global effort  "to commit to an act that helps reduce carbon emissions and promotes sustainability"

Here is a sampling of yesterday's articles on that page: 

The latest headlines from USA TODAY

Royal wedding of Kate Middleton, Prince William has green twist
How green will the royal wedding of Prince William and commoner Kate Middleton be? Because of the sheer size and grandeur of ...
Which U.S. cities have dirtiest and cleanest air?
How clean is your air? Most U.S. cities with the dirtiest air are getting cleaner but half of Americans still live in areas ...
On Earth Day, more green light bulbs
What's notable on Earth Day 2011? While technological changes are sweeping the U.S. economy, perhaps the biggest switch for ...
Home energy upgrades get U.S.-backed loans
Many U.S. homeowners are now eligible for up to $25,000 in federally-insured loans to make energy-efficient upgrades such as ...
Gallup: Fewer Americans see climate change as threat
Fewer Americans and Europeans view climate change as a threat.

One of your first acts will be to watch the live world premier of Renewable Now on May 11...one week from today.

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