Staunton Green 2020

Green. Its one of the most common terms in circulation today. We hear “green” all the time now. When anything “green” comes up, its meant to cover an amazingly wide range of products, services, ideas and behaviors.

Who knows what it means after a while?

Yet the promise surrounding “going green” generates so much hope that its no surprise to hear everyone from eager students to farmers to formerly skeptical lawmakers to corporate mavens, all touting the benefits of going green.

That enthusiasm is great, to a degree. But just slapping a “we’re green” slogan on what we do in our recycling efforts and other green behaviors is no longer enough. The task now requires us to build a credible green economy built on clean energy and new jobs. Where hope meets practicality green visions become grounded in viable solutions. And practical solutions are exactly what a sputtering economy and a slew of displaced workers need most right now.

That’s why one of my favorite websites is Sustainable South Bronx. This environmental justice and economic development group offers one of the brightest indications that when it comes to crafting an even better society and economy, we’re all in it together. They believe that we can solve many problems with one simple solution: going greenforall.

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An article in this morning’s Washington Post on free home energy audits leaves me feeling a mixture of admiration and envy.

The story details another innovative public-private partnership that offers incentives for energy evaluations, the first step in an informed process to help property owners make needed changes to plug energy leaks and up their fuel efficiency.

In D.C., homeowners can get a free energy audit through the District Department of the Environment’s Home Energy Rating System program, with the $300. value audit paid for by a surcharge on D.C. Pepco bills. A little monthly contribution on everyone’s bill makes the cost less painful, adds an incentive for motivated homeowners, and fosters accessibility for lower income or credit-saddled residents who might otherwise not make energy efficiency a priority.

So, bravo for D.C., but what about Staunton? (more…)

Would you buy a cell phone if you had to pay for 20 years worth of minutes in advance?

That’s essentially the question facing property owners who want to put up solar panels. Sure, they pay for themselves — but at current electricity rates, it could take two decades to recoup an investment in solar of $20,000. So buying the solar panels is like paying for 20 years of electricity in advance. Not very attractive.

But what if your city installed the solar panels on your roof for free, and then added a small surcharge to your property tax bill for the next 20 years to pay for them? And what if the surcharge was the same as what you’d save on your power bill by using the solar panels?

Then, you’d be getting the solar panels for free. Sound too good to be true? The city of Berkeley, California doesn’t think so. (more…)

Raising the Virginia Renewable Portfolio Standard from 12% to 15%, offering incentives for clean energy companies to locate in the state, and paying building owners up to $8,000 to put up solar panels — those are just some of the ideas Gov. Kaine wants the General Assembly to pass this session.

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All across America this Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, (also the National Day of Service,) Americans will follow that great leader’s example by committing to a day of volunteerism. Pretty much anything goes in the name of volunteerism that day, but we’ve cobbled together a few suggestions specially targeted to Staunton and the goals of Staunton Green 2020. Volunteers can sign up to pitch-in and tell us about your experience by visiting our event page.
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So, you’ve already screwed in the lightbulbs and turned down the thermostat, and you’re ready to go deeper green at home. Where do you get started? Here are a few simple tips that tax breaks will help you pay for in 2009. (more…)

How the Green Economy Can Create Jobs, Business Opportunities, and a More Dynamic Community in Staunton

Green may have been the new black for the last few years, but with the incoming Obama administration promising $700 billion in its American Recovery and Reinvestment stimulus package, fighting global warming could soon become good business in cities of all sizes. Join Staunton Green 2020, for an evening of green education, discussion, and networking. (more…)

In a speech bound to reassure the renewable energy industry and encourage communities nationwide to prepare to seek federal dollars for projects in clean energy projects and conservation, the president-elect today made a clear promise to support the kind of energy projects that SG2020 calls for in Staunton. (more…)