Please don’t tell my dad, but I still haven’t weatherized my house. What am I waiting for? I keep putting off an energy audit because it pains me to think what the up-front cost for fixing all the problems would be. Embarrassed? Yes. Alone? Not at all.
Last week I joined Green Economy Task Force Policy Co-Chair, Natalia Olson-Urtecho, on an action-packed tour of Capitol Hill. In addition to meeting with both Senators Casey and Specter, we were thrilled to be in the Capitol Building when HOME STAR (“Cash for Caulkers”), bipartisan energy efficiency legislation, passed the House.
If HOME STAR passes the Senate, what will it mean for procrastinators like myself? First I would go to an approved retailer or contractor and they would give me a discount before work is conducted. Then they would submit documentation of the purchase or work to the U.S. Department of Energy for reimbursement. If I opted for the “Gold Star” program, I would get a rebate of up to $3,000 if I conducted a whole-house energy audit and made improvements that increased my home’s overall energy-efficiency by at least 20%. Then I would also be eligible for an additional $1,000 rebate for each additional 5% efficiency improvement-that’s up to $8,000 in rebates!
With the up-front financial burden reduced, imagine thousands of Philadelphians like myself insulating their ceilings, replacing those Florida windows, and installing Energy Star appliances. Not only would we put people back to work and improve the resale value of our homes, but we would have more money in our pockets from energy savings to spend at local businesses. You don’t need to be a green business to understand this would be good business!
Fondly, Kate
