Going Green

So I'm trying to be more "green". Of course I've always recycled. Ok "always" meaning since the city instituted fines for not recycling. I also reuse everything I can, Jen calls this being a pack-rat, I say if it ain't broke don't throw it out give it away or save it for later. Lord knows I've had a crazy amount of computers built from spare parts and my basement apartment was furnished through the generosity of others (some never knowing how generous they'd been).

Now I've started looking at alternative energy. Solar Photovoltaic (solar panels) have peaked my interest. I know what you're thinking and it doesn't mean I've gone all "ultra left hippie save the planet" crazy, I honestly believe we as a species will never destroy this planet (short of full scale nuclear war) but I do believe that we can make it inhospitable to human life. I wish that that was the reason for my interest in this topic. I'd love to sit here and type these beautiful altruistic reasons about saving the planet and giving back to the environment but I'd be blowing smoke. Do I love the planet? Sure. Do I love nature? Sure. What's my true honest to goodness reason for looking into this? Cutting my electric costs somewhere between 30% and 80%. Wide range I know but I'm narrowing it down as I do more research.

So far I think "net metering" is the best option, no batteries in the house just solar panels going to an inverter and the inverter going straight to your electrical panel. The meter turns forward when your using your utility's power and backward when you're generating more than you're using. So at the end of the month you pay for what you've used. Most states differ on what happens if you generate more than you use, whether the utility pays you or you get credited at the wholesale energy rate.

This really seems like a no-brainer to me. It's considered normal to plunk down a ton of money and pay a mortgage for 20 years so that at some point you'll own the property, why doesn't make sense to pay for a system that can make your electric bill nearly non-existent. Did I mention that there are government incentives that can reduce the cost of a system by 50%?

Tell you what, I think if the green movement concentrated a little more on what people can personally save and moved away from the hot button terms like "global warming" and "climate change" the ultra left hippie save the planet people would get a lot more accomplished.

Well if anyone has any info I'd love to hear from you and if anyone's interested I'll gladly send you the stuff I've accumulated so far.