Elmhurst 3rd Annual Green Fest in Wilder Park
Elmhurst Cool Cities Coalition Proudly Presents the 3rd Annual Elmhurst Green Fest
Saturday, July 31, 2010 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
- Eco-Friendly Products and Services for the Home
- Hands-On Activities and Demonstrations for Children and Adults
- Recycling Boutique
- Hybrid Vehicles
- Door Prizes and Free Gifts
Illinois Appliance Rebate Program
The State of Illinois announced their ENERGY STAR® Appliance Rebate Program, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
The program provides incentives for Illinois consumers to replace their old appliances with ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, water heaters and HVAC equipment.
The program has two phases:
Phase 1: Beginning on January 31, 2010, consumers can get point of purchase rebates on qualifying heating and cooling equipment and water heaters as long as the funds last.
Phase 2: ENERGY STAR qualified purchases on clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers and room air conditioners will receive a point of purchase rebate from April 16 – 25, 2010.
Check out the DCEO website or our newsfeed for more info.
State of Green Business Forum Coming to San Francisco & Chicago
These one-day forums will be filled with information from the State of Green Business (annual status report on corporate environmental trends and progress).
San Francisco – February 4, 2010
Chicago – February 9, 2010
Topics Covered:
- Carbon Management After Copenhagen
- Green Marketing in the Age of Radical Transparency
- Can IT Solve the World’s Problems?
- When Green Business Meets Cleantech (SF only)
- The Green Economy Meets the Great Lakes (Chicago only)
For more information visit GreenBiz.
Go Green in 2010
Some simple resolutions for 2010:
Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees in cold weather months and 78 degrees or higher in warm weather months.
Replace light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. Recycle them through Earth 911 as they contain small traces of mercury.
Purchase a blanket for your hot water heater.
Replace plastic bottled water with an eco friendly reusable water bottle.
Purchase reusable shopping totes and remember to take them to the store with you.
For more ideas, visit Planet Green for their list of 25 ways to go green in 2010.
2010 Green Festival Dates Announced
2010 Green Festival Dates
- San Francisco Spring Festival, April 10th-11th
- Chicago, May 22nd-23rd
- Washington DC, October 23rd-24th
- San Francisco Fall Festival, November 5th-7th
- Seattle, May - Day TBA
Check with Green Festivals for updates.
Cash for Caulkers
We have all gotten a good laugh in. Now, it is time to learn about the program and see if it will work.
The Cash for Caulkers program could offer rebates to homeowners who weatherize their homes. This if good news for homeowners, small businesses, the construction industry and the environment.
The program could offer weatherization rebates to homeowners cutting their cost nearly in half. In turn, insulation, caulking companies and their retailers would see increased revenue. Carpenters, builders and small businesses trying to get a start in the “green” and renewable markets would have a better footing and according to McKinsey Consulting Firm, homeowners could reduce their energy use 28% over the course of a decade. In terms of greenhouse gases, that would be the equivalent of taking half of all vehicles in this country off the road (New York Times).
It makes sense that a stimulus program create economic growth & benefit the public, but it is an added bonus if it helps the environment at the same time.
For more info check out our news feed or read these articles:
Feeling the chill? Winterize your home
Follow these easy tips to reduce your heating bill this winter:
- Keep drapes and shades on your south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home. Keep curtains closed at night to reduce chill
- Set your thermostat as low as comfortable when home
- Reprogram thermostat to 65 degrees during the day, when no one is home or at night when everyone is sleeping. You can cut your heating bill by up to 10 percent
- Caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows that leak air
- Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels recommended for your area
- Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators
- Keep warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators clean
- Replace furnace filters regularly
- Close fireplace dampers when not in use
If you are interested in a more thorough assessment, conduct an Energy Audit or call a professional. An auditor will use techniques and equipment to determine the efficiency of your home or office.
Welcome to The Green Seal
The Green Seal is a blog dedicated to informing the public of the newest innovations in regards to green building, remodeling and living.
Check in often for green news, energy saving tips and the latest in green products and services
