Green Guru Network

The Center for The New American Dream shared this wonderful New York Times article on Happynomics. The British government surveying constituents to discover how they experience their lives is new and exciting. They are considering how to factor this information into their GNP. Does consuming bring happiness? If not how do we disentangle from our current mode of operating? Giving thought to how we spend our time has always been at the core of The Center For The New American Dream's work.   Consider Your Money or Your Life a classic primer for rethinking consumerism.

  Raising the barn creates something necessary that could not be achieved with help. It also generates a sense of accomplishment in the community.   That idea is being applied to solar hot water heating by some thoughtful and motivated folks in Arlington Virginia.

October 2010 marked the successful launch of the Solar Raisers program, a new initiative of Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment (ACE). Like crop mobing, solar barn raising galvenizes a segment of the community, teaches skills and empowers. Check out the story with great photos.

Last Thursday home owners from Dobbs Ferry and surrounding communities packed Springhurst Elementary for the Dobbs Ferry Energy Expo. Dobbs Ferry Mayor Hartley Connett's Energy Efficiency Task Force led by Nina Orville, Dobbs Ferry PTSA and student ecology clubs from Springhurst Elementary and Dobbs Ferry Middle and High Schools welcomed home owners to learn how to reduce their energy use and cost.

Representatives from ConEdison, NYSERDA (New York State Energy Research and Development Authority) and private contractors Phoenix and BK Solutions gave residents information about improving their home efficiency and about applying for incentive programs that pay for home assessments and energy-saving improvements. Also look for Green Jobs New York free energy audits.

Elizabeth Silleck of NYSERDA showed Westchester County residents with an annual household income of less than $209,400 how to apply for free home inspections and how families earning as much as $418,000 annually can get assessments for $200. Check out their awesome program.

Learn more at Dobbs Ferry's great new site: Renewgreenburgh.org and check out the  Rivertowns Patch story.

Is the answer blowing in the wind?  NYSERDA's beautiful Wind Explorer is a fast and easy way to discover if your home, office or wearhouse is a good match for a wind turbine. If you live in a windy spot look for these incentives to pay for as much as half of the total cost!