Paint Your Money Green

It has never been so good to be green before. With a sharp rise in global warming, governments are being forced to minimize their carbon footprints. Meanwhile, Uncle Sam is opening his box of incentives, with plans on making it irresistible for people to go green! The U.S government is planning to reward people with tax incentives and credits in return for their efforts to go green.

According to reports, climate changes and global warming have the potential to reduce gross domestic product and consumption of nations in the long run, unless immediately tackled. Realizing these potential impacts on the economy, the Congress has decided to offer incentives for people to convert to a greener environment. In fact with a wide variety of choices available at your disposal, you can choose the one that suits you the most and save green money.

For the home person, who likes to decorate his dwelling, the government is offering to provide incentives for a greener home, and guess what? For every new window, door, furnace, air-conditioning and attic insulation improvements, you are entitled to get a 30% credit for the first $5000 spent, provided the improvements lead to an overall energy efficiency for the house. This whopping saving of $1500 can be claimed over the period of next two years. So is you are planning to have your houses refurbished, it's a good idea to go green.

Solar Energy has been harnessed by people since ancient times, and with advances in Solar Technology, it is now possible to make massive energy and money savings, by using solar powered devices in your homes. Using a solar powered water heater qualifies you for a 30% federal credit, and with these systems costing up to $6000 - $10000, it's a good investment to make. You can also make a massive tax saving of up to $16,000 pounds investing in a solar powered energy system to generate electricity in your home, thanks again to a federal credit of 30% on these devices.
Cars have been blamed for increasing the CO2 emission and contributing to the overall phenomenon of greenhouse effect because of their emissions. However, with the advent of the hybrid car, which can run on alternate energy sources such as Hydrogen, rechargeable energy sources or compressed air among others, CO2 emissions can be drastically reduced. A federal credit of up to $3000 is available depending on the make and model of your car. However, this credit is not valid for

Hondas and Toyotas, but can be claimed for a Mercury Mariner, Mazda Tribute or a two-wheel Ford Escape.

That is not all. You can avail a 10% credit for converting your existing car into a plug-in electric, or wait for the Chevy Volt plug-in that qualifies for a credit of $7500 on a projected sales price of $40,000. Or, if you are one of the highly creative ones, you can invest in a residential windmill. With a 30% credit available on the total cost of the windmill, you can convert your garden into a powerhouse, but do watch out for local zoning laws that might restrict you from putting a wind tower. For states and localities, the new law also gives $6.3 billion to spend on energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.

So, whether you are planning to get a new water heater, or buying a new car, Uncle Sam has something for everyone in his new green plan. Make sure you pick the one that suits you well. Green is in, and with a lot of incentives available for going green, it is time to paint your money green.

So, have you painted your money green as yet?

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