Tax credits, refunds, rebates…this one’s still in the works. President Obama’s been pitching his idea of rewarding green efforts on the home front, and last week in Savannah, Georgia, he appealed to Congress with the $6 billion Home Star program . Packaging it as part of a plan that will also increase jobs by the thousands, the incentives would be offered to homeowners who make eco-friendly decisions about home improvements , such as insulation projects (the reason for the “Cash for Caulkers” moniker) and retrofitting. The Home Star program would include incentives for simple changes like using energy-efficient light bulbs , and switching out old appliances and windows. Credits of several thousand dollars may be available for selecting at least two projects from an approved list

that would be supplied, not to mention regular savings of perhaps $500 on annual utility bills. The program calls for instant rebates to consumers at the time of purchase, Silver Star rebates of up to $3,000 per home for specific upgrades, and $3,000 Gold Star rebates for doing a home energy audit and subsequent improvements that would yield a 20% energy reduction. The use of a certified contractor would be required for quality control. Other good news: financing options would also be made available to homeowners. Contact your congressman if you’d like to support this legislation! Story via: FTG to Living Green Photo Credit: Treehugger Please bookmark and share

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Obama Proposes Official $6 Billion “Cash for Caulkers” Legislation