Brittany Stinebaugh-Harris

Jun 012015
 

Hello! Welcome to the Eco-Products Sustainability Squad Blog. You might not be surprised to hear that many of us at Eco-Products (we like to call ourselves Eco Patriots) are pretty passionate about environmental and social responsibility. We want to have a way to share sustainability tips, facts, and other info with anyone who is similarly eco-minded. We’ll aim to post once a month and while some of the content may be most relevant to us in the Boulder, Colorado area, much of it should be useful to anyone looking to have a lighter footprint and leave a positive impact. Happy reading!

Brittany Stinebaugh-Harris our contributor this week

Brittany Stinebaugh-Harris our contributor this issue

Did you know that in 2014 solar energy only made up 1% of the energy mix in the United States?

A large deterrent for many to invest in solar is that they rent, or their home cannot accommodate the panels. A recent survey revealed that around 49% of homes cannot accommodate traditional panels. So how can you get involved with solar if you fall into this category? Community solar gardens have been gaining popularity in the Denver/Boulder area and other communities.

A community solar garden is what it sounds like: a group of solar panels that are owned by a group (or subscribers) that feed into the local power grid. They are making it possible for everyone to support solar power.

How can you invest into a community solar garden? Currently 2 options are available: buying the panels, or buying the energy. Both typically involve a 20 year contract, but vary on payment, upfront investment and ROI.

 Lafayette Solar Gardens near HQ

Read more on community solar gardens.

Of course, energy efficiency should be the first step in reducing the carbon footprint of your energy consumption. Try some of these energy saving tips for the summer.