Sign Up for Solarize at Ska - and get a Free Beer!

Join us for our last big Solarize Signing Celebration this Saturday, February 22nd from 4 to 6 PM at Ska Brewery! Bring a friend or neighbor to sign up, witness the signing of Solarize contracts, talk to others who are going solar and have a beer on Ska.

And... don't forget that signing your contract with any Solarize La Plata installer can help two area non-profits get their own solar. You can empower The Woman's Resource Center and Boys and Girls Club of La Plata go solar. Solarize La Plata needs 50 contracts signed  (half of the campaign's goal) and Shaw Solar will donate free solar to these deserving non-profits. 

2 Down, 98 to Go!

Matt Helms of Flatrock Solar is installing the second Solarize La Plata system this week. Here is a sneak peek of the scene on site:

Get Rid of your Excuses: Go Solar

To the Durango Herald Letters Editor

  

We often hear these reasons for not doing something: 

It costs too much, it’s too technical, I’m apprehensive, I’m too busy. 

We all know these types of statements are only excuses for not doing now what we later wished we had done sooner.

GOING SOLAR is one thing that is easy to put off, for all the reason stated above.  But let’s look at that first excuse, about cost:

If it’s worth doing later, it’s worth more doing now, because:

1. It will not be cheaper next year. 
2. The cost for your electricity will continue to go up (see 11/22/13 Durango Herald front page). 
3. If you have dollars in a low rate savings account, CD, money market fund (think ½% interest!), you can invest those low earning dollars in SOLAR PV for your home and immediately begin earning 6-7%!  Now who wouldn’t to do that right now?

SOLARIZE LA PLATA has taken care of those other excuses also: it’s easy to sign up, we’ve simplified the process, we’ve partnered with 5 local certified solar contractors; and we’re with you all the way from signup through watching your electric meter spin backwards. GOING SOLAR couldn’t be easier or more secure.

But you’re too busy?  Well, your friends and neighbors aren't too busy to recognize and act on a great opportunity. Since Solarize La Plata’s launch on Oct. 22, over 235 home owners have signed up for Solar PV.  

You can too, but only through Jan 31^st.  Why wait to do something that makes sense to do now?  GET SOLARIZED today!  Visit www.4core.org , or call Four Corners Office of Resource Efficiency, 970-259-1916.

Robert Lea

Chairman, Solarize La Plata – a citizen’s grass roots campaign for your energy independence

City of Durango Discounts 4CORE Services to Improve Energy Efficiency

4CORE is partnering with the City of Durango on residential and commercial energy efficiency, offering a $100 discount toward 50 4CORE HomeRx energy assessments, and a $200 discount for 25 commercial energy assessments. Additional matching funds of up to $500 will be available for 20 homes and businesses who implement energy efficiency upgrades while the funds last. Additional incentives may also be available through Amerigas, LPEA and Atmos Energy.

“City Council knows that this is the place where energy savings begins,” said Dick White, Mayor of Durango. “With energy prices increasing, return on investment for efficiency improvement grows. These incentives will benefit our residents, our environment, and our local economy.”

4CORE has developed expertise in energy efficiency recommendations for homes and

businesses. The Home Performance Prescription Program (HomeRx) is a streamlined process, which helps homeowners along every step of the way. 4CORE makes homes and buildings efficient, safe, and comfortable, while also helping occupants save money on utility bills. Detailed energy, health, and safety assessments are performed and a consultation is provided, complete with a report and recommendations. 4CORE also offers radon testing and post-upgrade inspections as additional options.

“This is an incredible opportunity for our community,” said Gregg Dubit, 4CORE Executive Director. “With these incentives in place and our HomeRx program up and running, we believe 2014 will be ‘the year of energy efficiency.’ We're working to make our region a leader in energy efficiency.”

In addition to the discounts being provided by the City of Durango, financing options are available through the First National Bank of Durango to help with energy efficiency improvements.

4CORE trains and works with certified local contractors to assure a high quality work and is focused on supporting local job creation. The organization has coordinated assessment and efficiency improvement services for over 645 homes and businesses. More information can be found on the 4CORE web site at www.fourcore.org, or by calling 970-259-1916.  

Final Shibang: Solarize La Plata Sign up Party

Every year, residents of LaPlata County send millions of dollars out of state to pay for their electricity use.  Meanwhile, massive amounts of solar energy bathing Southwestern Colorado are not being used to create electricity.

Why?  Money, primarily.  In the past, solar PV systems were very expensive, and the cost of coal-powered electricity was cheap.  We now know that there are a lot more expenses with coal-powered electricity than we see on our utility bills, but it has been easy to ignore them because we pay for them in indirect ways.  But, things have changed.  Solar PV panels have come down significantly in price, and La Plata Electric Association (LPEA) has informed us that the cost of our coal-powered electricity will be going up every year for a number of years.

The Four Corners Office for Energy Efficiency (4CORE) facilitated the formation of a volunteer citizens’ group called “Solarize LaPlata” flast summer with the goals of bringing affordable solar PV systems to the people of LaPlata County, creating local jobs, and keeping  money here that would ordinarily leave the area,  Based on a model developed in Portland, OR and endorsed by the Department of Energy, the Solarize LaPlata group has partnered with local solar installers, the City of Durango, First National Bank of Durango, and the 1st Southwest Bank.

If you have ever thought you would like to have solar power or you would like to be more energy-independent, you should check out this program.  And in today’s financial climate, if you have money sitting in the bank earning practically nothing and it’s not part of your emergency fund, you may want to consider going solar as an investment that will average a 7% return.

The Solarize LaPlata committee will be hosting an informational meeting at the Bayfield Library on Saturday, January 11th at 2 p.m.  The program will be explained in detail and there will be time for everyone’s questions.  Those people interested in taking the next step can sign up to have their electrical needs assessed to see what size solar PV system they would need to offset their electricity use and what it would cost.

The Solarize LaPlata a time-limited program.  The citizen volunteers have worked with local installers to bring down the price of a grid-tied solar PV system, which eliminates the need for batteries.  The program offers base systems of three sizes with quality components, warrantied installation and parts, special low cost loans from two local banks, and help in walking people through every step of the decision-making process.  Come to the Library on January 11th and find out how easy going solar can be!

About the Author:

Diane Higgins is a volunteer Steering Committee Member for Solarize La Plata. She recently installed solar on her own home and is hosting a Solarize Open House on Saturday, January 18th from 12 -2 PM at 383 County Road 225.

Keep Breathing: New Paint, New Carpet and Your Family

Recently, my family had the opportunity to move into a new rental and choose the paint and carpet that would be installed. I was concerned that moving in the middle of the winter would not allow us to open doors and windows to vent the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other fumes that "off-gas" once paint, flooring and carpeting have been installed.

My family isn't particularly sensitive, but we do have a two year-old daughter who is developing her brain, muscle, and body at an alarming rate, and I don't want her breathing in chemicals. I voiced these concerns to my landlady Rosalie and asked her if I could pick no-VOC paints and seal any flooring she installs with AFM Safecoat sealers. She happily obliged and here is why:

High Quality and Equal CostI did a bit of cost comparison of paints found that zero VOC Mythic Paint sold at Handcrafted House was very similar in price to regular paint. Mythic paint is a non-toxic paint that provides the durability you expect from a premium paint without the off-gassing and cancer-causing toxins that emit years after drying. And you can breath easy knowing that Mythic has a very large selection of colors choices , with excellent coverage and smooth application.

Painters need to breath Too
The painter Rosalie hired to paint has been in the business for many years. In fact, he retired and is only doing jobs that allow him to use non-toxic paint. He was happy with the coverage of the Mythic Pro, using only one coat on most surfaces. 

Rosalie was still living in the house at the time it was painted, and she voiced how pleased she was with the fumes that she avoided breathing using these paints too.

Flooring It
I was concerned about the carpeting outgassing carcinogens as formaldehyde, toluene, benzene, xylene and styrene during the winter months when we are inside most. Sheryl at Handcrafted House pointed me in the direction of a product I didn't even know existed: Carpet Seal. It is designed to prevent the outgassing of harmful chemicals used in carpet backing. Carpet Seal is odor-free and effectively blocks outgassing for up to five cleanings or one year.

Creating a beautiful home for you and your family is an exciting process, but it isn't just about the looks. Don't forget to care for your health as you choose your finishes. Call Sheryl at Handcrafted House at  970.247.4046  to learn more!

Good Health to you and your family in 2014 and beyond!

About the Author

Teresa Shishim is Program Manager at 4CORE. She  is a Colorado native who is dedicated to improving where we live through collaboration. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science at Western Washington University and has significant experience managing and coordinating projects and programs, including marketing campaigns, volunteer programs, and events. She gained this experience through a variety of positions, including serving as the Director of a non-profit river restoration group and as Marketing Manager for a start-up software company.

The Pathway to Energy Independence

by Reji

Letter to the Durango Herald Editor

Dear Editor:

There is a pathway to energy independence in our region, and there is no better time than now to put one foot in front of the other to get there. The more of us that start walking that path, the more money stays in our back pockets and in our local economy. With the rising cost of electricity, alternative ways to power our homes and businesses are looking more appealing. The US Army is well on its way to energy independence, with the Army Strategy for the Environment: Sustain the Mission – Secure the Future (www.sustainability.army.mil). Our neighbors at Fort Carson in Colorado Springs produces as much energy as they use, and reuse or recycle 100% of their waste and water.

The first step along this path energy efficiency.  “First Reduce Your Use, and then Produce” Making sure that your home or business is air sealed is the first and usually least expensive way to decrease energy waste. Efficient bulbs and ENERGY Star appliances are a great way to reduce electricity demand, as well.

Once a home or building is efficient, the next step is renewables. More than 290 days of FREE sunshine brightens our county each year. Solar makes sense (and cents) in our sunny location, and allows us the freedom to produce energy on our very rooftops, of all places. With so much power just over our heads, it’s not as hard as you might think to reach up and grab it.

I’m excited about the opportunity that Solarize La Plata is creating for many here. The payback period for solar has changed from twenty years to just seven years with the offered base price systems. Financing options are available.

Let us follow the example that our nation’s army is setting and strive for energy independence. I encourage all readers who are ready to take electricity production into their own hands to visit fourcore.org or call 970-259-1916 to get your name on the list by January 31^st, when the sign up period ends.

Sincerely,

Teresa Shishim
A.K.A. Little Miss Sunshine