The Big Question: Going Green in WNY

How to be environmentally conscious and save a few dollars, too

By TOM RAGAN
Updated: 08/05/07 1:54 PM

Q. I’m not a tree hugger, but I’ve seen enough glaciers melt on the news to know something’s wrong. Do you have any ideas on going green in Buffalo? And can I put a windmill in my backyard?

A.Hot Western New York summers used to a be a reward for long, cold winters. Now there’s the added guilt of global warming; a tough sell in these parts, true, but even we’re posting some sizzling high temperatures.

The key to getting the American population to do anything is to grant that action a tax break, provided you send the IRS 26 forms and a strand of DNA. So let’s take a look at those first, then move on to a few basics. But be warned: The federal tax breaks are confusing, as all tax breaks are. And as of now, they end Dec. 31. So make sure you qualify. Log on to www.energy.gov/taxbreaks

for a clear and lessthan- infinite rundown of tax breaks. Here’s a rundown on what to expect:

Automobile tax credit: Buy a qualifying hybrid gas-electric car or truck from Ford, GM, Honda, Nissan or Toyota and take a tax credit for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Keep in mind these vehicles also cost hundreds or thousands of dollars more than comparable gas-guzzling polar bear killers.

Home improvement tax credits: Qualifying energy-efficient doors, windows, insulation, roofs, and heating and cooling equipment bring credits up to $500. But again, you have to make the improvement by the end of the year.

In addition, you still have time to bolt a few solar panels (called photovoltaic, or PV technology) to the roof and connect it to the power grid. You get a tax credit, and if you use less than you produce, you experience the nirvana of green energy efficiency, making your power meter spin backwards.

Obviously, you need to have all of this professionally installed. There’s one company, Solar Liberty, headquartered in Buffalo, that does just that.

“We had one gentleman from Buffalo [with a PV unit on his roof] whose electric bill was minus 5 dollars,” says Adam Rizzo, president of Solar Liberty.

In fact, Solar Liberty claims they can build you a small wind turbine system. Now your yard can look like a mini version of the Lackawanna wind turbine field, minus the rusting steel plant and festering sleeper cell.

Solar water heating equipment also counts, but Congress takes the credit away if you use it to heat a swimming pool or hot tub, which to me smacks of some sort of twisted moral compromise.

“The congressman from Iowa has the floor.”

“I will not pass legislation involving hot tubs. They make the skin sweaty. It’s sinful and I don’t like it.”

“All in favor of amending the solar hot tub credit say, ‘Aye.’ ”

All out of tax credits? Here are some simple ways to limit greenhouse gases every day:

Buy a bicycle and ride it: The health benefits and gas savings will far outweigh risks, which are controlled by obeying safe riding rules, like wearing protective clothing at night and a helmet at all times. And while Buffalo is still far behind other cities in providing ample biking paths, there are more thin “bike only” lanes on the area’s busier roads, like the Delaware “S” curves. Sure, there are safer stretches of land – Gaza comes to mind – but it’s an important first step.

Utilize passive solar heating: One of my favorite ideas comes from Walter Simpson, energy officer for the University at Buffalo. First determine which side of your house faces south, he says. If you’re not sure, ask an older neighbor, consult a GPS receiver or guess: You’ve got a 1 in 4 shot at being right.

In winter, those windows – if properly caulked and glazed – will allow the most sun and heat into the room. The thermostat will register the heat and keep the furnace off.

In the summer, use shades to keep the heat out or – another Simpson idea:

Retreat to the basement: He’s right. There’s nothing like an afternoon spent with the washer, dryer and that stone foundation, as cool and damp as packaged supermarket chicken and a welcomed relief from humidity.

What Walter’s getting at is the insane expense incurred, and greenhouse gas produced, by running an air conditioner in the summer.

“My wfe is going to kill me if she hears me say this again,” Simpson says laughing, “because we’ve had discussions about the heat, so she went out and bought all these fans.” And that makes Simpson happy.

“A desk fan might use 30 watts,” he says, “while a window air conditioner might use 500 watts.”

Use compact florescent bulbs instead of standard light bulbs: No joke, they last longer, are dropping in price and save a ton of money in energy costs over the life of the lamp.

Use a clothesline instead of a dryer in warm weather: Our mothers used to do it, and besides, all that gas and electricity come at a cost.

I actually tried this idea on my wife. She gave me that look heads of state give George W. Bush when he’s mangling another country’s etiquette by, say, giving a back rub to their national bird or mispronouncing the regional currency.

“Tell you what,” she said. “I’ll let you hang the laundry out to dry.”

Listen, not every tip is important.

Tom Ragan is co-host of the Shredd and Ragan radio show on 103.3 The Edge. Write him at magazine@buffnews.com.