Fresh AIRE

Don't You Want to Be Free?

The time is now...the time to tell our leaders exactly what we want...to be energy-independent and energy-wise.  There are many ways to fight climate change and global warming, both individually and collectively.  There is one goal to strive for - 100% clean energy in 10 years.  Check out this video ad from WE that tells our leaders this simple message. 

What's the ROI for solar on your roof?

One of the most frequent questions we get is about using solar PV panels for electricity generation, and if you live in Arlington you likely live under a roof.  When you put these two together what do you get?  OPPORTUNITY!  The question everyone wants to know is just how big that opportunity is and what the payback period looks like.

Now you can actually find out what the ballpark payback would be for your home. This website is still a little buggy, but it still let’s you play ‘what if’ on the computer without having to pay for an estimate. Just for fun I plugged in the Arlington Central Library and the roof area (photo below). This FREE ONLINE program allows you to trace the roof, plug in the angle, utility info, and a few other variables and gives you the rough return on investment for solar installation. Play with your house and see what your payback period is www.roofray.com.

Below is an example using Arlington's Central Library, however it doesn't list the ROI since I didn't have the utility data at hand.  Stay posted, I'll work on that.

   

This is also another good resource: http://findsolar.com

Go DC, Go!

Check this out...yesterday DC launched the first bike-sharing program in the US!  "SmartBike DC will rent 120 bikes at 10 self-service racks mostly in the downtown area, including near the Gallery Place, Shaw and Judiciary Square Metrorail stations. A $40 annual fee gets riders a membership card, which allows them to pick up a cherry red three-speed bike. Then it's time to tool around the city for up to three hours. Those who want to keep going can pick up another bike; there's no limit on the number of trips," Washingtonpost.com.  If you live, work or visit DC, be sure to check out this sweet alternative to driving! 

What would your hand say?

Step It Up initiated a campaign called "The Green Finger Project." The campaign encourages people to think about the impacts of climate change and what they are fighting to protect when they take action to prevent climate change.  My list is long, but can be summed up in two words, "Our Future."  What are you fighting to protect?  Check out these responses. 

A Fair to Remember - Arlington County Fair

Here ye, Here ye!  Come one come all to the Arlington County Fair and stop into the Fresh AIRE booth.  This weekend at the Thomas Jefferson School located at 3501 South Second Street  Arlington, VA  from August 6-10, 2008.  The hours of operations are:

Indoor Hours of Operation:

Thursday, August 7 - 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Friday, August 8 - 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Saturday, August 9 - 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Sunday, August 10 - 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Outdoor Hours of Operation:

Wednesday, August 6th:   5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Thursday, August 7th:   5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Friday, August 8th: 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Saturday, August 9th:  10:00 am - 10:00 pm 
Sunday, August 10th:11:00 am - 10:00 pm   

Come on down, grab a snow cone, and visit our booth located inside the gym at the fair.

Get recession ready with 14 Fresh AIRE Tips!

The news these days about a weakening dollar, energy price increasing, a housing market bust, oil prices skyrocketing, and general inflationary pressure are almost enough to make a person bury their head in the sand.  Below is a graph of the inflation from October 2006 to the present which shows a rather steep increase.     

Here in Arlington we are lucky that our local economy and housing prices haven't been as deeply hit as other localities.  Nonetheless, we haven't been immune to energy prices and general inflation.  Check out these AIRE Tip Cards to get recession ready.  These 14 tips are simple, easy to implement, and will save you money to hedge against inflation!

                 

                  AIRE TIP Cards Linked Here: CLICK

                  Downloadable AIRE TIP Cards Linked Here: CLICK