Apartment Therapy Re-Nest | Green Idea: Use Your Tax Rebate to Boost the Green Economy

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Green Idea: Use Your Tax Rebate to Boost the Green Economy

April 15 is almost here, and for many of us, that means that we'll finally get our taxes filed. We'll also soon be getting a sizeable "rebate" check in the mail -- up to $600. Why not spend that money on something green? (And it doesn't have to be all about consumption...)

There are lots of small, local businesses that are working hard to make green a way of life. Three that come to mine include Olio United in Portland, Ecohome Improvement in Berkeley, and Sprout Home in Chicago.

The smartest investment is to buy something that will save you money over the long term: $600 makes a significant down payment on an on-demand hot water heater, or it would pay for a houseful of professionally installed weatherstripping, or a new dual-flush toilet.

This just might be a way around the problem, discussed a few months back, of whether to refer to those $600 checks as a rebate or a bonus: spend it on conservation and you make it both.

image by alitaylor via sxc.hu

Comments (5)

How about save your money for the hard times ahead?

posted by BonivaGScott on 2008-04-08 22:34:28
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I think that purchasing a dual flush toilet or an on demand water heater is preping for the hard times ahead. We live in an apartment so I used my money to buy a bicycle to get around and have parked the car.

posted by http://badhuman.wordpress.com on 2008-04-09 13:19:42
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I shall be putting mine towards credit card debt. Can't freaking wait :)

posted by suziegoombs on 2008-04-10 14:42:22
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I don't qualify. :-( But I think ALL of the so-called "stimulus" money should have been allocated towards our infrastructure and energy projects. Instead it's just iPods and LCD televisions...

posted by hejiranyc on 2008-04-11 11:56:56
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suziegoombs --i'm doing the same thing. and i'm actually excited about it!

posted by cantabrigian1 on 2008-04-11 13:28:44
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