Survey: Using Tax Refunds to Go Green?

The average tax refund last year was around $2500 – that’s no small chunk of change! Yesterday was tax day, and we’re curious, will you be using your tax refund to green your home?

We think tax returns are a great opportunity to start a green project, here’s a few that we think would be easy to do with $2500:

• Get a home energy audit
• Change every remaining incandescent light bulb to compact fluorescent or even LED.
• Install a tankless water heater
• Start a garden
• Replace or repair any inefficient windows
• Buy or repair a bike

Don’t forget that any upgrades you make this year may be eligible for the new 2009 Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credits – double your money!

So, will you be using your tax refunds to go green?

Image by daihung via Flickr

Comments (2)

We did use our tax return to green our home. Since we were first time homebuyers, we qualified for the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit and used it towards a. moving expenses and b. the house itself.

Among other things, we refinished our floors upstairs using a green contractor (Novel Home in Cincy, OH) in Bioshield hard oil and resin, painted exclusively with Mythic Paint and tried to only buy second hand or sustainable goods for the new house.

Our home, still a work in progress.

A long way to go, yes, but even just being in a house where we can compost and garden has allowed us so much more freedom! Next up: clothes line (Kentucky springs are incredibly rainy) and a rain barrel.

posted by Loki Parker on April 16th 2009 at 8:28pm
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I'll be getting a return for the first time in 12 years, and plan on using it to move to a nicer, more energy-efficient house.

posted by SunnyBlue on April 16th 2009 at 11:14pm
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