Home Solar Power Installation Loans Approved by Berkeley City Council

By Scott Kraft

If you live in Berkeley, California and have been put off by the initial costs of installing solar panels on your house, this one’s for you. Yesterday the City Council unanimously approved a program to give city-backed loans to homeowners to install solar panels, with the loan being payed off over 20 years on the owner’s property tax bill ( New York Times). Each loan would likely be around $22,000. It’s not a done deal though, one obstacle still remains:

Wanted: Lender to Work With City

The city still needs to find a lender to work with the city on financing the program. Initially the city hopes to raise $1.5 million for a pilot program covering 50 homes. If that proves successful the full version of the program, where hundreds of homeowners would be involved, will be rolled out.

The expected increase to the property taxes of people participating in the program is expected to be about $180 per month.

Solar As Service, Another Alternative

If that still seems like a lot to you, or if you aren’t a Berkeley resident, a solar as service program, such as the Helio Green Energy Plan, may be a better option. Under this sort of program the solar panels are installed and maintained by a third party while you just pay for the power they provide.

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Green City Guide: Dallas

From the boldface oil barons to renowned congestion, the Dallas metropolitan area doesn't exactly spring to mind as an environmentally progressive destination. But when you've got nowhere to go but up, even beginner strides can be big (especially in Texas). Just this year, for example, the Dallas city council passed a resolution mandating energy and water conservation measures for private developments. An existing mandate requires all new city-owned buildings to meet LEED-Silver certification. And, of course, local longtime oilman, T. Boone Pickens is promoting his cutting-edge energy plan to combat oil consumption by increasing wind, solar, and natural gas infrastructure throughout the U.S. So if you find yourself traveling to Dallas, and you're looking for a rootin'-tootin' green time, don't fret; you've got options. (And for more on green Dallas, you can also check out TreeHugger's Dallas archives.)

1. Take Public Transportation: DART Around Dallas

Good public transit is often a green travelers' best friend, and Dallas's DART in is no exception. Light rail service can scoot you to and from downtown hotels, Dallas' Union Station, and the Arts District. Bus service and commuter rail serve the Dallas -- Fort Worth International Airport now, and construction of a new line is expected to create light rail access by 2013. (You can also find schedules and maps at Google Transit.) For even better, greener access throughout the city, consider bike rental. Bus and light rail services alike allow passengers to bring bikes aboard any time of day.

2. Book a Room at the Green Hotel Palomar Dallas

As in many other cities, Kimpton Hotels is the torchbearer for eco-friendly travel in Dallas. The Hotel Palomar Dallas offers in-room recycling, organic food and drink options, and energy-efficient lighting, plus promotional materials are printed on recycled paper with soy ink. Located outside of downtown in the Park Cities neighborhood, the Palomar is located just a few miles from the Dallas Convention Center.

3. Indulge in the Green Spa Package at spa*habitat

We're enamored with the Treehugger Package (no relation to our sister site) at spa*habitat. The 2.5-hour treatment includes a full body massage, organic foot ritual, and raw earth facial. If you feel like making it a day, go for the 4.5-hour Green Freak Package. With products that are entirely organic, natural, or wild-harvested – right down to the organic cotton robes – you really can't go wrong here.

4. Check Out Dallas Zoo's Poo Power

Elephant poop, cardboard, and tree limbs will soon be powering part of the Dallas Zoo, a.k.a. "the largest zoological experience in Texas." African elephants, Jenny and Keke – who generate 300 pounds of waste per day -- are behind (pun intended!) the zoo's alternative energy mission. A biogas generator will oxygenate and heat the mixture to create an energy-producing gas. Check it out for yourself -- just don't breath too deeply near the pachyderms.

5. Enjoy Vegan Treats at Spiral Diner & Bakery

Mostly organic and 100 percent vegan, Spiral Diner & Bakery is sure to please even the most strident carnivores. With locations in both Fort Worth and Dallas, the diner's "low on the food chain" mantra is matched by their eco-friendly business practices, which includes using biodegradable cleaning products and take-away containers and recycling kitchen materials.

6. Explore the Dallas Farmers' Market

Located a mere a 15-minute walk from many downtown hotels, the bustling Dallas Farmers' Market is a draw for residents and tourists alike. One of the largest open-air markets in the U.S., the market features locally raised meat and produce, along with handcrafts and arts sold by the farmer-artists themselves.

7. Chow Down at Nikolini Cafe

Organic eateries often subscribe to the same salad-sandwich-soup trope. Not Nikolini Café, one of TreeHugger's Restaurants of the Week. Here, you can sit outside and enjoy Northern Greek dishes made from organically grown vegetables and meats. Sure, it's healthy, but they don't sacrifice taste either. Bonus tip: Be sure to save room for dessert!

8. Catch Lunch at Snappy Salads

From biodegradable cups, plates, and utensils to reclaimed wood tables, Snappy Salads has green cred to spare. Touting walls decorated with milk paint, servers outfitted in organic cotton and hemp uniforms, and enviable energy-savings, this eatery is as green as it gets. One caveat: Sandwich-lovers will be disappointed. True to their name, Snappy Salads serves only -- you guessed it -- salads.

9. Get Some Green Living Goods

Green Living in the Lakewood neighborhood is green HQ when it comes to finding the basics. The one-stop shop for everything from reusable bags and organic cotton t-shirts to fair trade toys, this is the place to stock up on supplies, get local eco-info, and learn more about living low-impact.

10. Find a Green Gift From Tango Zango

Looking for a little something to bring home as a green souvenir? Tango Zango in North Dallas specializes in green goods for the home. Organic cotton bedding and baby clothes and sustainable wood furniture is the name of the game here, as are great green gifts.

Source: Planet Green