Californian's are Doing Their Part:

Two years ago, John and Barbara, inspired by their neighbors, had solar panels installed on their roof. They now have a 3.2 KW system which should last about 25 years. In two years the panels have generated over 9 MWh of electricity, which is about 70 percent of John and Barbara’s electricity usage. As a result, they’ve only paid a total of 21 cents for electricity in the past 2 years.

After rebates, John and Barbara paid about $15,000 for their solar panels, but the panels should pay for themselves in 9-10 years. Factoring in some maintenance costs, John and Barbara will probably save about $10,000 in electricity costs.

John and Barbara encourage others to get solar panels too! When he’s out jogging, John looks at houses to see if they have solar panels on their roofs and sees many untapped opportunities. “I really appreciate it when I see solar up there but mostly I see south-facing places which look ideal but no solar there. I find that sad. What better way to spend your money?”

Cheri D has taken many actions to reduce her climate impact over the years, some were simple like choosing to compost and others were more complex like home improvement projects. Together with her husband, they have chosen to drive less and drive clean. "My husband and I both bike to work whenever possible, using the bus on occasion and driving in only when necessary. By doing so, we’ve been able to get by with only one car!"

Cheri also notes, "We save many thousands of dollars a year in avoided insurance, car maintenance, gas, and parking costs! An added bonus is that we get a little bit of exercise each and every day."

Making the choice to live "green" was not difficult for Cheri; it was just a matter of changing her value system and acting accordingly. Cheri adds, "You don’t need to make drastic changes all at once!"

Burn calories instead of gasoline by riding a bike

By riding a bike 20 miles a week instead of driving a car that gets 20 mpg, you can reduce your carbon footprint by 1280 lbs a year, burn calories, and maintain your fitness level. Not to mention save some money on gas and other expenses like parking. Whenever feasible, choose to live within biking or walking distance to work.

Liz D has had a lifelong interest in preserving the earth's biodiversity. On a more local level she has found great enjoyment in growing her own food and going to farmers markets.

She has strived to reduce her household carbon footprint and accomplished this with a few easy actions:

• Uses fluorescent light bulbs.
• Keeps the thermostat set to 66 F in winter months and they don't have air conditioning.
• Turns off lights and appliances when not needed.
• Uses a clothes line and clothes drying rack instead of the dryer.

These actions have paid off. Her utility bill shows they used 0.5 therms per day in July 2009 vs. 0.9 therms last year. The calculated difference results in an estimated reduction of 1,874 lbs. of CO₂ per year and a savings of approximately $77/year.

Liz's story is just another example of an easy, and very low-cost action that households can take to reduce their carbon footprint and help save the planet.