California is striving to create thousands of megawatts of new solar-generated electricity, moving the state towards a clean energy future. And you can help! Join the thousands of home and business owners who have earned cash back rebates by installing solar energy systems through the California Solar Initiative. Customers earn cash rebates for every watt of solar energy generated on homes, businesses, farms, schools, and government and non-profit organizations.

The San Mateo County Medical Center operates several outpatient clinics throughout San Mateo County that specialize in a range of services, such as STD screening and treatment, HIV or AIDS services, pediatrics and urgent care and much more. The San Mateo Medical Center is dedicated to serving the healthcare needs of all residents of San Mateo County, with an emphasis on education and prevention, and without regard for ability to pay. Their Mobile Health Clinic offers convenient medical care for low-income and homeless people and no one is denied service. If you don't have insurance, their Community Health Advocates will help you find affordable healthcare coverage.

Cooperative Extension is the county-based education and research branch of the University of California's Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Extension programs exist in almost every county in the United States and are funded jointly by Federal, State and County Governments. Cooperative Extension has been serving San Mateo County since 1945, and San Francisco County since 1970.

As of February 2009, the Federal tax code allows employers and employees to set aside pre-tax income to pay for transit commuting and parking costs. The tax code allows tax-free transportation fringe benefits of up to $230 per month per employee for transit expenses and up to $230 per month for qualified parking (includes BART stations). Qualified parking must be near an employer's worksite or at a facility from which an employee commutes. Commuters can receive both the transit and parking benefits - up to $460 per month.

The City of Berkeley's Financial Initiative for Renewable and Solar Technology (FIRST) is a game changing financial instrument. Berkeley officials brainstormed the idea of paying for residential solar panel installations with a City bond. Homeowners who agree to join the program pay off the bond through special assessments on their property tax. Under the program, which began on Nov. 5, 2008, the City will pay up to $37,500 per home for new solar panels. The homeowners get to choose solar panel brands and installers from a list approved by the City. The term of the bond is 20 years. After solar rebates and subsidies are applied to the installation cost, monthly payments for homeowners are around $120.

We are fortunate to live in California with so many fresh food options, grown right here in our backyard. So why should be purchase food grown out of state (or country) that has to be trucked or shipped thousands of miles? Purchasing locally grown foods benefits the local economy, saves energy, preserves the environment and reduces CO2 emissions. The "San Mateo County: As Fresh as it Gets" Awards program recognizes local restaurants, hotels and caterers that make it a point to buy and serve produce from local San Mateo County growers, seafood caught off of San Mateo County's coastline, local goat cheese and beer and wine made in the county. A corporate category was added this year to recognize companies making an effort to serve their employees or students the freshest local fare.

Because of an innovative "decoupling" revenue model, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) can actually make money by selling less of its product - energy! Lucky for you, this can save you lots of money and helps the environment! PG&E has a host of incentive programs and rebates to encourage its business and residential customers to conserve energy. The number of incentive programs and rebates are too many to list, but here are a few to get you started:

As the housing crisis unravels in 2009, people are adopting innovative living arrangements that reduce expenses, make mortgages affordable, and provide steady streams of income. One example of this is shared living arrangements. In this arrangement, two or more unrelated people share a home or apartment. Each person has a private room but shares common areas. Both parties can pay rent or there can be a service exchange in lieu of money. In a service exchange, one person provides childcare, elderly assistance, or other needed duties for another person. This is a low cost way to maintain stability and protection for people who might otherwise be unable to afford housing.

Harley Farms in Pescadero started 16 years ago with six goats and has since grown into a fully self-sustaining 267+ goat operation and the only dairy farm in San Mateo County. The nine-acre farm is a farmstead dairy, meaning the cheese produced comes directly from the farms animals. It has received six national cheese awards and was the recipient the 2008 Sustainable San Mateo County Award, and the 2008 San Mateo County Farmer of the Year award. It also was featured in a February 2007 New York Times article about agri-tourism (see Eco-Tourism Article), a concept in which small farms open up to curious visiting urbanites.

The San Mateo County Community College District Vocational Programs train people to enter specific career fields upon completion of coursework. Vocational programs offer a wide variety of career choices including automotive technology, child development, graphic design and dental hygiene. Many community groups offer scholarships for particular fields and for individuals who have specific needs or backgrounds.