Bottom Line: GreenPoint Rated is a system which rewards building professionals and homeowners who create green homes by allowing them to brand their products with a recognizable, trustworthy seal of approval.

How important is energy/environmental friendliness in the sale or purchase of a home? Environmentally friendly homes not only save resources and money, they can last longer, be healthier and more comfortable, and hold their value better than similarly priced homes. But how can you tell if a home really is green?

Bottom Line: Green@Home HouseCalls help fight climate change by saving residents energy and money while reducing climate changing CO2 emissions. Trained volunteers meet with residents in their homes to install simple energy-saving devices and create home energy conservation plans.

Did you know that U.S. households produce 21% of the country's global warming causing emissions? That means that smart choices at home can really make a difference! Green@Home helps communities take action to reduce global warming by making their homes more energy efficient. “HouseCalls” are available to all residents of participating cities whether you rent or own.

Bottom Line: BAWSCA is Partnering with its Member Agencies to Offer Rebates  of up to $150 on Purchases of High-Efficiency Toilets!

The Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA) is an organization representing the interests of 24 local water suppliers throughout San Mateo, Santa Clara, and parts of Alameda Counties.

Bottom Line: We are experiencing a statewide drought! Here are some ways to reduce water consumption in your home.

Two consecutive record-dry winters throughout California have resulted in the greatest threat to our water supply in nearly 20 years, prompting the governor to declare a statewide drought. Reduce water consumption in your home. It is especially important to detect, fix and prevent leaks. If you rent, report leaks to your building manager or landlord. Nationwide, more than 1 trillion gallons of water leak from U.S. homes each year!

Bottom Line: With water fees rising more than 10% annually and water shortage in California it is prudent and economical to reduce your water usage. With a few simple changes, taking advantage of a number available incentives and rebates it is easy to reduce your water consumption significantly.

In the US the average person uses about 150 gallon per day according to the United Nations 2008 Development Report Update. This is more than twice as much as the average person in Germany, about 8 times more than the average person in China. Note that "an American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than the typical person living in a developing country slum uses in a whole day [1]". The most recent measured data for San Mateo County show an average use of 87.1 gallon per day per person (gpd) [2], with significant differences between Water Districts, ranging from 267 gpd in Hillsborough to less than 50 gpd in South San Francisco. About 68% of the water in San Mateo County is consumed by residential use.

Bottom Line: Incentives from California and the Federal Government for installing solar at your home or business make it a great time to GO SOLAR!

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.

Bottom Line: New financing programs make solar energy cheaper than carbon based energy.

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.

Bottom Line: Public utilities reimburse ratepayers for the extra cost of buying energy efficient products.

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:

Bottom Line: Local community colleges are expanding vocational training in the growing clean energy fields to produce highly coveted employees.

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.

Bottom Line: Green business certification is a marketing asset, cost cutting measure, energy saver, workforce morale booster and overall smart business strategy.The Bay Area Green Business Program is a successful partnership between cities, counties, environmental agencies, and utility companies that assist businesses in transitioning to practices that are environmentally friendly. There is often an upfront time and dollar investment in gaining green business certification, but almost all businesses agree the savings are worth it after a short payback period. The largest cost saving efforts usually include waste reduction and recycling, lighting upgrades, water conservation, and sourcing recycled products. Local colleges and universities may have graduate level students that are willing to help with energy audits and compliance reviews. Once a business satisfies the requirements on the green business checklist, including visits by PG&E and the water agency, the Green Business Coordinator verifies the results.

Bottom Line: Pervious paving systems provide an economically sound and ecologically sensitive alternative for managing stormwater runoff and related water pollution issues.

Pervious paving systems (permeable concrete and asphalt, permeable joint pavers, or reinforced grass and gravel grids) allow rainwater to pass through their surface and soak into the underlying ground, recharging watersheds and replenishing ground water supplies while protecting wildlife habitats and greater ecosystems. While these systems help reduce the amount of stormwater runoff, they are not considered a treatment measure. Pervious paving must be designed to manage stormwater runoff adequately, while maintaining the same load bearing capacity as conventional paving in order to support the weight and forces applied by vehicular traffic.

Bottom Line: Green-Collar Jobs provide a prosperous pathway out of poverty for our people and our planet.

"Let's take the people who most need work, connect them with the work that most needs to be done, and fight pollution and poverty at the same time." Van Jones, Founder, Green For All

Green-collar jobs are like blue-collar jobs with a sustainable, community-building twist. Green-collar jobs are meaningful, pay family wages, and provide opportunities for advancement along a career track of increasing skills and wages. Green-collar jobs are in growing industries that are helping us kick the fossil fuel habit, curbing greenhouse-gas emissions, eliminating toxins, and protecting natural systems. Green-collar workers are already installing solar panels, retrofitting buildings to make them more energy efficient, constructing transit lines, refining waste vegetable oil into biodiesel, erecting wind farms, repairing hybrid cars, installing green rooftops, planting trees, and so much more.

Bottom Line: Through SOS, Hillsdale High School installed solar panels and the students received a hands-on education about conservation and alternative energy.

Owens Electric & Solar is leading the way in renewable energy education in San Mateo County through its Solar Our Schools Program. After completing its first official program at Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, Director Brian Quock has valuable insights to share.

The SOS program links Owens and BP Solar grants (for classroom materials, staff time, and solar panels) with a 5-week course for students to learn the basics of solar and other renewable energy sources, conservation and future technologies. During lunch and afterschool sessions, Brian educates the students on designing solar systems and involves them in the installation and monitoring process at their school. The results have been very positive, as the students have been a part of the process from education and participation to fundraising.

Bottom Line: Growing food on rooftops reduces your carbon footprint, saves money, builds local economies, and adds diversity to the environment.

Keith Agoada started Sky Vegetables in April 2008. At the time, his sustainable-urban-farming business plan had just won a competition at the University of Wisconsin School of Business. The concept takes advantage of the ‘fields' of flat rooftops found atop supermarkets by using that space to grow crops. Prototype ‘fields' would not look like conventional farming. Vegetables would be grown in greenhouses in a high density arrangement. Water needs would be supplemented by rain stored in tanks. Wind turbines and solar panels would supplement energy demands. Composting bins would provide rich soil. Right now, Mr. Agoada and his partners are looking to build a prototype on a Bay Area supermarket.