Comments on: H1389 – A Tool To Make Asheville Greener http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/ If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen. — Samuel Adams Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:18:32 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: randallt http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34174 randallt Tue, 11 Aug 2009 03:24:15 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34174 I think we call this democracy. Thanks guys. I think we call this democracy. Thanks guys.

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]]> By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34173 Gordon Smith Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:42:37 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34173 Thanks, Kelly. I'll look forward to hearing more! Thanks, Kelly. I’ll look forward to hearing more!

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]]> By: Kelly Miller http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34172 Kelly Miller Tue, 11 Aug 2009 02:00:41 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34172 Gordon, Just checking in after a long day. I have a very specific plan on how the Asheville area can become a national leader in renewable energy manufacturing, best green practices, et al. The just held Mountain Green Conference that the steering committee I served on produced, under the leadership of Phillip Gibson at WWC, is just one of 5-7 "got it right" strategies that move us closer to my vision. That's the beauty of campaigns...articulating to the voters vision and proven experiences that work. My plan will get us there. Stay tuned. Details on the trail. Gordon,
Just checking in after a long day. I have a very specific plan on how the Asheville area can become a national leader in renewable energy manufacturing, best green practices, et al. The just held Mountain Green Conference that the steering committee I served on produced, under the leadership of Phillip Gibson at WWC, is just one of 5-7 “got it right” strategies that move us closer to my vision. That’s the beauty of campaigns…articulating to the voters vision and proven experiences that work. My plan will get us there. Stay tuned. Details on the trail.

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]]> By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34094 Gordon Smith Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:07:32 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34094 Phillip, Let's say that someone borrows $2,500 to reinsulate her home. The reinsulation will cut her heating bill in half and (if applicable) A/C bill in half. The loan can be repaid over as many as 15 years, built into property tax payments, or it can be repaid at a faster speed to cut down on interest rate . If she saves only $50/month in energy costs then she could pay for the loan with the savings in 50 months or less. If, in fact, "59.3% of their annual income on their energy bills", and that number can be cut to 29.6% through basic upfits like insulation, then it stands to reason that the poor could benefit more through this program than anyone else. Once retrofitted, homes become more affordable and sustainable in the long term. Phillip,

Let’s say that someone borrows $2,500 to reinsulate her home. The reinsulation will cut her heating bill in half and (if applicable) A/C bill in half. The loan can be repaid over as many as 15 years, built into property tax payments, or it can be repaid at a faster speed to cut down on interest rate . If she saves only $50/month in energy costs then she could pay for the loan with the savings in 50 months or less.

If, in fact, “59.3% of their annual income on their energy bills”, and that number can be cut to 29.6% through basic upfits like insulation, then it stands to reason that the poor could benefit more through this program than anyone else. Once retrofitted, homes become more affordable and sustainable in the long term.

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]]> By: Tim Peck http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34093 Tim Peck Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:48:40 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34093 Oh boy, a cage match. Oh boy, a cage match.

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]]> By: Phillip Gibson http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34092 Phillip Gibson Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:14:41 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34092 Umm... this is good for those who have money... but given the recession - and that it is the poor who consume the most energy (because of the quality of their homes). So, loans are not going to be that great of asset. The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association reported in 2008 that homes of those living 50% below the national poverty level consumed a disproportionate amount of energy. NC households with incomes below 50% of the national poverty level pay 59.3% of their annual income on their energy bills. Homes built ten or more years ago consume up to 60% more energy than newer homes. And, heating and cooling account for 50% to 70% of the energy used in the average American home. Umm… this is good for those who have money… but given the recession – and that it is the poor who consume the most energy (because of the quality of their homes). So, loans are not going to be that great of asset. The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association reported in 2008 that homes of those living 50% below the national poverty level consumed a disproportionate amount of energy. NC households with incomes below 50% of the national poverty level pay 59.3% of their annual income on their energy bills. Homes built ten or more years ago consume up to 60% more energy than newer homes. And, heating and cooling account for 50% to 70% of the energy used in the average American home.

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]]> By: Gordon Smith http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34047 Gordon Smith Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:56:04 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34047 Thanks, Councilman Miller, for dropping by. How do you recommend we become a regional leader in renewable energy manufacturing and installation, green retrofits, and green construction? What's the plan? Thanks, Councilman Miller, for dropping by.

How do you recommend we become a regional leader in renewable energy manufacturing and installation, green retrofits, and green construction?

What’s the plan?

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]]> By: Kelly Miller http://scrutinyhooligans.us/2009/08/10/h1389-a-tool-to-make-asheville-greener/comment-page-1/#comment-34046 Kelly Miller Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:23:43 +0000 http://scrutinyhooligans.us/?p=8808#comment-34046 For the record, I, too, supported this initiate and voted yes when it came back to Council after further information was provided to us. Further, it is my vision that Asheville becomes more than a regional leader in renewable energy maufacturing and installation, green retrofits, and green construction. We can the city that got it right re: green jobs and sustainable best practices. For the record, I, too, supported this initiate and voted yes when it came back to Council after further information was provided to us. Further, it is my vision that Asheville becomes more than a regional leader in renewable energy maufacturing and installation, green retrofits, and green construction. We can the city that got it right re: green jobs and sustainable best practices.

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