There is one month remaining in 2016 and there are some attractive tax credits available you can apply for and reduce the cost of certain renovations/improvements to your home. Some of these tax credits expire 12/31/2016 so you will need to move quickly if you want to take advantage of reducing the initial cost of these money and energy saving improvements. If you own a home that you need to heat or cool, there are some attractive incentives to invest in your home and lower your overall energy consumption. Here is a link to the 2016 Federal Tax credits available for energy efficiency. https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits
Are you in the market for a new car? Plug-in hybrids are the newest generation of fuel efficient transportation on the market. We recently bought a plug-in hybrid and are averaging over 60 miles per gallon. It plugs into our regular household electricity and has a range of 22 miles on electricity alone before switching to the hybrid gas engine which is rated at 42 mpg. The range on our vehicle is over 400 miles. Charging stations are becoming much easier to find. The new Publix on Miller Street, for instance, offers free charging while you shop. The federal government is offering tax credits on certain plug-in hybrid vehicles. Here is a link to the Manufacturer and models that will qualify for a tax credit that is relative in size to the capabilities of the battery in the car.
https://www.irs.gov/businesses/qualified-vehicles-acquired-after-12-31-2009
Submitted by Helen Bushnell Beets for the Earth Stewards Team
