There's a lot going on this weekend right here in the Puget Sound! You've got Seattle's PrideFest, Strawberry Festivals in Bellevue and at Remlinger Farms, SeaTac's International Festival, Shoreline's Arts Festival, Port Orchard's Fathoms O' Fun Summer Festival, the Capitol Hill Pride Festival, Greenwood Car Show, Taste of Tacoma, and a Party in the Park in Kirkland. Wow!

But if that doesn't keep you busy, take a look at the event we are highlighting this week by clicking on "More". And don't be shy - let us know what your weekend plans entail!

Image Credit: Flickr/Creative Commons
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The Obama Administration’s plan to stimulate our country’s sagging economy with a massive infusion of grants, tax breaks and other federal spending includes a boost for people who want to save energy.
The stimulus bill approved by Congress earlier this year contains a federal tax credit for consumers who add insulation, reflective roofing or energy-efficient windows, doors or heating systems. Those who take advantage of the tax credit can have the federal government pay for up to 30 percent of those energy-cutting home improvements.
Improvements made in 2009 and 2010 qualify for the tax credit. The most a person can receive is $1,500, which is 30 percent of a $5,000 purchase.
Other equipment is eligible for the tax credit without any cap on the amount. This includes solar energy panels, solar hot water systems, geothermal heat pumps, small wind systems or fuel cells. That equipment must be installed by 2016 to qualify.
These tax credits come on top of incentives that are already being offered by electric and gas utilities.
In a previous column, THIS SPACE described the $1,200 discount my employer, Seattle City Light, and Puget Sound Energy are providing on ductless heat pumps. Among the other incentives are rebates for Energy Star water heaters, high-efficiency air-source heat pumps and insulation.
Each of these steps has the potential to significantly reduce your energy consumption and lower your monthly bills. So if you’ve ever thought about replacing your leaky, single-pane windows, rattling furnace or rusty water heater, there’s no time like now.
The ONE THING you can do this week to save energy and keep some extra money in your bank account is to investigate the incentives available from your utility and the federal government then find a qualified company to help you install some energy-efficient upgrades. Many installers are looking for work too, which means a little negotiating could save you even more.
You’ll appreciate the increased comfort in your home and the smaller energy bills for years to come. More...

On a recent trip to the supermarket, my wife brought home a new detergent for the dishwashing machine. We both responded favorably to the “Eco” labeling on the soap, which indicated that it did not include phosphorous.

Increases in phosphorous in waterways can cause harmful algae blooms, so finding an opportunity to cut back can be a good thing. Unfortunately, the good feelings of reducing our impact on the water system faded with each new load of dishes. The soap left a lot of filmy residue, and more importantly failed to remove the food particles we wanted to wash off.

To get them clean, we had to run the dishes through a second cycle, which obviously brings us to the point of THIS SPACE: how to save electricity and keep a few more dollars in your bank account. More...

Many houses have heaters, fireplaces, woodstoves or a combination of all three, yet are still uncomfortably cold inside. Aren’t we smart enough to keep ourselves warm? Even beavers build their dens to stay incredibly toasty and dry, so what’s going on with us? You may have taken one look at your heating bill over the last few months and wondered the same thing.

Spring is finally here and we can use this time to prepare and remodel for next winter. Here are some ways to manage staying warm, saving money and being green (besides wearing that green thrift store sweater you bought for St. Patrick's Day). More...

Your number one green building resource is the Seattle Department of Planning and Development's City Green Building, especially their Green Remodel Guides. But we know that these times call for cash, so we've gathered your top money back options to aid your green remodel.

4 Areas to Check
Have you used our Personal Energy Analyzer yet? If you don't own a Chinook Book, you can download it right here. Reducing your water heater temperature, lowering your thermostat (or raising it this summer), and eliminating phantom power suckers can save you money with zero cost up front.

Cash and Tax Incentives
(Use Energy Star's DIY guide to insulation and sealing)

• Save $50- $100 on a WashWise washing machine
• Get $30 for recycling your old working refrigerator
• $50-$375 for upgrading lawn sprinklers
• Find out how to identify and fix water leaks and toilet leaks that cost you money with the Saving Water Partnership. Apartment dweller tips are located here too.
• Seattle City Light has helpful FAQs to cover your basic energy questions

Give Yourself an Audit
Take the Seattle City Light Home Resource Profile to get a detailed analysis of your home energy usage and compare to other homes like yours. More...

Are you looking for a green paradise to call home? Are you considering some green remodeling that will help cut your energy costs while reducing your impact? Or maybe you are just looking to escape from reality for a couple of hours. This weekend brings us two green home tours on opposite ends of the city that are sure to inspire and educate. If you can't make either times, consider green remodeling options at EcoMetro merchants like ecohaus, Second Use, and the ReStore.

Check out a couple of additional events happening this week by clicking "More"....and don't forget to take advantage of EcoMetro online coupons from some fantastic local merchants!

Green Home Tour
Tour a 5 Star Built Green & Energy Star home in the Crown Hill neighborhood and learn first hand what makes this homes sustainable, energy efficient, and healthy. Tour groups are small, so reserve your space soon! Check out the website for reservation details.
Mar 14, 12pm-2pm
Crown Hill neighborhood. Call for your reservation!

"Behind the Walls" Green Home Tour  
AIA award winning architect Tony Case will lead this tour of 2 modern green homes under construction in Columbia City. The tour gives attendees an opportunity to explore the latest in green building and energy efficient technology, and see what goes on "behind the walls" of the homes as they are being constructed. Free and open to the public. Please RSVP to Eva Otto at 206-235-6925 or eva@infinitiRED.com
Mar 15, 1pm-4pm
Columbia City neighborhood. RSVP for location details.

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Sometimes when a good thing becomes THE hot thing, the ensuing rush by other companies to jump on the bandwagon and produce as many widgets as possible can create big disparities in quality.

Unfortunately, compact fluorescent light bulbs appear to be suffering from a touch of this malady.

Some consumers, eager to save energy and lower their bills, are finding out the compact fluorescent bulbs didn’t last as long as they expected. With constant use, one of these bulbs should last about a year. With normal use, it should last seven to 10 years. But not all manufacturers’ products are living up to that expectation.

Two factors appear to be at play. More...

Are you a huge fan of EcoMetro merchants like ecohaus, the RE Store and Greener Lifestyles? Have you dreamed of remodeling with recycled glass tile and no-VOC finishes?  If you are looking for inspiration, there's a home tour this weekend that you shouldn't miss!

And don't forget to click on "More" for a couple of addition events around the Sound that you might want to check out!

Green Home Tour
Tour a 5 Star Built Green & Energy Star home in the Crown Hill neighborhood and learn first hand what makes this homes sustainable, energy efficient, and healthy. Tour groups are small, so reserve your space soon! Check out the website for reservation details.
Feb 21, 11am-1pm
Call for your reservation!

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Personal behavior change is so subtle you don’t see it happening, and can forget how far you’ve come. There are thousands of tips for reducing your impact and living the green and good life, but realizing which you are really doing and what that means can be difficult to pin down. Your efforts deserve to be recognized, monitored, and charted over time. We'll even throw in some reader prizes eventually, too!

Here’s how to start your own sustainability journal, which you can use to set goals and to look back on as you change your lifestyle. We'll bring you more features weekly, including printable guides to a home waste audit, travel diary, games for kids and a home energy analyzer, all from our green living guides. I’ll also be doing this all myself, and roping in guests from the EcoMetro staff and friends, so we can both gripe and high-five together. Ready? Read on... More...

Your Home: Before and After Greening
We envisioned the following home remodels and fixes and the resulting reduction in carbon emissions and utility costs. In addition to our exclusive coupon offers, we also tracked down the rebates available to you now if you make your home more efficient. Check the federal tax credits for any energy efficiency work, you could save up to $500 in addition to local incentives on efficeint windows, insulation, appliances and more.

Free Fix for Water Heaters and Furnaces
Before: A water heater set above 120 degrees uses more energy than necessary and raises your bills. After: Turning the water heater down to 120 degrees saves 500lbs of CO2/year and reduces your monthly bill. Cost: A trip to the basement. While down there, check your furnace filter. Clean filters can save you 5% of your heating costs. More...