We don’t need an official statistic to tell us that trash in the US increases during the holidays, but some reports say that over 1 million tons of extra waste are generated in the United States from Thanksgiving to the New Year!  How can we reduce that number?  It may take some effort on our part, but we can cut back on what we use and throw away during the holidays! 

• Not only will ditching store-bought gift wrap save room in the trash bin, but it will also save money! Check out these alternatives from How Stuff Works. In case you must buy something, look for inexpensive reusable tins, boxes and gift bags. 

• Besides gift cards, give presents that are about presence:  trips, a year’s pass to a museum or local amusement park, memberships to spas, or concert tickets. 

• Thrift-shopping is one way to reuse items, and treasures can be found by visiting them often.  Don’t forget local social media “yard sale” groups, as well as websites that allow people to sell used items. 
• Don’t forget the batteries but make them rechargeable! This type of battery is becoming more affordable, especially in the smaller battery sizes, and it keeps nasty battery waste from going to our landfills. 
• It is irritating to get the lights up and half a strand dies as soon as they’re plugged in, but don’t throw them out!  Read about how to check them over,, as well as tools that are made specifically for repairing lights.  If they are truly burnt out, find a recycling center for them instead of sending them out with the garbage. 
• Break out the “good” dishes instead of using disposables!  Ask everyone to pitch in once the meal is over, and clean-up will be a breeze. 
• Food waste is something we don’t think about often, but we can cut back on what we throw away by planning well and thinking creatively with leftovers.  Find helpful tips and recipes, as well as the Guest-Imator tool at savethefood.com. 

• Live trees are used in almost half of American homes, but they shouldn’t be sent to a landfill.  Learn about different ways to reuse the tree, or contact a conservation group to see if they can use it for wildlife. 

Cutting back during the holidays goes against what our society tells us about how we should spend these next few weeks, but even little things like using unconventional gift wrapping for just three gifts adds up, according to Visual.ly.  Commit to making three changes this year, and next year, add three more to your list.  Consider it a gift to the environment. 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

We know all about using solar energy or doing a net-zero house overhaul in order to help create a greener world.  While they’re great for the environment, they’re not so easy on the wallet. What can we do that can start us on the path of going green and do it without needing a loan shark? Look through the following ideas, choose a few, and start making a difference! 

• Plant native plants in your landscape! Because they are adapted to your climate, you won’t be watering them as much, and many are naturally pest resistant.  Native landscaping will also encourage wildlife to visit! 
• Speaking of plants, a “living wall” can cut down on cooling costs in Summer, while helping insulate the colder side of the house in Winter.  Even a wall of ivy can make a difference. Learn more about vertical gardens from FresHome. 
• Refurbishing or remodeling a room? Add color with low-VOC paints, or use natural wood stains and sealers. Check out local thrift stores or Habitat for Humanity ReStores for pre-owned light fixtures and many other items.  Reclaimed wood can be used for flooring or furniture projects, too. 

• You don’t have to start biking to work in order to cut back on emissions or save money. Keep your vehicle serviced, and make sure you inflate your tires to the correct pressure. Making body modifications on your vehicle, such as removing that rarely used luggage rack, are other ways you can save gas. 
• In the kitchen, using a large toaster oven instead of your oven can save energy as well as keeping cooler in the Summer months. Slow cookers and pressure cookers are other appliances that conserve.  Other energy-saving cooking tips can be found at energy.gov 
• According to the WaterHeaterHub website, you can save as much as 25% on the energy used to keep your water hot by installing a timer.  If your conventional water heater is past its prime, switching over to a tankless or solar water heater may be your best option. 

Going eco-friendly doesn’t need to break the bank. Besides those ideas listed above, changing over to LED lightbulbs, making a conscious effort to take shorter showers or composting food waste are all inexpensive baby steps towards your goal.  Start now and see the benefits later! 

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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Photo credit: allevents.in

With Florida on record as one of the sunniest states in the United States, logic follows that it’s also a key player in the solar energy industry. With solar jobs soaring and the sunlight flowing, The Sunshine State is definitely a hot spot for solar production.

A natural tourist destination, not only for its amusement attractions, but also for its weather, Orlando, Florida has seen substantial growth in solar interest in recent years. With a total of 236 days per year with sun, and solar energy installation prices significantly dropping every year, Orlando is prime real estate for solar energy generation.

Annual Climate

An average of 5.5 sun hours per day and 65% of the days being sunny per year, if you live in Orlando and are interested in installing solar panels on your home, you’re in luck. Some of the top solar companies in the industry are operating in your hometown. Not only is the price right (or better than it was a mere five years ago), but the incentives and rebates for installing solar panels on your home abound. Though it may seem like a lot of money up front, you’ll be rolling in energy savings in no time. And the less you have to rely on the grid for energy, the less money you’re shelling out to power companies per month.

Benefits of Going Solar in Orlando

You’ve seen the uptick of solar panel installation around Orlando. And, you’ve heard that even Disney World is partially powered by solar energy. Surely there are benefits to going solar. . .right? Absolutely! Being one of the sunniest cities in the nation, if you live in Orlando and are thinking about solar energy, consider this:

• You can significantly limit your dependence on utility companies. Some people cut out the need for the utility companies all together.
• Don’t be frightened by the cost. Instead, consider the return on investment in just a few short years. Most homeowners who install solar panels in their homes can expect an average of a 20% return on investment.
• Your property value will instantly increase.
• You’ll directly be contributing to reducing your carbon footprint through the use of clean energy.
• On a larger scale, you’ll play a key role in the United States’ reduction on reliance on foreign oil. Needless to say, you’ll play an indirect role in benefiting the economy, the job market, and economic stability.

What Can You Expect to Save?

If you’re an Orlando resident and thinking of installing solar panels at your home, the great news is that you’ll start saving a significant amount – nearly $730 in the first year (approximately $60 per month)  – off your electricity bill. Even better than that? The amount you save will only increase year over year. On average, for Orlando residents,  yearly savings with solar energy systems is $1,100 per year.

Let’s take a look at an example. The average size of a residential solar system is 5 kW and the average cost of this size system is a little over $16,000. Based on average electricity costs in Orlando, available tax credits, loan options, and rebates, you’ll get nearly $5,000 back in the first year alone. Let’s face it, there aren’t many incentives like that around. Couple that with the fact that you’ll constantly be saving money each year until your system is paid off, and that once it’s paid off, you’ll be experiencing pure profit, and solar energy sounds pretty promising!

Driving Down Your Costs

Let’s break it down a little more. If you’re an Orlando resident, what kind of rebates and credits are available?

• The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 allowed for a 30% tax credit for installation of a solar energy system for all systems placed in service by December 31, 2016. Even though this rebate had recently expired, the federal government introduced an extension until December 31, 2019.
• The Florida Renewable Energy Technologies and Energy Efficiency Act provides state-level rebates and incentives for installation of a solar system.
• The Orlando Utilities Commission offers a rebate up to $900 for installing a solar energy system in your home.
• If you are a Florida resident, you are exempt from paying state sales and use tax on your solar energy systems and related products.
• You are eligible for an up to $1,000 rebate from select power companies.
• Lastly, net metering is allowed within the state of Florida. Living in Orlando, installing a solar system, but still opting to be connected to the grid? That’s great news for you. Any unused solar energy generated from your personal system can be fed back into the grid and the utility company will give you credit for the solar power. What does this mean? Even if you use power from the grid, your monthly utility bill could be $0 based on energy credits provided by your local utility company.

Orlando Solar Companies

It’s no doubt that Orlando has experienced a boom in the number of available solar jobs. Some of the highest rated solar energy companies in Orlando, according to Yelp, include:

• Everything Solar
  • “Turning Daylight into Dollars” is this company’s logo. A licensed Florida solar company, this full service technology company has been designing, servicing, and installing solar systems for over 20 years in the greater Orlando area, including Volusia, Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake and Polk counties.
    
• Superior Solar
  • Specializing in solar electric, solar pool heating, and solar hot water, this Central Florida company claims to “shrink your energy bills” and was named as the #1 Solar Contractor in Central Florida by Solar Power World.
    
• Simply Solar Services
  • This Florida-based, design-build firm specializes  in Solar Power for commercial and residential applications, offering innovated and tailored designs plus accurate installations.
    
• Universal Solar
  • This company is dedicated to helping you save money and helping the environment. Universal Solar specializes in residential and commercial solar systems, including solar electric, solar hot water, and solar heating for pools. They serve all of Central Florida – Orlando, Kissimmee, Windermere, Mt. Dora, Sanford, and beyond.
    
• Bob Heinmiller Solar Solutions
  • Orlando Florida’s Solar Solutions provider, Bob Heinmiller has over 20 years experience as a licensed and insured Air Conditioning and Electrical Contractor serving the greater Orlando area and is also an authorized installer for Solarworld solar products for homes and businesses.
    
• Solar-Ray Inc.
  • Solar-Ray Inc. is the only NABCEP accredited photovoltaic installation company in FLORIDA! And one of only 6 in the USA.

However, if you’re not satisfied with this selection, know that there are 20+ solar companies servicing the Orlando area.

In general, the use of solar energy can benefit Orlando residents in a number of different ways: a.) using solar energy to power your water heater; b.) using solar energy to heat your swimming pool; c.) using solar energy to power your house; and d.) using solar energy to power attic ventilation fans.

While each company is different, most companies will offer a couple of different payment options for installing a residential solar energy system. The most common methods of payment include:

• Purchasing it outright
• Financing your system

If you opt to finance your system (which most people do because of the upfront cost associated with paying for your panels), solar loans are a popular option. Similar to a car loan, solar loans are actually the best option to go. The difference? When you pay back a car loan, you are paying down the debt. With a solar loan, you are paying down the debt, but you’re also making money on top of it based on your monthly energy savings. Another great benefit? You still get to participate in all of the available rebates and incentives – having a solar loan does not make you exempt from enjoying those benefits. It’s a win-win situation for all.

By and photo credit: evergreensolar.com/installers/FL/orlando

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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These days it seems everyone is all about going green.  Have you ever given any thought on taking part in going green?  If so you have come to the right place.  Below are a few tips on how you and your family can go green this spring!   Why not add going green to your spring cleaning list!

1.  One way that you and your family can go green this spring is to simply take your shoes off before you enter your house!  You read that right; you can go green by simply taking off your shoes. 40% of all indoor contaminants actually come from the bottom of our shoes so do your part to keep this from happening to you and your family by taking those shoes off!

1. Learn what ingredients are considered to be green so that when you go to the store to purchase all of your new green cleaners you can be confident that you are actually doing some good for the environment.  Some companies that claim to be green actually have some ingredients that are not green once they are mixed together.   Just read up on what ingredients are green and what ingredients are not and are typically passed off as green and you should be heading in the right direction on what to buy and what not to buy.

1. Don’t forget the outside of your home when you are going green.  Many grasses are able to grow and thrive without the help of any type of pesticides and /or fertilizers.  The best way to start going green with the outside of your home is to replace the grass you currently have with native grasses to your particular area.  One perk of this switch is that you may find that you have a lot less upkeep of your lawn once you do this!  Who wouldn’t enjoy having more time with their family and less time doing yard work on a weekly basis!

These are just a few ways in which you can help to make your home a bit more green this spring.  Once you get started going green it is likely that you will find more and more ways in which to do so.  It can become addicting once you make the decision to go green in and around your home!

Access Teri’s one-stop Orlando FL home search website.

Teri Isner is the team leader of Orlando Avenue Top Team and has been a Realtor for over 24 years. Teri has distinguished herself as a leader in the Orlando FL real estate market. Teri assists buyers looking for Orlando FL real estate for sale and aggressively markets Orlando FL homes for sale.

You deserve professional real estate service! You obtain the best results with Teri Isner plus you benefit from her marketing skills, experience and ability to network with other REALTORS®. Your job gets done pleasantly and efficiently.  You are able to make important decisions easily with fast, accurate information from Teri. The Orlando Avenue Top Team handles the details and follow-up that are important to the success of your transaction.

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