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    <title>Patrick Walsh's Blog</title>
    <link>http://greenazblog.com/</link>
    <description>Patrick Walsh has been interested in Green ideologies for over thirty years.  He has been proactive by practicing Green principles, becoming formally educated in Green applications, educating others with his GreenAZ Newsletter and promoting Green Vendors in fields related to the Real Estate Industry.  Patrick works with clients to help them improve their homes' energy efficiency, especially when they are preparing to sell their homes, and his Green knowledge base also allows him to effectively work with buyers who desire more energy efficient homes.</description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1505069/add-value-to-your-home-by-remodeling</guid>
      <title>Add Value to Your Home by Remodeling</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;Clients often ask me which&lt;strong&gt; home renovations, remodels and improvements&lt;/strong&gt; will add the most value to their home when it comes time to sell. More accurately, the question is: which projects will provide the best &lt;strong&gt;return on investment (ROI&lt;/strong&gt;). I have opinions, of course. But now I have some facts to back those opinions up.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/9/9/2/5/ar12667131752995.jpg&quot; height=&quot;157&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;178&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In the January issue of Realtor magazine, an article entitled &quot;Small Projects, Big Bang&quot; summarizes the results of the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.realtor.org/rmohome_and_design/Articles/1001_costvsvalue_2009&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Remodeling&lt;/em&gt; Cost vs Value Report 2009-10&lt;/a&gt;.&amp;nbsp; The report outlined a number of different home improvement projects, costed them out in different metropolitan areas around the US and calibrated a percentage ROI on each one. There's a lot of detailed information in the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.realtor.org/rmohome_and_design/Articles/1001_costvsvalue_2009&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;Remodeling&lt;/em&gt; Cost vs Value Report 2009-10&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;article (and helpful hints on smaller projects) but here's my summary for the Phoenix market:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Curb appeal has always been important. A little front yard &lt;strong&gt;landscaping&lt;/strong&gt; can go a long way to making a good first impression on buyers. However, you might also want to give your front door a good look. Replacing the &lt;strong&gt;front door&lt;/strong&gt; with a mid-range product (approximately $1200) had the best ROI of all the improvements at 128%.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Several of the most worthwhile improvements are, not surprisingly, centered on the kitchen:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;add a &lt;strong&gt;breakfast bar&lt;/strong&gt; (this can be as simple as cutting an opening in a wall, adding a bar and a couple of stools)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;upgrade the kitchen counter to &lt;strong&gt;granite tile&lt;/strong&gt; (12&quot; tile is a very affordable option compared with granite slab)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;cabinet fronts&lt;/strong&gt; (check into refacing or replacing doors or perhaps just the hardware)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;middot;&amp;nbsp;tidy and &lt;strong&gt;organize&lt;/strong&gt; kitchen cabinets (Yes, buyers open them so adding a roll-out tray or lazy susan can create the illusion of more space.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;retile&lt;/strong&gt; the backsplash to freshen or brighten or just clean up the look of your kitchen&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Updating &lt;strong&gt;light fixtures&lt;/strong&gt; is also a very cost-effective way to add value. Installing recessed canned &lt;strong&gt;lights&lt;/strong&gt; on a dimmer switch can make any room more interesting. Pendant lights over a kitchen island are also appealing.&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Look into replacing your single pane &lt;strong&gt;windows&lt;/strong&gt; with energy-efficient dual or even triple pane windows. The energy savings alone make this a great investment while you are living in your home, but buyers also seem to really value this upgrade.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you need any more information on remodeling or renovations, I keep a list of reliable vendors who could estimate your job for you. And I'm always happy to talk to you about plans for your home with a view to selling at a later date.&amp;nbsp; But remember, don't make a change solely for the sake of resale. This project needs to be something that you and your family will enjoy for the length of time you live in your home.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:39:22 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1505069/add-value-to-your-home-by-remodeling</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1229932/here-is-the-least-expensive-idea-for-making-your-home-energy-efficient-and-it-could-save-you-big-bucks-find-out-how-</guid>
      <title>Here is the least expensive idea for making your home energy efficient and it could save you big bucks....find out how.</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Arizona homeowners can easily save money and increase the real estate market value of their residencies by simply sealing air leaks commonly found in many areas around the home.&amp;nbsp; Sealing air leaks is one of the least costly (and least complicated) ways to begin or continue the process of &quot;greening&quot; a home.&amp;nbsp; The task requires only a minimal investment of time and supplies, yet it yields a substantial payoff that can last many years.&amp;nbsp; Sealing leaks keeps hot summer air out of circulation in the home and less air conditioner energy is needed to stay cool.&amp;nbsp; Later on in the year when the cold winter air is also barred from entry, less heat is needed inside the home.&amp;nbsp; This will save the homeowner money on electricity bills and will also make the home more attractive to buyers willing to pay more for an energy-efficient or green home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; To locate a leak, wait until there is wind activity outside, then hold a lit stick of incense up to any area in which a leak may occur such as doorways, windows, electrical outlets and switches.&amp;nbsp; If the incense smoke moves in a horizontal, rather than vertical direction, a leak is present.&amp;nbsp; Sealing windows with weather stripping and caulk will stop air leaks, as will the installation of foam gaskets behind outlet and light switch plates.&amp;nbsp; And when air passes under closed doors because there is a space between the door bottom and the floor, a flexible sealing gasket can be attached to the door bottom.&amp;nbsp; These really are easy fixes.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; Your Tempe realtor and &lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/why_use_an_nar_green_designee.cfm&quot;&gt;National Association of Realtors &amp;reg; Green Designee&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;, &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.tempe-listings.com/&quot;&gt;Patrick Walsh&lt;/a&gt;, is available to assist you with any step in the process of greening your home.&amp;nbsp; The Tempe real estate market is warming up and if you are planning to sell, there is no time like the present to increase the energy efficiency and market value of your home through greening.&amp;nbsp; Patrick Walsh can connect you with local green appliance, home improvement suppliers and contractors to help you get started on larger projects.&amp;nbsp; Contact Patrick Walsh today at &lt;a href=&quot;mailto:pwalsh@kw.com&quot;&gt;pwalsh@kw.com&lt;/a&gt; to let him know how he can be of service.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Further low-cost energy tips:&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.energysavers.gov%20/&quot;&gt;www.energysavers.gov &lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090422-tows-green-home-improvements&quot;&gt;Oprah- Green Home Improvements&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:05:30 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1229932/here-is-the-least-expensive-idea-for-making-your-home-energy-efficient-and-it-could-save-you-big-bucks-find-out-how-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1114075/green-homes-prove-to-be-a-selling-point-for-buyers</guid>
      <title>Green homes prove to be a selling point for buyers</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/9/1/0/2/ar124492934920194.png&quot; height=&quot;101&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;221&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For those of you still trying to sell a home, there may be an option you haven't considered: going green. Making your home green can make it more marketable, as well as environmentally-friendly. Green homes are in demand - according to Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHBR) claims that as much as 90 percent of home buyers think that energy efficiency is a very important factor when shopping for a home. Realty Times goes on to say that NAHBR reports that 72 percent of consumers report energy-efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designee, I can help you find the products and services that will help you &quot;green&quot; your home and make it more energy efficient. I can help you make decisions about green materials, energy efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. As your Tempe REALTOR&amp;reg;, I can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. LEED is a third-party certification program that sets design, construction and operational standards for high-performance green buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;By making your home green, you can lower your utility bills, which can save you money and give real estate agents and those looking to buy a home concrete proof that living in your home will save them money, too. Here are a few changes you can make that will help lower your utility bills and serve as selling point for your home:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;ENERGY STAR windows - annual savings: $300&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Solar Attic Fan - annual savings: $200&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Low-flow Faucets - annual savings: $100&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in &quot;greening&quot; your home, please contact me and I would be happy to connect you with local green vendors who can help you make that transition. If you do not live in Tempe, Scottsdale or the Phoenix area, I can contact a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designee on your behalf who can help you find the tools you need to create a more sustainable home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greatarizonahomes.biz/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Patrick Walsh, Keller Williams Realty&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/20090605_green.htm&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Realty Times&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Green Resource Council&lt;/a&gt; of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.energystar.gov/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ENERGY STAR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;U.S. Green Building Council &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:25:18 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1114075/green-homes-prove-to-be-a-selling-point-for-buyers</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1090785/realtors-with-green-designation-certification-can-help-you-find-and-create-eco-friendly-homes</guid>
      <title>REALTORS&#174; with Green Designation Certification Can Help You Find and Create Eco-Friendly Homes</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;With the real estate market finally showing signs of life, it may be time for you to think about what you are looking for in a REALTOR&amp;reg; and in a home. A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designee can help you find or create a green home. A green home can be easier on the environment, your health and your wallet.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As your Tempe REALTOR&amp;reg; and a green designee, I am qualified to guide you through the green process, whether you are looking to buy or sell a green home. If you do not live in the area, I would be happy to refer you to another REALTOR&amp;reg; with a green designation that can help you find what you are looking for.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In order to attain the &quot;green designee&quot; designation, a REALTOR&amp;reg; is required to take a class offered through the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;. The class teaches REALTORS&amp;reg; how to make educated decisions about green materials, energy-efficient technologies, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A green designee REALTOR&amp;reg; can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. A LEED certification is a third-party that sets design, construction and operational standards for high performance green buildings. A LEED certification can make your home more marketable. In addition to helping you obtain a LEED certification for your home, a green designee can help you find a LEED certified home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;A green home should have the following: a positive impact on human health and comfort; integration into a sound environment; and sustainable design, construction and systems (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;). A green designee REALTOR&amp;reg; can help you secure the products and services that will make your home more sustainable. &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greatarizonahomes.biz/frame.shtml?http://patrickwalsh.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalGetAction.do?pageId=49315&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Patrick Walsh Green Living: Green Vendors&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;U.S. Green Building Council&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Green REsource Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2009 15:02:57 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1090785/realtors-with-green-designation-certification-can-help-you-find-and-create-eco-friendly-homes</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1086950/12-questions-to-ask-your-green-vendor</guid>
      <title>12 Questions to Ask Your Green Vendor</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;If you decide that you want to make your home more sustainable, then working with a green vendor can help ensure a more environmentally-friendly home for yourself and your family. As your Tempe real estate agent and a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green vendors, green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. There may be many green vendors in your city, making it difficult to determine if a vendor is truly green. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; recommends that you consider the following before hiring a green vendor to help you with your home:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;What is the vendor's location and proximity to the job site? &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Does the vendor have a certification or proven affiliation with a recognized green building organization? &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Is there a professional association for the trade? If so, is the vendor a member and active participant? &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;What is the vendor's knowledge and experience in working with green building issues?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Are client references available?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Has the vendor completed a green building project similar in size and scope? Are site visits or photographs available? Is client contact information available?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Does the vendor recycle or reuse demolition or construction waste?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Does the vendor have an area of green specialization?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Does the vendor use a third-party organization to verify work?&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you do decide to work with a green vendor, I have posted the names and contact information of some &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greatarizonahomes.biz/frame.shtml?http://patrickwalsh.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalGetAction.do?pageId=49315&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;local vendors on the Green Living page on my Web site&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Creating a green home can be an exciting and rewarding process, however is important to understand that you may need to make some compromises. You may come across a green vendor who offers bamboo flooring, but the product must first be shipped from China. Which is more important - the product that helps lessen your impact on the environment, or the fuel it will take to get the product here? Only you can answer that question.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information on green vendors, please visit the following Web sites:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greatarizonahomes.biz/frame.shtml?http://patrickwalsh.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalGetAction.do?pageId=49315&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Patrick Walsh's Green Living&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;U.S. Green Building Council: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.nahb.org/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;National Association of Home Builders&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 22 May 2009 16:32:53 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1086950/12-questions-to-ask-your-green-vendor</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/1082747/green-homes-help-you-save-money-and-the-environment</guid>
      <title>Green Homes Help You Save Money and the Environment</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/5/5/5/2/ar124276967825554.png&quot; height=&quot;90&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;164&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am pleased to announce that I have been awarded the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designation certification. What does this mean for you? As your Tempe REALTOR&amp;reg;, it means I have the tools to help you &quot;green&quot; your home, making it more marketable and environmentally friendly.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Green homes should have the following: a positive impact on human health and comfort; integration into a sound environment; and sustainable design, construction and systems (NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;).&amp;nbsp; Former Vice-President Al Gore's Nobel Prize winning documentary, &quot;An Inconvenient Truth,&quot; helped inspire my decision to work toward a more sustainable existence as both a person and a REALTOR&amp;reg;. As a REALTOR&amp;reg;, I want to help people create environmentally-friendly homes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As a NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg; Green Designee, I can help you make educated decisions about green materials, energy-efficient technology, green ratings, green design, green living and green incentives. I can also help you obtain a LEED certification for your home. LEED is a third-party certification program that sets design, construction and operational standards for high performance green buildings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;LEED is awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. Certification is available in the following areas:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;New construction and major renovations&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Existing buildings&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Commercial interiors (fit outs by tenants)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Core and shell (total building without fit outs)&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Schools (K-12), retail and healthcare facilities&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Homes&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Neighborhood Development&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Qualified properties are awarded one of the following certifications: Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum. Properties can qualify for LEED certification by earning points in six areas:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Sustainable sites &lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Water efficiency&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Energy and atmosphere&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Materials and resources&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Indoor environment quality&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Innovation and design process&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I can help you by making suggestions to help you &quot;green&quot; your home. I can also connect you with reputable &lt;a href=&quot;http://patrickwalsh.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalGetAction.do?pageId=49309&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;green vendors&lt;/a&gt; who can provide the products and services that will help you make your home more sustainable.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here are a couple of purchases you can make that will save you money and lessen your environmental impact:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;ul type=&quot;disc&quot;&gt;
&lt;li&gt;ENERGY STAR windows - annual savings: $300&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Solar Attic Fan - annual savings: $200&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;li&gt;Low-flow Faucets - annual savings: $100&lt;/li&gt;
&lt;/ul&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;For more information on green building, I encourage you to visit the following Web sites:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greenresourcecouncil.org/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Green REsource Council of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS&amp;reg;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.energystar.gov/&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;ENERGY STAR&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;U.S. Green Building Council&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 May 2009 16:42:18 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/1082747/green-homes-help-you-save-money-and-the-environment</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/776510/lease-a-solar-system-from-solarcity-greenaz-november-2008</guid>
      <title>Lease a Solar System From SolarCity!  GreenAZ November 2008</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/1/1/7/0/ar122594734207114.jpg&quot; height=&quot;95&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;November 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/9/4/9/9/ar122594746299495.jpg&quot; height=&quot;166&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;312&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;Tempe-based solar panel manufacturer, First Solar Inc., is teaming up with residential-installation company, SolarCity, &amp;nbsp;and in the next five years will be producing solar panels for 25,000 homes.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;SolarCity is offering a 15-year &quot;no money down&quot; lease program.&amp;nbsp; Also being offered is a low, $1000 down payment lease program that, in most cases, would make your combined electric and lease payments lower than your current electric bill.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;To get an estimate of how much money you will save by leasing a Solar System from SolarCity, please visit the SolarCity calculator and simply enter your zip code and average monthly electric bill:&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.solarcity.com/SolarLease/SolarCityAbout.aspx&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;SolarCity Calculator&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;TEXT-ALIGN: center&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Recycle Your CFL Bulbs at Home Depot&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you use CFL bulbs it's important to know that, similar to fluorescent bulbs, CFL bulbs contain mercury and become toxic when incinerated or disposed of in a landfill.&amp;nbsp; The good news is that all Home Depot locations are now recycling CFL bulbs!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Selling Your Home?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Your home will show as a more energy efficient home by using the Eco Hatchery Starter Kit.&amp;nbsp; Please contact me to find out where to purchase the kit or, if you list your home with me, I will give you a free Eco Hatchery Starter Kit as a gift!&amp;nbsp; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:31:41 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/776510/lease-a-solar-system-from-solarcity-greenaz-november-2008</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/769138/is-my-house-ready-for-a-small-wind-energy-system-let-s-do-a-walk-through-part-i</guid>
      <title>Is my house ready for a small wind energy system? Let's do a walk through! Part I</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;div id=&quot;reblogging_tag&quot;&gt;Via &lt;b&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://windowswindandsolar.com/post/698527/Is-my-house-ready-for-a-small-wind-energy-system-Lets-do-a-walk-through-Part-I&quot;&gt;Mary  Bigelow, Renewing Your Life!&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;:&lt;br/&gt;&lt;blockquote&gt;&lt;p&gt;Pick up any newspaper across the US these days and I will bet you a dollar to a donut you will find at least one article about energy. It is also very likely you will find at least one article about &lt;strong&gt;Wind Energy&lt;/strong&gt; in particular.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Wind is very exciting! Wind is CLEAN ENERGY!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It is a very powerful feeling to leave a house and know the homeowner is producing their own energy!!!&lt;/strong&gt; They have their own private power plant!!!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I smile as my phone rings with calls from consumers inquiring about wind. It gives me a chance to share what I have learned and &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;it is rare when I don't learn something&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; from the party on the phone.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I also hear questions that tell me there is confusion being created by so many articles, points of view and the variety of wind energy systems available.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Centerpoint Energy Completion Estimates Texas&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/5/0/0/4/ar122180005140058.jpg&quot; height=&quot;232&quot; alt=&quot;Centerpoint Energy Completion Estimates Texas&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; style=&quot;float: left;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is a map from KHOU in Houston showing Centerpoint Energy's expected completion of power restoration in the areas of Texas affected by IKE. (I hope Stephanie is fairing ok!)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Something I hear quite often is that people expect with a wind energy system they will have power in times of outages like this.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have to explain that is not necessarily so.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;There are basically two different types of connections with residential wind generators&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1. &lt;strong&gt;off grid&lt;/strong&gt; - &lt;a href=&quot;http://activerain.com/mauihunter&quot; title=&quot;Georgina Hunter&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Georgina&lt;/a&gt; and &lt;a href=&quot;http://activerain.com/petejalbert&quot; title=&quot;Pete Jalbert&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Pete&lt;/a&gt; can probably give a lot of help with this! Off the grid systems require some type of battery storage for the energy created.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2. &lt;strong&gt;grid tied&lt;/strong&gt; - the majority of small wind energy systems feed the energy produced to the power company. These are required to have an automatic shut off when the grid is down. Otherwise, you could produce energy and feed it back to the grid while some poor line worker is trying to restore power to your neighbors. &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The poor line worker would get a heck of a shock!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So this takes care of misconception #1.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The majority of wind energy systems my company installs are Grid Tied. For most households the best source of backup power is the electric companies grid! Why? There will be times when the wind doesn't blow so you won't &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;create&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; any energy and for the &lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;average&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt; household the draw will normally be more than their wind generator can produce.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Now the conversation moves toward, &lt;strong&gt;&quot;So then I can sell the extra I make to the electric company?&quot;**&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Well...another deep subject! (sorry, I had to say it!)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This is where I play badminten and volley the shuttlecock back over the net,&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;How many kilowatts a month (year) do you use?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Wow!&lt;/strong&gt; you would think I asked a question about the periodic table. It's unfortunate...most people simply don't know.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I must confess, I never knew until I got into this field and that's ok! I know now! (and obviously this family needs to work on some things!!!) and this is what is important! Awareness is half the battle!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So help me out here...&lt;strong&gt;How many average kilowatts does your household use in a year?&lt;/strong&gt; There are a couple of ways to find out.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;1. Many utility companies now have an online site where you can check your history. You will need to register and will normally you will need your billing handy because you will need your account number and some other personal information. &lt;strong&gt;I have found this to be the simplest way.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;2. If you don't have access to the internet you can &lt;strong&gt;go through your records&lt;/strong&gt; of paper bills (ugh!) add the kilowatt hours you have used over &quot;x&quot; number of months, divide by &quot;x&quot; number of months and walla! you have an average. The kilowatt hours on my bill - Consumers Energy - are listed in the upper right hand corner. Each utility will vary where place kilowatt hours on the bill.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;3. If you can't access the internet or paper billing records you will have to call your utility company (double ugh!) and have them send it to you. &lt;strong&gt;This is always last resort!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In climates like Michigan and other parts of the midwest it is good to get a 12 month average.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Why? &lt;/strong&gt;We use a fair amount of air conditioning in the summer, which is electric. Most of our homes are heated with some type of gas or fuel oil so the electric utility is normally lower during winter months. A twelve month average works best.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;One note (I have to get my rant in...) &lt;strong&gt;Many people pay their utilities on a &quot;budget&quot; program.&lt;/strong&gt; There are several reasons I disagree with this plan. The most important reason is that &lt;strong&gt;people tend to look at the dollar amount of their bill and not the kilowatt hours used.&lt;/strong&gt; If the bill stays the same for 10 months out of the year &lt;strong&gt;most people are unaware of times when they are using more energy.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This causes &lt;strong&gt;less conservation&lt;/strong&gt; again due to unawareness. (&lt;strong&gt;read: higher utility bills&lt;/strong&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;So I'll just wait right here while you go get that information!&lt;strong&gt; This is the really important part!!&lt;/strong&gt; Then we can get on to part II and find out,&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;em&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&quot;Is your home ready for a small wind energy system?&quot;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Contractors Building Supply SkyStream Small Wind Energy System&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/3/9/7/9/ar122180436597939.JPG&quot; height=&quot;400&quot; alt=&quot;Contractors Building Supply SkyStream Small Wind Energy System&quot; width=&quot;300&quot; style=&quot;vertical-align: middle;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;**Currently 30 states require net metering. If you can't wait the &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.awea.org/faq/netbdef.html&quot; title=&quot;AWEA net metering&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;American Wind Energy Association&lt;/a&gt; has a nice write up on net metering and explains each states policy!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;COPYRIGHT &amp;copy; 2008 Mary McGraw-Bigelow All Rights Reserved&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Picture: SkyStream 3.7 &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.windowswindandsolar.com/gallery&quot; title=&quot;SkyStream 3.7 Small Wind Energy System. Contractors Building Supply&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Small Wind Energy System, Manistee, Michigan&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 31 Oct 2008 16:45:23 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/769138/is-my-house-ready-for-a-small-wind-energy-system-let-s-do-a-walk-through-part-i</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/493948/honoring-earth-day</guid>
      <title>Honoring Earth Day</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://tponline.realty-wire.com/Users/BA64DB77-5B8D-43FE-B39F-4A52B6DD52DA/{AD8B4AEF-5E85-4F3B-A2BF-AF950960FD8B}/{AD8B4AEF-5E85-4F3B-A2BF-AF950960FD8B}.pdf&quot; title=&quot;GreenAZ Newsletter&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/7/6/6/0/ar122550439206678.jpg&quot; height=&quot;95&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;___________________________________________________________________________________________________&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;It's Your World!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;How was your Earth Day?&amp;nbsp; We'd love to hear all about it!&amp;nbsp; This month's GreenAZ newsletter takes a look at Arizona's progress in the green arena, how to cut back on air conditioning use this summer and great green flooring!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Arizona Solar Power and Energy Efficiency Trivia:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;Phoenix based First Solar Inc total shares currently worth 23 billion&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;An Irish company is investing 100 million in Phoenix based company, Stirling Energy Systems Inc&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;1,700 Arizona Public Service Co customers have solar power systems contributing to the grid&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;6,000 APS customers will add solar by 2025&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Reduce Your Air Conditioning Use!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;Use Ceiling Fans&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;Turn a Window Fan on at night with all interior doors open-&amp;nbsp; this draws hot air out of your home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull;Close windows and curtains on sunny side.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Thinking About Remodeling?&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Going Green doesn't mean you have to give up quality and aesthetic value!&amp;nbsp; And, in some cases using Green materials may even be more affordable than using traditional materials.&amp;nbsp; If you're thinking about installing new flooring, consider bamboo or cork.&amp;nbsp; These resources grow twice as fast as hardwood that is typically used for flooring.&amp;nbsp; If you decide to go with cork, an added bonus is that only the bark of the cork tree is harvested and the tree is not damaged.&amp;nbsp; Adding even more appeal to using bamboo and cork is that these floorings look great, are easy to install and are very durable and affordable.&amp;nbsp; For more information about these and other Green friendly building materials please visit Akagreen.com&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 02 May 2008 15:23:15 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/493948/honoring-earth-day</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/547199/water-conservation-made-simple-</guid>
      <title>Water Conservation Made Simple!!</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://tponline.realty-wire.com/Users/BA64DB77-5B8D-43FE-B39F-4A52B6DD52DA/{3fcb7ff3-1048-4114-b612-95ef85befa30}/{3fcb7ff3-1048-4114-b612-95ef85befa30}.pdf&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/7/8/6/7/ar122550432376873.jpg&quot; height=&quot;95&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;_________________________________________________________________________________________________&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Water Harvesting&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/5/8/6/1/ar122547664316851.jpg&quot; height=&quot;118&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;101&quot; style=&quot;float: right;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Water harvesting is practiced around the world and is a great benefit to the community when used on a large scale.&amp;nbsp; You can take steps to contribute and save water by harvesting at home.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's how:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull; Shape the ground where water falls from the roof of your home so that water is channeled to landscaping.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull; Use rain water tanks/barrels to collect and store water that runs off your roof.&amp;nbsp; Usage of the collected water will be dependent on whether or not the water will run through a septic system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;bull; You can also use any container that will hold water but we don't recommend using the water for drinking or cooking unless it has been treated.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Home Water Conservation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Install low flow shower heads and aerators on faucets.&amp;nbsp; Make sure all drip problems are fixed (especially toilet leaks) as drips can waste an enormous amount of water over time.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; &quot;One of the most innovative and effective water saving tool is the dual flush toilet, which estimates a savings of 4,000 gallons of water per year.&quot;&amp;nbsp; You can purchase a dual flow toilet at&amp;nbsp; Akagreen.com&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Use a pool cover to reduce water evaporation when the pool is not being used.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;No-Cost Water Conservation&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Irrigate your yard at night so that water does not evaporate.&amp;nbsp; Adjust your irrigation settings as the seasons change, irrigating less frequently in the winter and spring.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Periodically check your yard to make sure you don't have any leaks coming from your drip system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Run your dishwasher and clothes washer when they are full.&amp;nbsp; Use cold water to wash your clothes as this decreases energy needed to heat the water.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Put a bucket in the shower while you're waiting for the water to heat up.&amp;nbsp; You can water plants, put the water in the toilet for flushing and whatever else you can think of!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Turn off water when shaving and brushing your teeth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;&amp;bull; Use a reusable water bottle instead of bottled water.&amp;nbsp; Even though recycling bottled water is better than disposing of it in the trash, it still takes energy to recycle it.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:57:26 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/547199/water-conservation-made-simple-</link>
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      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/681472/how-does-free-electricity-sound-greenaz-september-2008</guid>
      <title>How Does Free Electricity Sound??  GreenAZ September 2008</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/8/6/5/3/ar122550425035681.jpg&quot; height=&quot;95&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;September 2008&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The savings on your Utility Bill could pay for a Solar Powered System.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/6/8/1/4/ar122092304841863.jpg&quot; height=&quot;88&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;158&quot; style=&quot;vertical-align: text-bottom;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;APS is introducing a new loan for home owners to install solar panels to generate their own electricity:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The GEOsmart loan program means that for no money down, you can install solar&amp;nbsp;panels and the monthly cost could be ZERO depending on the amount of electricity you use and the amount of sunlight that reaches your roof.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's how it works:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;First find a licensed and approved contractor at &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.egia.com/aps&quot;&gt;www.egia.com/aps&lt;/a&gt;. Have the contractor&amp;nbsp;calculate the right system for your home. Then plug in the numbers to the calculator and find out what your payments would be. Take your monthly electricity bill and, if the solar system can cover 80% of your electrical needs, calculate that number. If it is more than the monthly loan payment for the system then getting solar panels for your home is a 'no brainer.'&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;During the day when the system is producing electricity that you are not using, the meter actually runs backwards as your system sends electricity back to the utility company. This is a great way to increase your savings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Typical numbers:&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The installation for the average home is a 3KW system that costs around $21,000. This system triggers a $9,000 rebate.&amp;nbsp; (For more information on rebates go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.aps.com/&quot;&gt;www.aps.com&lt;/a&gt;) &amp;nbsp;This rebate can be used to pay down the interest rate to around 8%.&amp;nbsp; A 10-year loan would run around $160 a month and a 15 year loan around $125 a month. I know for our home that is well below our average monthly electricity bill.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Customers in areas served by SRP can still get loans and work with the approved contractors. The interest rates may not be quite as attractive as they are for APS customers. (&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.srpnet.com/&quot;&gt;www.srpnet.com&lt;/a&gt;)&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 08 Sep 2008 20:22:49 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/681472/how-does-free-electricity-sound-greenaz-september-2008</link>
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      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/748516/green-innovations-at-the-2008-green-summit-</guid>
      <title>Green Innovations at the 2008 Green Summit!</title>
      <description>&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/6/7/0/6/ar12254914560768.jpg&quot; height=&quot;95&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;500&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;center&quot;&gt;October 2008&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;_____________________________________________________________________________________&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;From green building and energy efficiency to low water landscaping and organic products, the 2008 Green Summit had something for everyone!&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;For those of you who were unable to attend the 2008 Green Summit, here is a summary of some of the green vendors we had an opportunity to work with and meet! &lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.greenelementdg.com/&quot;&gt;Green Element Design Group&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;:&amp;nbsp;Specializing in Green consulting services, including architects, landscapers, permaculture designers, builders, interior designers and rain water harvesting consultants, as well as a unique line of Green products for people and plants.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.akagreen.com/&quot;&gt;A.K.A. Green&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;eco-friendly flooring, carpets, paints, windows, stains, lighting fixtures, and non-toxic cleaning supplies &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Energy Efficiency&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.alteredelement.com/&quot;&gt;Altered Element:&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;Window Tinting Solutions-&amp;nbsp; advanced technology window films reject heat without sacrificing your beautiful Arizona views or blocking out alot of visible light.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.marvin.com/green&quot;&gt;BMC West:&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Energy efficient Doors and Windows&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.envirocarphx.com/&quot;&gt;EnviroCar:&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Chauffeured Hybrid Transportation.&amp;nbsp; Toyota Prius or Lexus RX400h:&amp;nbsp; Your Pick! &lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.coolerhomesolutions.com/&quot;&gt;Synergy Systems:&lt;/a&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Insulation and Radiant Barriers (lowers roof temps by 20 to 50 degrees F)-&amp;nbsp; Have it installed or do it yourself!&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Architects, Builders and Contractors&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.seadarchitects.com/&quot;&gt;Sead Architects&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;:&amp;nbsp;Full service award winning design/build studio.&amp;nbsp;Thoughtful architectural designs and renovation specific to sites and owners.&amp;nbsp; Architectural solutions that are respectful of the past, speak to the present and are pursuant of the future.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.evergreenhomesaz.com/&quot;&gt;Evergreen Homes:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp; Construction of new homes and remodeling:&amp;nbsp; design, build, coach, consult.&amp;nbsp; &quot;PG&quot; Builder.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.formwerksstudios.com/&quot;&gt;Form Werks Studios:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Full service Architecture and Design firm, specializing in site-specific architecture.&amp;nbsp; Crafts homes so you can enjoy all that mother nature has provided.&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Kitchen Solvers-&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Fine eco-friendly kitchen and bathroom remodeling and cabinetry:&amp;nbsp; 4 brands of eco-friendly custom cabinetry.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.progressiveconcrete.com/&quot;&gt;Progressive Concrete Works Inc:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;Top quality decorative concrete, stamped concrete, stained concrete, concrete overlays and concrete hardscapes.&amp;nbsp; Drainscape Pervious Concrete:&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.drainscape.com/&quot;&gt;www.drainscape.com&lt;/a&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Community&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.the3000club.org/&quot;&gt;The 3000 Club:&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp; Produce/Food Rescue in Nogales-&amp;nbsp;Rescued&amp;nbsp;produce is transported&amp;nbsp;to food banks&amp;nbsp;throughout the US &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;padding-left: 60px; text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;If you are interested in finding more Green Vendors in the Phoenix area, please visit our &lt;a href=&quot;http://patrickwalsh.yourkwagent.com/atj/user/AdditionalGetAction.do?pageId=49309&quot;&gt;Green Vendor List&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Oct 2008 03:48:23 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/748516/green-innovations-at-the-2008-green-summit-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/484968/9th-annual-boat-race-</guid>
      <title>9th Annual Boat Race!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Every year the Tempe Rotary Clubs organize a card board boat race on Tempe Town &lt;br /&gt;Lake. This year was the 9th annual race and dozens of teams competed.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Girl scout troop 1386 was sponsored by Patrick Walsh.&amp;nbsp; If you look closely you can see his name on the middle panel! &lt;br /&gt;Way to go girls.... &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;See Patrick's name on the middle panel?!&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/6/3/1/5/ar120917653351368.jpg&quot; height=&quot;600&quot; alt=&quot; &quot; width=&quot;800&quot; /&gt;If&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2008 21:20:29 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/484968/9th-annual-boat-race-</link>
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    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/530745/green-builders-to-give-away-toyota-prius-hybrid-with-home-purchase</guid>
      <title>Green Builders to give away Toyota Prius Hybrid with Home Purchase</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;On June 7 and June 15 Eco Builders, Trilogy by Shea Homes, will be hosting an &quot;Eco Expo&quot; in the Phoenix area.&amp;nbsp; Trilogy will&amp;nbsp;give away Toyota Prius Hybrid cars with all homes purchased by June 15.&amp;nbsp; Trilogy will also be hosting their Eco Expos in California,&amp;nbsp;Virginia&amp;nbsp;and Florida.&amp;nbsp; For more details please view the following link:&amp;nbsp; &lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;color: #0066cc;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2008/05/19/daily70.html&quot; title=&quot;Shea Homes Green Living&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;Shea Homes Green Living&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 30 May 2008 23:04:31 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/530745/green-builders-to-give-away-toyota-prius-hybrid-with-home-purchase</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://greenazblog.com/post/576918/greenaz-july-2008-cost-efficient-energy-alternatives-and-solutions</guid>
      <title>GreenAZ July 2008:  Cost-Efficient Energy Alternatives and Solutions</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;New Solar Technology That's Affordable!!&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/6/7/1/4/3/ar121507479434176.jpg&quot; height=&quot;110&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;176&quot; style=&quot;FLOAT: right&quot; /&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Nanosolar, Inc has developed a production process that will significantly decrease the price of&amp;nbsp; Photovoltaic (PV) sheets.&amp;nbsp; Currently, PV cells cost $3.00 per watt.&amp;nbsp; The&amp;nbsp; new Nanosolar PV sheets (or &quot;Power Sheets&quot;) cost&amp;nbsp; $0.30 per watt, which is cheaper than burning coal at $1.00 per watt.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;This new development could make solar power mainstream but&amp;nbsp; as of now the new Nanosolar Powersheets are on back order for 3-5 years.&amp;nbsp; The good news is that there are venture capitalists investing in Nanosolar such as the co-founders of google...&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;In the meantime, there are great incentives in Arizona that still make purchasing and using solar power&amp;nbsp; a wise investment and very appealing..&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Arizona Incentives To Go Solar&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;You can get&amp;nbsp; rebates for installation,&amp;nbsp; tax credits and reduced or no electric bills.&amp;nbsp; You can even sell excess energy to electric companies in some areas.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please visit the following links to learn more:&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.americanpv.com/pdf/res_on/incentivesAZ.pdf&quot;&gt;http://www.americanpv.com/pdf/res_on/incentivesAZ.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dependablesolarproducts.com/utility-incentives.shtml&quot;&gt;http://www.dependablesolarproducts.com/utility-incentives.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.dependablesolarproducts.com/tax-incentives.shtml&quot;&gt;http://www.dependablesolarproducts.com/tax-incentives.shtml&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Saving Energy With Insulated Vinyl Siding&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;While most of us know how to decrease air conditioning and heating consumption in our homes by installing eco windows and doors and by sealing off roof and foundation, many people do not realize that the wood framing in their homes contribute to unnecessary consumption of energy.&amp;nbsp; Did you know that your home loses 20-25% of heat and cooled air due to the wood framing in your home?&amp;nbsp; In addition, because traditional insulation has an R-value (amount that insulation restricts air flow) of 0.15- 0.65, so much air is lost from your home.&amp;nbsp; With&amp;nbsp; insulated vinyl siding, on the other hand, the R-value is 3.96 and you would save hundreds and even thousands of dollars per year on energy bills with insulated vinyl siding.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Please visit&amp;nbsp; &lt;a href=&quot;http://realtytimes.com/rtpages/www.vinylsiding.org/aboutsiding/installation/manual&quot;&gt;vinylsiding.org&lt;/a&gt; for more information.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;Other Manufacturers&lt;/span&gt;:&amp;nbsp; Alcoa Home Exteriors, Alside, CertainTeed, Crane Performance Siding, Heartland Building Products, Mitten Inc., Norandex/Reynolds, KP Building Products, Revere Building Products, RMC/Style Crest and Variform.&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Patrick Walsh, Realtor, CNE, Green - Tempe Arizona Real Estate (Keller Williams Arizona Realty )</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:55:58 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://greenazblog.com/post/576918/greenaz-july-2008-cost-efficient-energy-alternatives-and-solutions</link>
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