You might still be waiting for your tax refund from 2008, but now is the time to start thinking about your 2009 tax credits. One of the best ways to increase your return is through home energy-efficiency improvements. When President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 in February, he extended the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which rewarded homeowners who updated their roofing, insulation, HVAC, water heaters, cars and more, through 2010 — with additional bonuses. Some of the changes include raising the credit from 10 percent to 30 percent of the cost and raising the maximum credit from $500 to $1,500. It’s great news, but there’s one caveat in the windows, doors and skylight category. As of June 1, the performance terms for these products will increase. From that day forward, not all Energy Star labeled windows and skylights will necessarily qualify for the tax credit. The new requirement will be a U factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) less than or equal to 0.30. Since you’ll have to look for more than the Energy Star logo, you’ll have to read the label. See an example here.
To learn more about earning tax credits through your home, click here.
As human beings we must consume things to live. And today, most products we buy come with some sort of packaging, usually paperboard and plastic. You can recycle the paperboard, but the plastic (unless it’s a 1 or 2) must unfortunately be trashed. What’s worse is that you have to put your plastic in more plastic to get it removed from your curb. But we just found a product that should help make the most eco-conscious of you readers feel better about disposing of things that will end up in a landfill. 
Would you say this is a chair or a milk jug? Well, technically, it’s both. 
Plus, it’s easy to apply, and, like we said before, environmentally friendly — the collection uses water-based inks on nonwoven substrate comprised of a blend of natural, renewable, recycled materials and synthetic fibers. The press release states, "As a result of the manufacturing process, the paper can breathe, keeping it mold- and mildew-free." Hey, that’s all we need to know. (And, bonus, you can use the leftovers for scrapbooking or picture framing.) Find retailers in the area 
