ecobeco's March 2009 Newsletter
Eco-tips, Education, and More - And it's Free!

Hello,

CFLs for 99 cents!
Thank you PEPCO!

ecobeco is happy to announce our participation in PEPCO's change a light bulb campaign.  You may have seen us mentioned in PEPCO's February bill insert.  PEPCO has provided ecobeco with subsidized compact fluorescent (CFL) light bulbs.

A 60Watt replacement is only 99 cents.
A 100Watt replacement is only $1.99. 
Limit 25 bulbs per household.

These bulbs are rated to 8,000 hours (if you use the bulb 3 hours per day every single day, they can last up to 8 years!), which means they should last 8 times longer than a standard incandescent bulb, and they use only 1/4 of the wattage.  The math on these make changing to CFLs a no-brainer, and because you change them less frequently, you can spend more time having fun!

ecobeco also carries a large selection of Greenlite bulbs.  This brand features CFLs with warranties as long as 9 years.  They come in standard spiral shapes, reflectors (such as what is in your recessed lights), and even outdoor lighting.

Visit us on-line or call us at the store (240) 396-2141 x2 to learn more.

Stimulating Energy Efficiency

The American Recovery Act included substantial spending on energy efficiency related items.  Part of the legislation includes an increase in the tax deductions for purchases of energy-efficient appliances, insulation and windows.

Please click the links provided and consult your tax advisor for more information.

Taxpayers can take up to $1,500 of deductions for specific energy-efficient product purchases made in 2009 and 2010.

Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit

Taxpayers can take 30% of the installed cost of solar PV, solar hot water, wind, fuel cells, and geothermal heat pump with no maximum limit.

Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit

ECOBECO IS THE PROUD PARENT OF A CREEK
Rock Creek, that is.

ecobeco is the proud adoptive parent of a singularly attractive part of the Rock Creek watershed. We are now participating in the adopt-a-stream program run by the city of Rockville. Our adopted stream is called East Rockcrest Park Tributary (or RC10 for short).  Twice a year ecobeco's staff, partners and customers will join together to rid the stream of waste.  We'll let you know when our Spring clean-up event will happen as soon as it is scheduled.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY RESIDENTS GET $250 OF FREE ENERGY-EFFICIENCY PRODUCTS
We'll show you how to claim your Property Tax Credit!

If you are a Montgomery County Home Owner (you pay property taxes), youcan take advantage of the Property Tax Credit for Energy Conservation Devices.  This credit refunds 100% of your spending up to $250.  CFLs, Low-Flow Showerheads, Programmable Thermostats, and Smart Powerstrips are the easiest and most essential items for any energy-efficient home. And there are many more products that qualify as well.  Schedule your in-home visit today and we'll help you determine exactly which products you need today.

ecobeco will provide you with the forms you need to fill out and will coach you on how to fill them out to ensure a smooth claim process.

There's no better time than now to schedule your in-home ecoAssessment or Energy Audit that now.  The tax credit is limited to $250,000 of total benefit for the entire county for fiscal year 2009, so make your purchase now and submit your application as soon as possible to ensure your refund.  There is no income exclusion or residency requirement for this credit. 

Call us at the store (240) 396-2141 x2 to learn more.

The ecobeco Speaker Series:
Join us at the ecobeco store for expert speakers.

We're lining up exciting speakers from different parts of the energy-efficiency and eco-friendly home products and services spectrum. We'll have drinks and a light snack. All events are at the ecobeco store unless otherwise noted.

Visit our Events page to get the latest on ecobeco's speaker series and to see where we'll be speaking throughout the community.

PLEASE RSVP by replying to this newsletter or by clicking here to email us.

Saturday, March 21, 10am-11am - Healthy Home: Eco-friendly Spring Cleaning. Hosted by Elena Lomicky from ecobeco.  Join us the first Saturday of Spring to learn how you can use eco-friendly and homemade products for your spring cleaning this year. Improve your home's air quality and help the environment with cleaning products that are free of phosphates and ammonia and are biodegradable. Try out green products such as sponges, trash bags, and sandwich bags that are convenient and kind to the planet.

Wednesday March 25, 7pm-8pm - Energy Audits, Air Sealing and Insulation.  Hosted by ecobeco's Reuven Walder and Energy Services Group's Thom Marston.  You'll learn about the most common recommendation that Energy Auditors make.  First, learn how an energy audit provides crucial safety information that you should know before you air seal and insulate.  Second, learn the strategies air sealing professionals use to maximize the reduction in conditioned air losses.  Finally, learn how air sealing and insulation work together to maximize your energy savings.

Saturday and Sunday March 28-29 - Go Green America Expo.  See details below.

Saturday, April 4, 10am - Rain Barrels Make It Easy to Save Water and Keep Your Lawn Healthy. Hosted by Barry Chenkin, the owner of Aquabarrel.  Barry shows off his most recent rain barrel products, and teaches you how to set up and use rain barrels to keep your lawn and garden healthy.

Go Green America Expo - We'll be there!

Join us for the Go Green America Expo!

Montgomery County Agricultural Center
16 Chestnut St., Gaithersburg, MD 20877

Saturday March 28 10am - 7pm
Sunday March 29, 10am - 5pm

Stay tuned for more details.

New Store Hours

In order to spend more time with customers,we are shortening the hours of our showroom to the following:


Monday - Friday: 3pm - 7pm

Saturday:  10am - 2pm


We are also available by appointment, and of course we are open during all of our special events.

We'll speak to your group!

ecobeco's ecoAdvocates want to teach you and your group about energy-efficiency and an eco-friendly lifestyle.  If you've got a group of 10 or more, we'll tailor an educational talk to your needs, and give you and your group an opportunity to see product demonstrations.  To schedule a presentation, email us at info@ecobeco.com, call us, or click here.

New Products

Our newest product is the Twin Draft Guard that fits snugly under any indoor door to create an air barrier.  It's much easier to install than permanent door sweeps.  For only $12.50, these draft guards can make your rooms much more comfortable and reduce the work your AC or Furnace has to do each and every day.


ecobeco is proud to announce the addition of Aquabarrel Rain Barrels.  Thes e items capture rain water that can be used to water your lawn and garden, thereby reducing your municipal water use.  Rain barrels can be installed in about an hour by our professional Handyman partner.  Due to their size, Aquabarrels are only available in the store for $299.

ecobeco also added Multi-Pure water purifiers.  Multi-Pure is Reuven's brand of choice and its Carbon Block technology purifies a wide variety of contaminants.  Multi-pure provides superior filtration performance compared to Brita or Pur technologies. From a cost perspective, these systems are a no-brainer compared to bottled water.  We carry countertop models starting at $224.95 and under-the-sink models starting at $399.95.  These come with a 1 year filter.  Don't forget to purchase our Earthlust or SIGG reusable water bottles to transport your filtered water!

Leaky chimney flues?  It's one of the leading causes of air leakage.  Even when your fireplace flue is shut, there is often still air leaking through.  We now carry Batticdoor Chimney Draft Stoppers.  At $59.99, these devices are a great value that provide a tight seal to keep your conditioned air out of your chimney flue.  They are also easy to assemble and disassemble so you can remove yours easily when you want to use the fireplace, and replace it when you're done.

Brian, Reuven, Curt, Elena, Jonathan, Greg and Gina
(240) 396-2141
info@ecobeco.com