Today, an awareness of the activity of humans on the health of our planet is more pronounced than ever before. Almost everyone has heard about global warming. Even if you don't subscribe to the idea that human activity is causing an increase in average temperatures (and there are many who don't, and a lot of them have spent years in the field) you can agree that our activities do have a measurable impact on the world around us. Take a drive from your community to the shores of one of the province's acid rain affected lakes, or to the nearest landfill, and you know that it's a good thing people are thinking greener.
The great thing about being an environmentally conscious consumer is that not only does it help out the planet in the long run, it can be a lot better for your pocket book as well. For years, parents who own real estate have been exhorting their children to turn off the lights, the television, to quit running so much hot water. If we're all honest, the environmental impacts of these activities are often secondary to our concern over their impact on our bank statements.
But, there is nothing wrong with reaping a couple of benefits from one common goal. Today, the public push to keep the Earth in the forefront has meant governments all over the developed world have designed programs to encourage greener living. A lot of these programs involve green rebates. You may have heard about rebates from companies such as Rental Rebate as you planned upcoming home renovations or repairs, but they are definitely worth expounding upon here.
Green rebates are those which offer money back on purchases made in order to make a household more energy efficient. For example, you may be looking at a home for sale. As you look, you notice that some of the windows are just single paned. The government says, these are bad as far as energy efficiency is concerned. So, they offer easy access to money for upgrades.
Not only that, you are also eligible to apply to get some money back on what you invested in the windows. The exact rules will change from one location to the next, but usually the money you get back on the upgrades will be significant. Many retailers include the percentage you will get back as part of their marketing strategy.
Applying for these rebates is where many people lose out. It can be hard to pay attention to paper work when there are so many other things to do. Do you apply for the rebate when you apply for your second (2nd) mortgage in Toronto for instance, or wait until after the improvements are done? Again, these are areas which will vary from one location to the next.
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