Welcome to the August 2009 Edition of the City of Fort Wayne’s Green City email newsletter.

----------------------------------------------

This edition of the Green City email newsletter contains:

* Green Tips of the Month

* Climate Change and Indiana – by Wendy Barrott

* In the Headlines

* Business Links

* Indiana offers State Income Tax Credit for Energy Star Equipment

* Citilink introduces CampusLink

* Question Participation on Greenversations

----------------------------------------------

*Green Tips of the Month

Buying a new appliance?

There are rebates from manufacturers for many Energy Star rated appliances. Take advantage today. Search for them at the website: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=rebate.rebate_locator

Winter is around the Corner

Now is a great time to take advantage of the federal tax credits available for home energy efficiency improvements. Check out this link for the latest: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

----------------------------------------------

*Climate Change and Indiana

This article marks the first in a series on issues specific to Indiana and climate change. If you have any suggestions for future columns or specific questions on climate change, please just e-mail Wendy Barrott at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

How can moving to electric cars reduce carbon dioxide emissions, when Indiana has mostly coal-fired electrical generation?

I hear this all the time on radio talk shows, during meetings and casual conversations. For every gallon of gasoline burned in an internal combustion engine, 20 pounds of carbon dioxide is delivered to the air from the tailpipe. Every kilowatt hour from a coal plant produces two pounds of carbon dioxide. We know that an electric vehicle will use one kilowatt hour for every 2 to 3 miles traveled. With a standard car that gets 20 miles to the gallon and an electric vehicle that gets 2 miles per kWh each produces 1 pound of carbon dioxide per mile driven. So, what’s the big deal? If we move to just better efficiency cars and trucks, we can lower our carbon emissions. If we move to electric cars without moving to clean electricity, we don’t lower our carbon: BUT if we moved to electric cars and clean electric energy simultaneously we can reduce our carbon emissions dramatically and reduce our dependence on imported oil – improving both our national security position and our carbon emissions.

----------------------------------------------

*In the Headlines

These are links to online news and information.

Green City Business Program News

Americans Waste $130 Billion a Year on Energy

Declaration of the leaders of the major economies forum on energy and climate

Secretary Chu Announces Nearly $300 Million Rebate Program to Encourage Purchases of Energy Efficient Appliances

Reader Suggested News You Can Use

Philadelphia likes solar-powered 'BigBelly'

Did you know that Downtown Fort Wayne has three solar-powered trash compactors?

How Much Rainforest Fits in a Coffee Cup?

----------------------------------------------

* Business Links

Purdue Technical Assistance Program's Green Enterprise Development and Energy Efficiency Services

----------------------------------------------

* Indiana offers State Income Tax Credit for Energy Star Equipment

As of January 1, 2009 the State of Indiana is providing a state income tax credit when certain EnergyStar rated equipment is purchased by a homeowner or small business owner. The credit, worth as much as $100 can be used when purchasing a furnace, a water heater, central air conditioning, room air conditioner or a programmable thermostat. Homeowners and small business owners can claim the credit on their state income tax return.

While paperwork requirements have not yet been determined, the Indiana Department of Revenue advises citizens keep all receipts showing the purchase and installation of the EnergyStar product. In addition, citizens are advised to keep any additional materials identifying the product as EnergyStar. Download a copy of the enabling legislation here.

Eligible Equipment: All products and equipment must be rated as part of the EnergyStar Program. EnergyStar models of the following equipment are deemed eligible.

· Furnaces

· Water heaters

· Central air conditioning

· Room air conditioners

· Programmable thermostats

For more information, please visit or download:

EnergyStar Qualified Appliances

IDOR Information Bulletin: Energy Star Savings

IDOR Tax Talk Archive: Energy Star

----------------------------------------------

*Citilink introduces CampusLink

Citilink, Ivy Tech, and IPFW bring you a whole new way to get around campus – campusLink. This free shuttle service is for students, faculty, staff, and even the general public to get around easily between Ivy Tech’s Coliseum and North campuses, IPFW and its Student Housing on the Waterfiled Campus, and some shopping and residential areas.

• It’s fast, free, and easy.
• Save gas money.
• Park in one place and avoid busy parking lots later.
• Go green and preserve non-renewable fossil fuel, reduce pollution, and shrink your carbon footprint by 209 pounds a day!

The bus service will run Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. operating during the fall and spring semesters. To get more details of the route or if you have questions you can go online: www.fwcitilink.com/campusLink or call 260-432-4546.

----------------------------------------------

* Question Participation on Greenversations

The EPA’s official blog, Greenversations, asks readers each week a question with feedback.

How do you save energy during a heat wave?

----------------------------------------------

Thank you very much for being a subscriber to our Green City email newsletter. We hope this has been helpful and informative to you.

We will contact you once per month with the email newsletter, as well as on Air Quality Action Days to alert you when air conditions indicate you need to take action.

If you would like to suggest topics or articles to include in monthly email newsletters, please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please pass this email newsletter on to your friends and family, so that everyone can share in the knowledge and have an impact on reducing energy consumption.

Greenest,

Julia Gorrell

Energy & Environmental Services

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Visit the City’s Energy & Environmental Services Website: http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/energy

To unsubscribe from the list permanently visit:

http://www.cityoffortwayne.org/greencity_signup

Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail.