Show Me the Money -- Efficiency Is A Gold Mine

Retrofitting existing homes and commercial buildings for energy efficiency will generate jobs and prosperity...

In her article on TreeHugger, "Economic Stimulus! Sometimes What We're Looking for is Right Under Our Nose," Elaine Williams, a Rocky Mountain Institute consultant, outlines a convincing argument for the benefits -- economic foremost -- of retrofitting our homes and commercial structures to make them energy efficient. She demonstrates that: "Establishing a goal of 66% reduction in both energy and water consumption is not only realistic but is also a powerful motivator for improving building technology." And retrofitting offers a 12% return on the investment in technology and labor to save energy. Energy efficiency mining is a profitable, sustainable, job-creating endeavor that, to our peril, has been ignored in this country in favor of Big Coal and Nuclear, which are kept alive by expensive government subsidies. With just a little education, our business and political community can offer us a new path to prosperity with well-paid, long-term jobs for thousands (millions?), not to mention the satisfaction of knowing that we are preserving the planet for the future.