Tax Breaks and Rebates Help Ease the Switch

If you’re looking for one more way to slow water consumption, save energy, and save money, consider buying a new refrigerator, dishwasher, or clothes washer. The environmental benefits are immediate, and you’ll earn your investment back in a few years, especially with the rebates, Oregon tax credits, and federal incentives now available to most homeowners.

Why is making the switch important? Because saving energy prevents pollution. When you choose Energy Star-rated products, you help prevent global warming and promote cleaner air, without sacrificing product quality and performance.

Making a splash in the bath — while using less water — is increasingly the goal of “green-minded” homeowners embarking on a bathroom remodel. And with good reason: According to WaterSense, a voluntary public-private partnership program sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, each American uses an average of 100 gallons of water per day at home. By installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances, usage can be dropped by about 30% — which shaves an average of $170 per year off a $500 water and sewer bill.

Put another way, a family of four could save more than 16,000 gallons of water per year by replacing a traditional toilet with a low-flush toilet. Low-flow showerheads and fixtures are also relatively inexpensive and highly effective ways to save water.