Op-Eds :: April 21, 2008

Spending economic stimulus payouts on green products has many incentives [Baird]

By Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA)

Whether or not everyone agrees that there is evidence of climate change and ocean acidification, most members of Congress and the public would agree that it’s good to do whatever we can to save money and conserve energy. The upcoming arrival of economic stimulus checks gives the public a unique opportunity to do both and, in the process, help spark the economy and lower our nation’s carbon footprint.

In anticipation of the rebates, and in an effort to help solve our energy and climate challenges, a group of leading national retailers, including The Home Depot, Lowe’s and Sears Holdings Corp. (including Sears and Kmart), has agreed to join together to offer special promotions and incentives to encourage consumers to invest their rebate checks in renewable energy and energy-efficient products.

At the same time, influential environmental groups, including Sierra Club, Greenpeace and the National Wildlife Federation, are calling on their members and all Americans to make these worthwhile investments.

Further support has come from associations representing producers of energy efficient products and organizations committed to helping the environment. These groups include the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association, the Solar Energy Industry Association, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the North American Association for Environmental Education and the Alliance to Save Energy.

With more than $100 billion soon to be put in the hands of consumers to stimulate the economy, this is a multi-win opportunity. Thanks to the retailers’ promotions, people will save money when they purchase the products, lower their future energy bills, reduce our nation’s overall demand for scarce energy, increase the value of their homes and reduce greenhouse gasses. For those individuals who are able to, this is a great way to invest the rebate checks in a way that yields a high return in reducing energy costs and investing in homes and businesses. That’s a win not only for the individual consumer, but for the entire nation.

Of course many people will need to use their rebate checks just to help make ends meet, but it is also worth keeping in mind that those who are often hit hardest by skyrocketing energy costs are often the ones who rarely have the opportunity to get ahead of the game and invest in energy-efficient items.

It’s fair to say that these rebate checks, plus the discounts and education opportunities offered by retailers, will help people insulate not only their homes but their paychecks as well.

Energy-efficient lights, Energy Star appliances, a layer of insulation or even something as affordable as weather stripping can all make a significant difference in the energy bills and pay back every single month for years to come.

Members of Congress can help support this effort by signing on to our bipartisan sense of the Congress resolution, H. Res. 987, and by holding special events in their districts to spread the word.

Most of the retailers and groups mentioned above would be more than happy to host local press events to display their environmentally friendly products and encourage shoppers to plan ahead for their purchases when the rebates arrive.

My experience has shown that all Americans are responsive to this idea and recognize the merit of this effort. If the rebate checks are not used wisely, the result will be a large and lasting debt for our children and their grandchildren with only a brief and minimal stimulus to show for it. It’s clear that promoting energy-efficient purchases ensures that the benefits of the stimulus will be broad and lasting and will help solve not only our short-term economic challenges, but our long-term energy challenges and carbon output as well.

Having led a recent congressional delegation trip to Antarctica, the Great Barrier Reef and the Kuranda rain forest during the January recess, I am convinced that climate change and ocean acidification are both urgent and grave problems and we must do far more to address these issues.

The stimulus checks represent a rare opportunity for consumers to do the right thing while saving money, and that’s the best evidence I can think of that proves Americans do know how to spend their money better than the government.

Baird is a member of the House Science and Technology Committee.