Should Americans be granted dollar for dollar tax credit for energy conserving home improvements?

Solar hot waters, triple pane windows and insulation are definitely a step in the right direction [I'm not anti-conservation just anti-hysterical] yet many poor and middle class homeowners simply cannot afford these "upgrades". Since it is in the nation's infrastructral best interest, shouldn't homeowner's get some relief?

Should Americans be granted dollar for dollar tax credit for energy conserving home improvements?
Yes--and it makes good economic sense. Providing such incentives would do a lot more than just help cut energy use. By helping people who can't otherwise afford the up-front costs, it also means they will have long term savings--helping them even more and creating more disposable income--thereby increasing consumer spending (hence good for the economy). And this would help connstruction firms (hard hit right now) thus creating jobs.





A similar program was put in place clear back in 1980 under Jimmy Carter--but was removed by the Reagan administration at the demand of the ooil and coalcompanies. Had it been implemented, along with improvements in automobile fuel efficiency (also rescinded by the neocons) we would be independant of foreign oil by now--or very close to it. Think about what that would do for our current economic problems, not to mention the environment.





Sorry to run on--but people need to realize that the "environment is bad for the economy" myth is just that--propaganda by the fossil fuel industry spread to protect their profits. Energy efficiency and alternative energy is good economics.
Reply:why do people expect to get money back for conservation and or helping save the environment for conservation you get to save money on your home utilities.on environment you get to enjoy fresh air these are the problems society has caused so why should we benefit financially to clean up our own mess the benefits to cleaning up our own back yard is longer and healthier life
Reply:No. These things are expensive for a reason. The reason is they are hard to make, take lots of people working long hours and lots of energy to make. It would totally mess up the economy of the world. Economy is not a dirty word. It is not about money. It is related to the word Ecology; both words start with "Eco". It means the science of the complex relationships between different parts of a complex system. Ecology is the relationships between elements of the natural environment, including plants, animals, air , water and so on. Economy is the science of the relationships between artificial things, like technology and workers and organizations of effort and supply of resources. It is not just about making money! It just isn't!





The word "economy" can be traced back to the Greek word οικονομία, "one who manages a household", derived from οικος, "house", and νέμω, "distribute (especially, manage)".





Ecology (from Greek: οίκος, oikos, "household"; and λόγος, logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of living organisms and the interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment.
Reply:Some relief yes, and it is currently available in the tax code. (although it will expire if the Presidents tax breaks are not renewed) However a dollar for dollar credit essentially has the government paying for it and that would prove to be impractical. There would be no incentive for people not to do it and the government would have to pay for it. In that case I would replace all the windows in my house, they really don't need replacing but the rest of you taxpayers would be subsidizing me so why not.

lily