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Renewable Energy and Environmental Resources

Resources

Here you will find links to various resources on everything from the environment to green building and of course, renewable energy.

Every effort is made to maintain the integrity of this list. If you come across a broken link, or if you have a suggestion for a new one, please let us know. Thanks.

Renewable Energy

  • The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. We advance education, research and policy.
  • National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the only federal laboratory dedicated to the research, development, commercialization and deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies.
  • The Open PV Project (by NREL) is a community driven database of Photovoltaic (PV) installations. The goal of this project is to collect, organize and distribute knowledge of the location, size, cost and date of every PV installation in United States.

Calculators

  • PVWATTS v.1 – Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed PVWATTS to permit non-experts to quickly obtain performance estimates for grid-connected PV systems.
  • Solar Energy International – Working to empower people around the world through the education of sustainable practices. Renewable energy systems are practical, reliable, cost-effective, and healthier for people and the environment.

Climate Change

  • Real Climate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists. The aim is to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary. The discussion is restricted to scientific topics, but not the political or economic implications of the science.
  • CO2Now.org is focused on the “what is” of CO2, including scientific data for CO2 levels in the atmosphere.
  • FLICK OFF – A movement to fight global warming.
  • Danger of Carbon Sequestration – Carbon sequestration, once it gets started, will allow 19th century energy technologies to dominate the U.S. throughout most of the 21st century.

Community Service

  • Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas builds single family homes throughout Clark County for working families earning less than 80% of Area Median Income. The home is sold at no profit though a no-interest mortgage. Families are required to volunteer their labor to help build Habitat homes in order to qualify.

Economics

  • Guide to Green Mortgages – A comprehensive guide to energy efficient or “green” mortgages. Explains how they work, their benefits, etc.
  • First GREEN Bank promotes environmental responsibility and green building by offering lower interest rates for commercial projects that meet green building certification defined by the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
  • Modern Earth Finance provides traditional mortgage broker services and also specializes in clients who are building green, or making their existing houses healthier and more energy efficient.
  • New Resource Bank – planet smart banking. Believes that efficiency and sustainability are new resources for community prosperity. Provides financing for home solar installations.
  • ShoreBank is America’s first “environmental bank.” Environmental banking uses banking services as a way to contribute toward a healthier environment. ShoreBank combines its environmental concerns with its community development focus to create its “triple bottom line.”

Energy Efficiency

  • https://www.swgas.com/en/rebate/nevada-solar-water-heating-homeowner_renter Go solar, Nevada, and save money in the long-run. There isn’t a more abundant energy source than the sun, and when you install a solar water heating system with natural gas back-up, you’re benefitting from a cleaner and greener water heating system. You can take advantage of big savings with rebates on qualifying solar water heating systems for your home today!
  • The Alliance to Save Energy supports energy efficiency as a cost-effective energy resource under existing market conditions and advocates energy-efficiency policies that minimize costs to society and individuals, and that lessen greenhouse gas emissions and their impact on the global climate.
  • Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) – A national standards making body for building energy efficiency rating systems. Developer of Home Energy Rating System (HERS). Maintains list of certified HERS raters. The Residential Energy Services Network’s (RESNET®) mission is to ensure the success of the building energy performance certification industry, set the standards of quality, and increase the opportunity for ownership of high performance buildings.
  • The Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP) is an public interest organization promoting greater energy efficiency in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming.

Environmental Organizations

  • The Center for Biological Diversity works through science, law, and creative media to secure a future for all species, great or small, hovering on the brink of extinction.
  • Sierra Club – working to protect communities, wild places, and the planet itself. We are the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States.

Food

  • The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) is an online and grassroots non-profit 501(c)3 public interest organization campaigning for health, justice, and sustainability. The OCA deals with crucial issues of food safety, industrial agriculture, genetic engineering, children’s health, corporate accountability, Fair Trade, environmental sustainability and other key topics.

Governmental Organizations

  • The Department of Energy‘s overarching mission is to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States; to promote scientific and technological innovation in support of that mission; and to ensure the environmental cleanup of the national nuclear weapons complex.

Green Building

  • The Development Center for Appropriate Technology (DCAT) works to enhance the health of the planet and our communities by promoting a shift to sustainable construction and development through leadership, strategic relationships, and education.
  • Healthy Building Network – Working to transform the market for building materials to advance the best environmental, health and social practices.
  • HomeFree Nevada (HFN) is an emerging Home Performance with Energy Star program designed to improve the energy efficiency, comfort, health, safety and durability of Nevada’s existing homes while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Passive House Institute US – The Passive House concept represents today’s highest energy standard with the promise of slashing the heating energy consumption of buildings by an amazing 90%.
  • Southern Nevada Building Performance Professionals (SNBPP) is a focal point where RESNET/BPI certified energy raters, contractors, retro-fitters, architects, materials suppliers, and others associated with the building performance industry can exchange ideas, obtain information on incentive programs, and discuss technical issues concerning building performance in our desert climate in an atmosphere of cooperation and mutual support.
  • The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation.
  • The U.S. Green Building Council – Nevada Chapter‘s (USGBC-NV) mission is to promote and advance healthy, sustainable, socially responsible, and economically viable built environments through collaboration, diversity, education, networking, and environmental stewardship.

Green Living

  • Sierra Club Green Home – helping Americans make their homes more energy efficient, environmentally sustainable and healthy.

Green Transportation

  • The California Cars Initiative is a Palo Alto-based nonprofit startup of entrepreneurs, engineers, environmentalists and other individuals promoting 100+MPG plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).
  • The Electric Auto Association‘s mission is to act as a public source of information about developments in electric vehicle technology, to encourage experimentation in the building of electric vehicles, and to organize public exhibits and events of electric vehicles to educate the public on the progress and benefits of electric vehicle technology.
  • EV World provides a human face to the topic of sustainable transportation with a focus on the people and policy, as well as technology.
  • Plug In America is a coalition of RAV4-EV drivers, former lessees of Honda EV+, GM EV1, Ford Ranger and Ford Th!nk City electric cars, and advocates of clean air and energy independence.
  • RechargeIT is an effort within Google.org that aims to reduce CO2 emissions, cut oil use, and stabilize the electrical grid by accelerating the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles. We have a demonstration fleet of plug-ins at our headquarters in Mountain View and make publicly available the statistics on the performance of those cars. Our vision is that one day millions of cars will be plugging into a greener grid.

Incentives

Recycling

  • PC Recycle Center – The Blind Center of Nevada has a PC Disposal department that manages the removal and recycling of electronic products (e.g., personal computers, peripherals, laptops, monitors, fax machines and copiers).
  • Residential Recycling – Republic Services – Do your part and participate in our curbside recycling program. For more information or to request containers call 702-735-5151 and follow the voice prompts to Residential service.

Recycling for Kids

  • EekoWorld – PBS’ EekoWorld invites children to explore, experiment, and collaborate as they learn about conservation, the environment and the important role they play in taking care of the earth.
  • Recycle City – Explore the EPA’s Recycle City to see how the people of the town reduce waste, use less energy, and even save money by doing simple things at home, at work, and in their neighborhoods.
  • Play the RECYCLE THIS Game – NASA’s Climate Kid’s program has lot’s of things to explore, including playing RECYCLE THIS!
  • Kids Go Green (PDF) – Everyone can do their part when it comes to protecting the environment. Even as kids, you can start to make a difference. You can learn about how to help and encourage others to make a difference too.