San Francisco bans plastic shopping bags
San Francisco has become the first U.S. city to ban plastic checkout bags in large markets and drug stores and require biodegradable plastic or recyclable paper sacks, the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The city’s Board of Supervisors approved the measure this afternoon, 10-1. The ordinance takes effect in six months for some 50 large markets in San Francisco and will apply in about 12 months to large drugstore chains such as Walgreen’s and Rite-Aid.
Plastic bags are blamed for litter, clogging recycling machines, taking up landfill space and killing or sickening marine mammals. The measure also is designed to save petroleum.
The change was proposed after a voluntary bag-reduction program between the California Grocers Association and the city broke down. The plan sought to reduce the 180 million plastic bags handed out in 2006 by 10 million. The grocers’ group said it eliminated 7.6 million bags last year, calling the program a "huge success." The city disputes that figure, however.
The grocers argued the new law would confuse consumers about current recycling efforts. The industry supports a bill introduced in the legislature would require that bag-recycling programs be set up at certain retailers.
10 Steps to Creating a More Efficient Kitchen
You’ve got your Energy Star rated appliances (and if you don’t, find some here), but there 
are more ways to make your kitchen efficient, and it doesn’t have to cost you tons of money (you can even find Energy Star rated appliances in affordable price ranges, we did!). For those of you who still have your old energy hogging appliances, it might be time to consider investing in some new ones. Replace them one by one, as your budget allows (and remember not to throw out your old ones, try donating them to secondhand stores or listing them on websites like craigslist or Freecycle).
Some of these tips for your kitchen can be applied to your whole home:
Earth Day, April 22
April 22 marks the 38th Annual Earth Day. It was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin. He was also a conservationist and began to push the concept of environmental responsibility in the early 1960s with the enthusiastic support of President John F. Kennedy.
Did You Know?
Facts and statistics to help keep you up to date on the market.
• Homeownership is strongly related to age and socioeconomic status. The average age of first-time home buyers is 32, according to the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH). Thirty percent of homeowners are under 31 years of age. Ownership peaks at 76.7 percent among those age 61 to 70, and then declines slightly to 68.5 percent for that age 71 and older.
• Owners say they are happier and have higher self-esteem than renters, according to the NSFH.
• 86 percent of a national sample of Americans believe that people are better off owning than renting, according to the Fannie Mae National Housing Survey.
Top Tips: Selling your home
As the Real Estate market continues to erode into 2008. The Fed is expected to cut rate again at their upcoming March meeting. This cut may raise hope to boost buyers to jump in for great mortgage rate. If you have to sell your property, this could be a good opportunity. Watch CNN’s Gerri Willis offers tips on how to make your home more attractive to potential buyers in this market condition.
A Look at Economic Stimulus Package
What’s in the economic stimulus package being signed by President Bush.
- Tax rebates: At least $300 to almost everyone earning a paycheck, including low-income earners. Social Security recipients and disabled veterans making too little to pay income taxes would receive $300 checks as well, as long as they have at least $3,000 in income from various sources in 2007. People paying income taxes could receive rebates of up to $600 per individual and $1,200 for couples.
Families with children would receive an additional $300 per child. The full rebate would be limited to individuals earning $75,000 or less and couples with incomes of $150,000 or less, but a partial rebate would go to individuals earning up to $87,000 and couples earning up to $174,000. The caps are higher for people with children. Illegal immigrants are disqualified.
- Business tax write-offs: So-called bonus depreciation and more generous expensing rules to spur investment.
- Housing rescue: Allow more subprime mortgage holders to refinance into federally insured loans by raising the limit on Federal Housing Administration loans from $362,790 to as high as $729,750 in expensive areas. Increase the availability of mortgages by providing a one-year boost to the cap on loans Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy, from $417,000 up to $729,750 in high-cost markets.
President Bush Signs H.R. 5140, the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008
From the California Association of Realtors.
February 13, 2008
PRESIDENT SIGNS $168 BILLION ECONOMIC STIMULUS BILL
President Bush today signed off on the $168 billion stimulus package approved by Congress last week, which, in addition to tax rebates for millions of working Americans and business owners, includes a vital, but temporary increase in the conforming loan limit. The economic stimulus package will allow the Federal Housing Administration, as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to offer mortgages above the current conforming loan limit of $417,000 to as much as $729,750 in high-cost areas for loans originated between July 1, 2007 and Dec. 31, 2008.
“The actions of Congress and our president represent a significant victory for homeowners across the state and nationwide,” said C.A.R. President William E. Brown. “C.A.R. has long fought for increases to the conforming loan limit in order to close the gap for would-be home buyers in high-cost areas, such as California, and, with the spotlight now fully shining on this important issue, will continue those efforts and push for permanent changes beyond Dec. 31.”
Mortgage Prepayment Made Easy: Own Your Home in Half the Time
Wealth without risk
Here are some tips to help you manage your finances. Find out the benefits of Roth IRAs and why they can help you reduce the length of your mortgage and save for retirement.
For most of homeowners, the principal portion of a mortgage payment is quite small. For example, our February mortgage bill was $1681.79. Of this, $1119.16 was designated for interest, $295.19 for escrow (taxes and insurance), but only $267.44 for principal.
Read more HERE!
Going Green 101: Resources for Your Family
From the Oprah show Going Green 101: What Your Family Can Do Today!
Make saving our planet a part of your daily life with easy changes. Start today with help from these resources.
Activism
American Forests
The average person is responsible for emitting 94 pounds of carbon dioxide every day. It takes four trees, which act as natural air filters, to offset the carbon dioxide each person generates in a month. For each dollar donated, American Forests plants a tree. For more information and to plant trees, visit www.americanforests.org.
Earth 911
Find information about environmental services and events in your community, visit www.earth911.org.
