The cost issue holds true for other things, for example, organic food. Although some good arguments, (and some bad), can be made for the reasons organic food is sometimes double the price of conventional, many people will resist buying organic on a regular basis until the cost is more competitive.

For now, the more voices there are out in the wilderness extolling the benefits of green organic, ethical, community-based and local choices, the better for all of us!

-Will

The info about tax incentives is great – in theory. Like many tax incentives in the US, making use of the green options can be very difficult for individuals. Businesses with a legal and tax staff can manage the paperwork easily.

Your section on Pennsylvania is nice though. I’ll have to look into the residential options available.

A feature you might want to consider would be a mailing list where people can be notified when new contractors or vendors are added in their region. I know I would sign up.

The main reason is that, unlike most directories including “green” ones, we have a criteria not only the products that we list but for the pros as well. So instead of just listing every pro that aspires to be green or that contact us just get more business because they are listed on a green site. We require that they be accredited (have at least 1 LEED AP on their permanent staff) or be qualified (have completed at least 2 locally or nationally certified green projects) to be listed. In some special cases, if we can verify a long history of expertise, we will list a company without the main criteria..

This process has slowed the growth of the directory a bit but it is good for you, the consumer, because you know that the people listed on our site do have the skills that are required to help you build and design in an environmentally sound way.

As far as the costs that JD and Will discussed, it is true that in many cases “going green” can be more expensive, initially. Our site has a pretty comprehensive listing of financial incentives for every state. So in addition to the eventual costs benefits some people (those that are eligible) can also benefit for a number of tax breaks, rebates and other loan programs either through their PUD, local government or the Federal government.

Please continue to use us as a resource for your needs and check back periodically as we continue to add pros, products and retailers to our site.

In his example, a character pays 50 dollars for a pair of boots that will last him for 5 years while his less wealthy subordinates spend 10 every 6 months on boots.

It’s very systemic in our culture right now. My partner Brian’s parents make much of their own wood furniture and that stuff is well made, beautiful, and will last for generations. In our house, excluding a few antiques we have acquires and items made by his parents, I can’t imagine being all that happy with any of our furniture in 10 years, let alone in 50.

-Will

When it costs twice as much to buy a green hot water heater – even if it will pay back the higher purchase cost in energy savings over time, many people will still go with the standard unit because thats what they can afford at that time.

Until governments, through the use of taxation, make it more expensive to install and use inefficient equipment than it is to install cleaner and greener alternatives, nothing will change on scales that matter.