More Hip Than Hippie #268 - Here Comes the Sun

As the solar energy industry evolves, more homes and businesses take advantage of incentives to "go solar".

Thanks to government rebates, it seems easier than ever to afford an array of PV panels on your roof. Does solar energy make sense for your home or business? What is the "trifecta of disaster"? Dori and Val seek enlightenment from Tim Hamor, co-owner of a solar system installation company in Chico. (Tim previously appeared in show #65, Going Solar.) Also, the Hipsters encounter a Beer Pimp and Val goes ape for Adam-12.

Beer and Chocolate:

Beer: Our new Favorite Listener is Megan in Arizona, who introduced us to the complicated pleasures of Bourbon County Brand Stout from Goose Island Brewery. What started as a potential malt-face mishap, turned into a positively passionate pairing!

Chocolate: Luckily, the simple goodness of Ghirardelli's Twilight Delight complemented the beer perfectly. And this Twilight contained no whiny vampires.

Hip News and Finds

Finds:

• Are you gonna use that teabag? A London fashion student creates compostable clothing from tubs of tea and yeast. BioCouture jackets, t-shirts and dresses go back to nature when they go out of style.
• Changing channels. Val's family has cut the cord on cable TV, opting instead for low-cost Boxee and Netflix. Savings=Beer Money!

Hip News

• Frankenfish. A very special variety of salmon is coming to a market near you, courtesy of AquaBounty. It'll be loaded with Vitamin GMO, but don't worry, the FDA says you don't need to know that.

Teenie Weenie Greenie™

From Listener Alex in Cleveland: Be mindful of your water usage! Turn off the tap while you scrub your hands, then turn it back on to rinse.

From Listener Megan in Arizona: Invest in a reusable mug for your visits to the coffee shop! You'll keep paper cups out of the landfill while saving yourself a bit of change.

Here Comes the Sun

Our friend Tim Hamor of Alternative Energy Systems sheds some light on going solar!

• First, the nuts and bolts: how a solar cell works.
• Get an energy profile to determine if solar works for you. Use this calculator to get a rough idea.
• Learn about rebates and incentives to help you get into a solar energy system: DSIRE and SEIA are great resources.
• The 2006 California Solar Initiative serves as a model for the new 10 Million Solar Roofs initiative put forward by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.
• Remote monitoring of your home's solar energy usage? There's an app for that!

Listener E-mails

Attention lurkers: we want to hear from you! Drop us a line just to let us know you're out there. Of course, feel free to add comments, questions and links..we love to get your input at hip@greenfeet.com. Check out our blog!

• Sarah is traumatized after reading her toothpaste tube. Uncle Harry's Tooth Powder to the rescue!
• Barb in Colorado suggests Greener Photography as a resource for eco-friendly brides-to-be.
• Alex in Cleveland has a cool tip for Midwesterners: splurge on Jeni's Ice Creams. They deliver!
• Dolores in Cleveland loves her local Blackout Stout. Hey, hire Alex as an intern at Earth Day Coalition!

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Charter Hipster Doug Hilton in Lancaster, PA has been diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. He's undergoing chemotherapy and needs some Hipster Mojo to keep his spirits up! Send him some love on his Facebook page and keep him in your thoughts while he kicks some cancer ass. You can also send him a nice email through us, at hip@greenfeet.com.

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