By Theresa Ficazzola
As everyone knows, Valentine’s Day, is celebrated on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring a martyr named Valentine.
According to Wikipedia, the day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries, when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring.
In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion for couples to express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards. In the 19th century, handmade cards gave way to mass-produced greetings.
And in 1868, the British chocolate company Cadbury created Fancy Boxes in the shape of a heart for Valentine’s Day.
Love the Earth, Too
Whether you and your Valentine shared a card, a box of chocolates, flowers, a romantic dinner and a movie, or just each other’s company this Valentine’s Day, have you given any thought about what you can do for your love of the earth?
Small things, when combined with others, and over time, can add up to big things. For example:
- Using less water
- Weatherproofing your home
- Conducting a home energy audit
- Recycling everything
- Carpooling or combining trips
- Buying less “stuff”
- Donating what you don’t need/want
- Moving from bottled water to reuseable bottles
- Taking advantage of sustainable food sources
- Using less electricity
And You’ll Love Your Savings from Solar
To get the biggest bang for your buck, you can strive to use less electricity, but you can also proactively do something about the rising cost of that electricity.
Installing solar panels on your home in New York or New Jersey can help offset the amount of money you spend on electricity. Most solar systems give you a return on your investment within 5-10 years, depending on a variety of factors, including your utility provider, your location, your current utility rates, whether you purchase or lease your solar system, and how much power your system generates vs. how much power you actually use.
Most people believe the initial investment is worth the long-term payback, especially with the ongoing yearly rate increases by local utility companies. In fact, if you live in New York, you’ve seen your ConEd bill increase steadily over time. New York City electric customers saw their bills increase by 20% over the last few years alone and the trend is far from over. It’s reported that increases are projected each year, totaling another 10.4% by 2028.
To find out if solar power is a viable alternative for you, let the professionals at SI Solar complete a free, no cost assessment of your home. Contact us HERE!
You may be pleasantly surprised—and in love with—how much money you can save on your costly electric bills.
