Americans are capitalizing on clean energy tax credits
Published over 1 year ago • 8 min read
Daily Edition • August 23, 2024
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We personally think each and every pup is the world’s cutest, but there can only be one winner of People magazine’s World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest. The annual competition, presented with Pedigree, recently announced this year’s 10 finalists, picked from thousands of submissions. Take your time on voting for your fave — you have until Sept. 20.
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Environment
Americans Claimed Over $8B in Tax Credits for Clean Energy Home Improvements in 2023
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The Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law two years ago last week, and among its provisions was a slew of new tax credits Americans could claim on clean energy home upgrades and investments. Upon reading a recent review by the Treasury Department, one thing is clear: People are using those credits. The statistics report, released earlier this month, showed that U.S. taxpayers have claimed more than $6 billion in credits for residential clean energy investments, a category that includes solar panel installation, and more than $2 billion for energy efficient home improvements, like adding heat pumps, insulation, and improved windows and doors. Those numbers come from 2023 tax returns filed as of May. Sara Baldwin, who leads research on decarbonization at a nonpartisan energy and climate policy firm, told The Washington Post that the tax credits could have “a stimulating effect on the market” when it comes to consumers adopting climate-friendly technology, and the cost of that technology decreasing over time. “As we see growth of technologies, whether you’re talking about heat pumps or electric vehicles, the initial adopters always drive economies of scale, which helps reduce the cost for future adopters,” Baldwin said. “You have [a] better workforce that knows how to install them and build them. … All of the costs start to come down gradually.”
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Call This Hotline for Your Pressing Fall Foliage Questions
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We’re less than a month out from the start of fall, astronomically speaking, so it feels appropriate to start talking about one of the best parts of the season: leaf peeping. The concept of reveling in the colors of autumn is age-old (and spreads far beyond the United States), but the term “leaf peepers” didn’t pop up in print until 1965, when it appeared in an issue of the Bennington Banner, a daily newspaper in Vermont. So it’s fitting that the state is also home to the Fall Foliage Hotline. Operated by Burlington’s Hotel Vermont, the number — 802-651-0080 — will be open to callers from September through October and offer a wealth of information on the status of the foliage, the best scenic drives, local events, and more. “Our new Fall Foliage Hotline delivers expert knowledge by our in-the-know team here in Vermont and ensures both locals and guests alike can experience the beauty and bounty of fall and all that it offers from the Burlington perspective,“ Matt Canning, the hotel’s general manager, told Thrillist.
Science
How to Help Kids Learn Science? Make It Fun — And Add Popsicles, Experts Say
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Popsicles, splashing in puddles, and watching garbage trucks are all essential parts of an elementary education, experts say. And no, the experts we’re talking about aren’t 6 year olds. The U.K.’s Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Biology, and Association for Science Education recommended a new primary school science curriculum with a focus on hands-on, engaging activities. That includes frozen treats, or ice lollies as they’re called in Britain. “One of the recommendations for chemistry is that by the age of 11, all children should start to understand how temperature works and how heating and cooling can change things,” Aylin Ozkan, a teacher and specialist with the Royal Society of Chemistry, explained in a press release. “What better prop is there for a teacher to help explain this than an ice lolly? Essential experiences like this promote learning on a personal level, so we believe they should be part of the curriculum.” Other suggested activities include growing and eating plants for a biology lesson, exploring the properties of physics via toy cars, and allowing students to make noise when teaching concepts like pitch and volume.
Global Good
🇧🇼 A 2,492-carat diamond unearthed in Botswana is the second-largest ever pulled from a mine.
🇿🇦 Charlie, the last elephant at South Africa’s national zoo, has been released into the wild.
🇯🇵 Japanis testing out biogas, a renewable fuel made from cow manure, to power ships.
🏴 A group of Afghan women banned from continuing their studies at home will complete their medical degrees in Scotland.
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Inspiring Story
“When you educate a girl, you educate a community”
Across much of the globe, something as simple as the cost of a school uniform can keep girls out of school. So Payton McGriff’s nonprofit created a uniform design that grows with girls in an effort to reduce dropout rates and absenteeism in Togo.
Photo of the Day
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Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama is still managing career firsts at age 95. Her latest work, a collection of mirrored archways and spheres outside of a major London Tube station, is her largest public sculpture ever and her first permanent public artwork in the U.K. “London is a massive metropolis with people of all cultures moving constantly,” Kusama said in a statement. “The spheres symbolize unique personalities, while the supporting curvilinear lines allow us to imagine an underpinning social structure.”
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