Hoping to reduce your carbon footprint this year? Looking for resolution ideas that are good for you AND the planet? This episode has you covered! Host Rose Daily and guest Lorenza Zebell share 25 sustainable resolution ideas for 2025 that anyone can adopt - no matter where they are on their sustainability journey. From small daily shifts to impactful changes in energy use and consumption, they cover easy-to-implement ideas like subscribing to climate friendly social media accounts, testing your soil, and switching to time of use electricity rates. Plus, they discuss practical tips for achieving your resolutions throughout the new year.

A summarized list of the 25 sustainable resolution ideas can be accessed here: /DocumentCenter/View/15880/SSP-Episode-15-Summary-List

Sustain Dane: https://sustaindane.org/

Invest Your Values tool: https://investyourvalues.org/

(02:42) Our 2024 & 2025 resolutions

(05:31) Softball resolutions: zero-waste products & reusable grocery bags

(08:06) Fair trade grocery items

(09:07) Subscribe to social media climate accounts

(10:21) Choose glass over plastic

(11:42) The most impactful resolution on emissions

(13:32) Resolutions for your wallet

(14:26) Time of use rate

(16:01) Conduct a lightbulb inventory

(17:10) Hang dry laundry

(18:00) Reduce fashion consumption

(20:14) Invest in an kilowatt meter

(21:43) Review your investments!

(22:59) Water softeners

(23:47) Green energy program

(24:48) Resolutions for your lawn

(27:45) Start a green team at your place of work

(30:01) Have more conversations about climate change

(31:32) How to achieve your resolutions this year

There are currently billions of dollars on the table to support whole-home energy efficiency upgrades in the United States. Wisconsin received a $150 million cut and became the first state in the country to establish its Home Efficiency Rebates (HOMES) program, administered through Focus on Energy. Through the HOMES program, Wisconsin homeowners and renters can receive substantial rebates for energy efficiency upgrades, including insulation, HVAC, windows, and more. Host Rose Daily and guests Dylan Crye with Focus on Energy and Joe Pater with the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin discuss program details, eligibility, and the process for applying, along with the positive impact this program is having on local contractors.

HOMES Program Overview: https://focusonenergy.com/ira-homes

Focus on Energy Rebate Finder: https://focusonenergy.com/get-started

IRA Registered Contractor List: https://www.clearesult.com/partner-hub/find-

contractor/17/263

IRA Registered Contractor Resources: https://focusonenergy.com/ira-registered-contractors

Department of Energy Home Energy Rebates map: https://www.energy.gov/save/rebates

(02:40) What is the HOMES program?

(04:08) $150 million to Wisconsin

(06:45) Focus on Energy as the program administrator

(07:23) Focus on Energy rebates vs HOMES rebates - what's the difference?

(10:31) Energy efficiency: a smart investment

(12:59) How contractors will benefit from HOMES.

(19:02) IRA registered contractors

(25:00) The process: income qualification, IRA registered contractor, energy assessment

(28:27) Why is an energy assessment required?

(29:36) Blower door test & infrared cameras

(33:36) Building shell first, core second, solar last

(38:54) Stacking rebates to save thousands

(47:31) What about renters?

(52:51) Home Energy Rebates in other states

(54:28) Everyone is eligible!

Curbside recycling has been around for over 30 years and has become a staple in our daily lives. We see those blue or green recycling bins everywhere – at home, in our schools, and at work. But even if recycling feels like second nature, there are some surprising facts that many of us might not know. In this episode, host Rose Daily and guest Todd Bollenbach discuss 6 things every consumer needs to know about recycling, including exploring the impact of wish cycling and revealing the meaning behind the small numbers on the bottom of plastic contains (news flash - they're not actually recycling numbers!).

Pellitteri Waste Systems: https://www.pellitteri.com/

The truth about recycling numbers: https://recyclesmartma.org/2023/05/recyclings-magic-numbers/#:~:text=The%20numbers%20on%20the%20bottom,indicate%20whether%20something%20is%20recyclable.

(02:04) "Recycling Numbers" are not what they seem!

(06:11) Which plastics are typically recyclable?

(08:30) Recycling contamination rates

(09:40) Wishcycling 101

(12:42) Top 7 wishcycled items nationally

(17:30) To crush or not to crush

(24:36) Hauler vs Processor vs Recycler

(26:46) Which materials are infinitely recyclable?

(30:10) Recycling & downcycling plastics

(35:38) Energy consumption of recycling