On Monday July 21, 2008, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a bill into law that will make it a lot easier for California residents to go green.

Want to cut back on your electric bill? Assembly Bill 811, first introduced to the legislature in February of 2007 and just passed last week, creates an opportunity for California residents to cut back on electric bills by making energy-efficient home improvements. The law, when fully implemented, will allow cities across the state to offer their residents low-cost loans for energy-efficient home improvements. Loan repayments will be linked to the payment of property taxes. Improvements such as solar panels and high-efficiency air conditioners are included.

City Councilman Jim Ferguson of Palm Desert lobbied hard to get this bill through the legislature, and on July 24, the Palm Desert City Council passed a resolution that will put the city on track to be the first city in the state to implement the provisions of this new bill. A public hearing is scheduled for August 28, at which time the council is expected to approve the program.

See A Win for Ecology.