Energizing the Green New Deal: Part One of a Three-Part Series. Realistic climate action requires clear goals and objectives and an achievable timeline. If it is to have any chance of becoming reality, it must also align with the free enterprise system in which most of the work is accomplished by the private sector. Here is a comprehensive set of specific goals and objectives plus how best to achieve them, with the least government involvement.

In Part One of this two-part series we show the real financial returns for zero energy homeowners. — “A penny saved is a penny earned,” according to Benjamin Franklin. Let’s start thinking about energy improvements as investments that bring a financial return. Here are four ways to evaluate the financial performance of zero energy homes. They all demonstrate that zero energy homeowners benefit financially, making zero a wise investment.