How the Bailout Benefits the Environment

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Everyone knows the $700 billion bailout package is a boon for Wall Street. But it turns out green consumers stand to benefit too. According to Fortune and the Environmental News Network, the legislation includes a number of perks for the eco-friendly, including:

—A 30 percent tax credit for homeowners who install solar panels after December 31, 2008.

—A $1,000-per-kilowatt tax credit for homeowners who install wind power, with a cap of $4,000.

—Tax credits of $3,000 or more for the purchase of fuel-efficient, plug-in hybrid vehicles.

—Incentives to grow renewable fuels such as biodiesel and renewable diesel at home.

The bill also supports big businesses that go green. A 30 percent solar investment tax credit has been extended to 2016, and utility companies including PG&E and Southern California Edison can now claim this credit for large-scale solar power projects.

—Nikki Gloudeman

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DECEMBER IS MAKE OR BREAK

A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. That’s risky, because a strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength—but a weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again—any amount today.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

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