The Madison County Home Energy Improvement Program
Affordability
through
Energy Efficiency
Reduce
our
Energy Footprint
Make
your
Home "Green"
Become
part of the
solution
About MCHEIP
Background
Carbon Offsets
Donations
Contact Us
How do carbon offsets work?
It is virtually impossible to live in our society without causing some carbon to be released into the atmosphere. Our lives are inextricably linked to fossil fuels.Taking responsibility for your share of the problem should begin with reducing your CO2 emissions as much as possible (e.g. by driving less or insulating your home). But no one can eliminate carbon emissions completely.
This is where carbon offsets come in. Renewable energy and efficiency projects require upfront capital but result in long-term reductions in CO2 emissions. When you fund these projects, you keep carbon out of the atmosphere. This offsets the carbon that you cannot eliminate through lifestyle changes alone.
By donating to the MCHEIP Rehab Fund, you do more than prevent greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. You also improve the lives of your neighbors. MCHEIP offsets carbon by making low-income housing as efficient as possible.
What happens to donations?
Donations to the MCHEIP Rehab Fund will be disbursed through a grant program for low-income homeowners. Any Madison County homeowner with an income lower than 80% area median income is eligible to apply for a grant. MCHEIP Board of Directors will prioritize the applicants.The homes that are chosen will receive a heat-loss inspection to determine need. The homes will then be weatherized and insulated by a licensed professional. In some cases furnaces and appliances may be replaced. A final inspection will insure that the work is performed well. MCHEIP ensures payments for all expenses per work agreement. Utility data both before and after weatherization will be analyzed to estimate the monetary and carbon savings that result. Our records will be open and available to the public so that anyone can verify our analysis.
Because the MCHEIP Rehab Fund is in the pilot phase, we do not yet know how much carbon will be offset by each dollar invested into the program. Any amount you contribute helps keep carbon out of the air while also improving the lives of our low-income citizens. The average American is responsible for approximately 7.5 tons of carbon each year. At current market prices, offsets cost on average $15 per ton. Thus, a donation of $100 would make one individual roughly “carbon neutral.”
How do I contribute?
To make a tax-deductible donation of any amount, make your check payable to Madison County Home Energy Improvement Program, Inc with MCHEIP Rehab Fund in the memo line. Once we have quantified how much carbon your dollars helped to keep out of the atmosphere, we will send you a certificate acknowledging your carbon reduction. Please be aware that this is a local initiative and not official carbon offset credit. Mail donations to: MCHEIP, Inc. 108 High St. Berea, KY 40403Thinking globally; Acting locally...
Madison County Home Energy Improvement Program, Inc. 108 High St. Berea, KY 40403
Make donations payable to: MCHEIP