Looking for a way to make some tax-free money? How about making your home or business more beautiful, and thus more valuable, at the same time? There exist a variety of ways that can be done. One must merely look for the opportunity, and then be willing to put forth the little bit of effort it takes to do the job.

   First: count your resources, and turn your liabilities (things that cost you money) into resources that produce or save money.

   If you save money that you would ordinarily have to spend, it's like earning tax-free money, because you don't have to pay taxes on the money you saved. It's "conservation."

   One big-ticket item most can save on is the cost of air conditioning. For many it represents the largest chunk of their monthly electric bills, often running many hundreds of dollars each month. Through conservation you can turn this liability into an important resource.

   The next important resource is a building, especially an ugly typhoon-proof concrete building of some kind, (of which there is no shortage.) All that money, all your investment, time and effort… and just look at it! Wouldn't it be nice to make it attractive again? Beautiful homes and businesses attract customers, tourists and increase property values, while improving your quality of life?

   Your best resource is solar energy. The average building around here soaks up over 2 million BTU's of heat on a sunny day. So what are you doing with all your free energy? You heat your building with it, forcing yourself to pay the power company to suck it back out through your air conditioner. (Smart huh!)

   The key to inexpensively use this free energy to provide cooling is called "transpiration." Green plants soak up tremendous amounts of water. Much of it evaporates from its leaves taking away over 500 BTU per pound of water evaporated.

   Some of your most valuable resources are those that others turn their noses up at. They don't perceive their value. But you have the opportunity to cash in on what they ignore or throw away. This valuable resource is called, "vines." Many vines grow everywhere, and are often decorated with beautiful flowers. The only problem is that they are not growing where you need them.

   So let's put it all together, make some tax-free money, and beautify our island home at the same time. Anyone can do it, usually with little or no investment.

   By simply growing vines that cover much of your concrete structure, the solar energy that now costs you money will be used to make your new asset grow. The building becomes much more beautiful by covering over the ugly with beautiful foliage and flowers. You must provide enough water to keep them green so that they don't dry out and become a fire hazard. Then they will have water to transpire, keeping your building cool both from the shade and from the evaporating water. If done right it will substantially reduce the air conditioning load, saving you money, while making your property more beautiful, and more valuable.

   Some things to consider are:

1. Hang trellises, made of chicken-wire (galvanized wire netting) or string for that matter, a foot or so out away from the building so that air can move behind the foliage.
2. Keep the trellises a foot or so away from windows and doors so that you can control the insects that love these plants.
3. Provide a continuous supply of water so that they remain green, beautiful and functioning.
4. Cover absolutely as much of the building as you can, walls and roof.

   Wouldn't it be fun to hold a contest to see who can make the prettiest building from the ugliest building, and save the most money too? But you better hurry up before they raise the electric rates… again. Suggestions welcome at coolscientist@rmrc.org.

   Now that's exciting, isn't it!