In recent years, water issues have become a very hot topic. Water shortages throughout the western United States, as well as severe droughts in the southern, have made water usage a major concern. Many green building experts agree that with a growing global population we can no longer rely only on water conservation. Even for residents in gloomy states, solar panels can greatly reduce power costs, let alone carbon footprints. In fact, because of solar power success in Germany, the state of Washington (a state that receives overcast days 65% of the year) decided to copy Germany’s solar financial incentive programs. Let’s take a closer look at some factors to consider before making a purchase decision.