My husband and I make an effort to be as environmentally responsible as possible. We are very conscientious about recycling bottles, cans and plastic. We use our organic kitchen waste as compost for the garden. Along with growing our own vegetables, we collect rainwater for irrigation and avoid the use of chemical pesticides. We share one vehicle and whenever possible, take advantage of public transportation. We also get around by riding bicycles. When we designed our new home, our carbon footprint was a priority. We hoped to minimize our dependence on fossil fuels. A little research revealed that geothermal heat pumps are considered the most environmentally responsible type of heating and cooling option on the current market. Geothermal units utilize the free and renewable energy provided by the sun. The heat pump draws from the stable, year round temperature found underground. Rather than burn fossil fuels, it pulls existing heat out of the ground and transfers it into the home. During the summer, the system acts very much like a conventional air conditioner, extracting heat out of the house and transferring it into the ground. A geothermal heat pump achieves a 400% efficiency rating. It creates four units of energy for each one required to operate the equipment. There are no concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, fumes, carbon monoxide or hot surfaces. The system is wonderfully clean, safe and quiet. It doesn’t overly dry out the air in heating mode and acts as an effective dehumidifier in cooling mode. Plus, with the addition of a very inexpensive switch, the geothermal heat pump provides a virtually free source of hot water.