Martha's Vineyard is the latest American community to begin an active pursuit of energy efficiency, looking to invest in alternative sources like wind and solar power. The island, which explodes into popularity during the summer, has already begun outfitting buildings with solar panels and installing wind turbines to generate renewable energy.

According to Earth Techling, one of the most prominent and easily seen of the island's solar arrays sits in the parking lot of the local supermarket, Cronig's. There are approximately 90 such systems running all throughout Martha's Vineyard, in homes, stores and even a town landfill. The source extrapolates that if the rest of the country were to follow this model of implementing solar panels into every parking lot, then those 4,000 square miles of asphalt could help supply half of the nation's electricity.

Solar power has become such a hot commodity among green advocates because of the lowered charges that solar kilowatts place on electricity bills, helping to cut back on monthly utility costs. When coupled with both federal tax credits and state rebates offered by Massachusetts, it's easy to see why solar energy has grown so appealing for residents of the island.

While Martha's Vineyard may be a comparatively small community, it's helping to set an example that hundreds of others are looking to emulate. Earth Techling reports that over 1,000 mayors across the country have made similar pledges for reducing carbon pollution and more than 35 states have set goals for energy efficiency.

Maryland residents interested in going green don't have to wait on their towns or utility companies to start living a more sustainable lifestyle. Contact local Maryland home inspectors for an energy audit of your property, which will help analyze how your house uses power and what measures can be taken to both improve efficiency and reduce energy expenses.