RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—More and more governments, organizations, universities and Fortune 500 companies are juicing up with green energy. This year, three state governments—Pennsylvania (home of Rodale.com), Connecticut, and Wisconsin—even made the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership national Top 50 list.
THE DETAILS: The EPA program consists of 1,000 participating groups who voluntarily purchase billions of kilowatt-hours of green power annually. Green power consists of electricity generated from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass, and low-impact hydro sources. In other words, it gives us power without the environmental downsides associated with burning coal, wood, and other fossil fuels. Intel Corporation, PepsiCo, and Dell top the Fortune 500 leaders in green energy purchases.
Here are some other list leaders:
Top 5 Retailers:
1. Whole Foods Market
2. Kohl’s
3. Starbucks
4. Staples
5. Lowe’s
Top 5 Universities and Colleges:
1. University of Pennsylvania
2. New York University
3. Pennsylvania State University
4. Oregon State University
5. California State University system
WHAT IT MEANS: Think you need a windmill, or a roof packed with solar panels, to run on green juice? Think again. Many businesses are powering up in a greener way by paying to put more clean energy into the grid, which means they’re investing in sources of renewable energy. And households can do it too. That’s important, because the traditional means of getting electricity through burning coal and other fossil fuels is warming the planet and eroding our air quality. According to the American Lung Association, more than 140 million Americans live among unhealthy levels of smog. A study this month also found that ground levels of ozone are actually shaving years off people’s lives.
Here’s how you can invest in clean energy:
• Find out if your state can compete. Some state laws do not allow competition among electricity providers. If you do live in a state that does, shop around for alternative energy providers (see below).
• Investigate your utility. More than half of the electricity customers in the U.S. have the choice of purchasing green power directly from their electricity supplier. More than 600 utilities in 30 states offer green pricing: The customer pays a premium which helps the utility company cover above-market costs in acquiring renewable resources to turn into energy. Check your next electric bill to see if these options are listed, or call your provider directly and find out, or check the online state list. Getting your power from green sources will likely cost a bit more than your regular electricity bill, but surveys have shown that customers want the option of using energy that doesn’t clog our air, water, and soil with pollution.
• Seek out certificates. No matter what state you live in, you can support renewable energy development through the purchase of renewable energy certificates, a.k.a. RECs, green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates (TRCs). While you’re not directly getting the energy you paid for, your investment puts a larger chunk of renewable energy on the grid. For example, in spring 2008 the Philadelphia Phillies became the first Major League Baseball team to join Green Power Partners, and purchased enough green power to offset an entire season of electricity use at Citizens Bank Park. It was a long season, too—and they won the World Series! (Good karma? Yeah, we think so.)
• Get the real thing for your money. Look for third-party certification and verification when spending money on green energy. Green-e is a voluntary certification and verification program for about 100 electricity products, TRCs, and utility green pricing programs in the U.S. You can also check the Power Scorecard to see how environmentalists rate different power options in your state.
• Shop around. Tell your favorite companies that you want them to buy green energy, and support companies that already do. (See the top 20 retail list.) Businesses and other non-residential customers, such as colleges and universities, and municipalities and state government agencies, can learn more about buying green power in each state.