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Post from Jay's Blog:
Contact Your Utility
By Unknown user - Jul 23, 2008 5:45:26 PM ET
Also listed in: We Want Clean Power Companies | Houston Area Climate Awareness Group | Install Solar Now | SOLAR POWER | Taking Action | The Sierra Club Clean Up Dynegy Campaign
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Tags: carbonfree, Electricity, environment, renewable, Wind
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I read the info on Make Your Utility Carbon Free and decided to contact my utility provider, Relient Energy.

I sent them an email advocating selling more electricity from renewable sources and also providing a breakdown for current and potential customer on how much of their electricity is from renewables.  This last point is important, because it empowers people to make a more informed choice.

I also contacted them via online chat and asked if there was any information available on what % of their electricity sold is from renewables.  The representative started to tell me about thier Wind offering.  I put it a different way and they finally said 'no', such information is not available.

Do your part and contact your local utility provider.  With enough inquiries they may take some positive action.

Anyone know if there's any such information available on the net that provides a breakdown of the source of energy? Even if it is by state (and not utility) it would be useful.


Reader Comments

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GreenChoice
By Unknown user, Jul 23, 2008 at 6:55:38 PM ET
I just subscribed to GreenChoice, that Austin Energy offers its customers, but I'm waiting to hear back from a representative to find out exactly how "Green" this option is. There was no representation on the website for how much electricity was produced by wind and solar energy, and how much was produced by fossil fuels. We'll see!
  
Education & awareness are needed in order to green utilities
By Banjo-jo, Jul 23, 2008 at 7:28:18 PM ET
Jay, thanks for doing what you did! Putting pressure on your utility is very much needed if they (generally speaking) are going to become green. Unfortunately, a majority of the rate payers in America lack awareness and education on the issue, so there's no real dialogue going on between utilities and customers. And, the utilities aren't taking action because they don't believe there is enough interest to warrant the resources they would need to spend on becoming more green. They don't understand the cost/benefit ratio of energy efficiency or renewable energy and if there is no pressure from their customers, then they simply choose not to bother with it.

It may help to organize community forums or town hall meetings all across America on what utilities can and should do regarding energy and the environment. Perhaps with increased awareness and education, we can also get rural America to act. Municipalities and electric cooperatives are low-hanging fruit if we can get them to understand the problems and the solutions. After all, economic growth resulting from all the innovation and new jobs that's associated with the renewable energy industry can be sold as another reason to green utilities.

Jay, check out the Energy Information Administration, Link for your energy stats.
  
Note from Tulsa
By Unknown user, Jul 25, 2008 at 5:20:44 AM ET
Personally, I would say this chart is the most telling, Link . As you can see on this chart, about %10 of our countries total energy usage is derived from renewable supplies. I would say this is proof that it can be done, considering how small a scale this usage is at right now. I think we can easily reach the goal VP Gore proposed.

Thanks for the link, Banjo-jo!