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Why Should I Buy Green Power?
Some of the most common reasons why people buy green power are to:
- Improve human health
- Preserve the earth for their children and grandchildren
- Reduce environmental impacts
- Conserve finite fossil resources
Green power can also offer protection against rising electricity prices or price volatility. We have seen the devastating effects of volatile wholesale electricity prices in California in 2000 and early 2001. In addition, natural gas prices, which influence electricity prices, have risen all across the country from 1999 to 2000 and then more than doubling through the first quarter of 2001.
The current energy system of the U.S. relies heavily on fossil and nuclear fuels. Over half of the generation comes from coal, and 70% of the electricity generated relies on fossil fuels. Another 17% relies on nuclear fuel, and hydro accounts for about 15%. Wind and other non-hydro renewable sources power about 2% of the electricity.
The intangible costs of using these fuels are borne by society at large and include risks to human health caused by air pollution from burning coal and oil; damage to the land from coal strip mining; water pollution from heat discharge; and environmental damage caused by global warming, acid rain, smog and water pollution.
Making electricity causes more air pollution than any other industry in the United States. It is responsible for:
- 67% of sulfur dioxide emissions, the major cause of acid rain
- 28% of nitrogen oxide emissions, a major contributor to smog and a cause of breathing problems
- 36% of carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas that contributes to global climate change
- 33% of mercury, a metal that accumulates in the food chain and that poses a significant health hazard
- Fine particulates, airborne dust that causes respiratory problems and may contribute to heart disease
Buying green power is a "multi-pollutant strategy" to reduce a range of environmental impacts. See What's My Environmental Impact?
If you operate a business, there may be additional reasons for buying green power.
Why Should I Buy Wind
Power?
Every resource, including renewable resources, has its own unique characteristics. Wind energy is an especially good choice when buying green power for several reasons. It is one of the cheapest and cleanest renewable energy sources available. There is no extraction and consumption of fuel, and no air pollution. Wind also provides an economic boost to communities. See Wind Energy and Economic Development: Building Sustainable Jobs and Communities. For farmers with windy land, it can provide a new source of income, much like another crop.
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