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Can sustainable development work? What then will be the impact on business and what will be the impact on the environment?
First we must define sustainable development. Sustainable is to say that something such as resources or an environmental system can be continued indefinitely without depleting any of the material or energy resources required to keep it running. ...
Recycling Cell Phones
Recycle Cell Phones Technological advancements providing users with improved reception through integrated antenna systems, reduced size and weight of cell phones, along with numerous feature sets, and storage improvements have caused the bulk of...
Smart Energy Tips
It has become a very common reality for the majority of household owners to spend huge amounts of money on monthly utilities. Most of the time, the most expensive things we all have to pay for are related to heating and cooling the house, but,...
Surfers turn autumn green
Surfers turn autumn green
New startup surfwear retailer, ZooZoo2, is determined to turn autumn green. ZooZoo2.com founded by 12 year old Molly Luke is on a mission to convince fellow surfers and snowboarders that buying organic cotton clothing is...
Ten Steps to Avoid Mold Problems and Lawsuits in the Rental of Residential and Commercial Real Estate
Real estate residential and commercial landlords, tenants, and rental agents in the USA, Canada, and worldwide should take ten steps to avoid mold problems and lawsuits in the rental of real estate properties, according to Phillip Fry, Certified...
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Affordable Renewable Energy for Everyone
Have you ever wanted to power your home or office with renewable energy, but thought it was too expensive? Or you didn't want to deal with installing and maintaining equipment?
Now there is a way that everyone can use solar, wind, and other renewable energies, at a fraction of the cost. Even renters can power their homes with renewable energy.
Renewable energy certificates (aka green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates) make it easy and inexpensive for anyone to reduce or eliminate the environmental impact of their electricity use.
Each certificate represents the delivery of a specific amount of renewable power (usually one megawatt-hour) into a regional or national energy "grid." This replaces the non-renewable fossil fuels that would have otherwise been used with non-polluting energy from solar, wind, biomass, and other renewable sources.
While the renewable energy you pay for may not flow through the wires in your own home, the resulting overall benefit to the environment is the same as it would be if you installed solar panels or wind turbines directly on your own property.
The certificates are purchased in addition to paying your regular energy bill. So it doesn't cost less than standard electricity, but it’s a small premium to pay to keep toxic pollutants produced by the burning of fossil fuels out of the environment. And it supports the market for renewable
energy as a whole, which ultimately will bring the price down for renewable energy and make it more generally available.
These certificates are available on the internet, but not widely known. Green energy certificates are currently being marketed to big businesses that use a lot of energy and can make a big impact with their purchase, but anyone can buy them.
I recently purchased renewable energy certificates to offset the electricty I use in my own home and home office. Though my purchase is only 15 MWh per year for my 1500 square foot house, every little bit helps establish the market for renewable energy. It prevents the emissions of 20,700 pounds of carbon dioxide annually, equivalent to planting 1,500 trees or removing 2 cars from the road for one year. I pay only $40 a month (in addition to my regular energy bill) for solar, and other renewables cost even less.
For more information on renewable energy certificates, including a list of websites that offer them, visit http://www.debraslist.com/energy/greenenergycert.html.
About the Author
The Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership has recognized consumer advocate Debra Lynn Dadd for her purchase of 100% solar renewable energy certificates for her Florida home office. She is the author of Home Safe Home (Tarcher/Penguin), publishes free email newsletters, and has posted links to 1000s of green products at www.debraslist.com.
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