When the energy crisis began in 2006 the city of Austin Texas took a bold step into the future. They went green, and most of the residents switched their means of using electricity and it was not only cost effective for the customer, but obviously better for the environment. Since then the rest of the country has followed suit, and 44 states now have the option to consumers to buy green.

So how does one actually buy green? It is simple really, call your current energy carrier and ask what their alternative green energy is. Again, it’s only available in 44 states so if your state is one that offers it you now have the option. In most cases you won’t even know when the switch is made. Most states it is the same energy carrier that diverts the green energy through their system and delivers it to your residence without changes any of the hardware. You will notice a difference in the charge; on average green energy is approximately .10 more per kilowatt and in some cases it is almost up to .90 more per kilowatt. Again, in most cases the bill will come from the same power grid company that you’ve already been paying, the only difference is that you simply have to ask for it.

Now depending on what you consider to be clean energy you may not want to change the type of energy that you receive. There are many clean sources of energy like water, wind, solar, wave, tidal and geothermal. These sources have no carbon emissions associated with them and everyone can agree these are clean sources of energy. However, some power grid companies also burn landfill waste or gas and biomass which does contribute to greenhouse gases. These types of energy are alternative, but questionable whether or not they are considered clean sources. So before you make the switch make sure you agree with the type of clean energy your company uses; certainly you wouldn’t want to pay more money per kilowatt if it’s not going to change you impact on the environment.

Although the most impressive clean energy consumption is the person who builds their own source of energy. Some people are building their own homes and are not connected to any outside source of energy and create their own source and are completely self sufficient. They grow their own food and raise livestock. They are definitely the diehards of going green; but the concept is catching on.

After a tornado ripped through a Kansas town in 2007, the town of Greensburg, Kansas has decided to go completely green. The town is under construction and they are making every effort to reduce their carbon footprint on the atmosphere. The town will be using solar and wind powered energy and homes are being built to utilize more natural light. They are building with solid concrete and insulated windows. The townspeople are very excited about this venture and the town has made headlines with their bold move. Perhaps they will have an impact on the rest of the world to do the same. This country is only 6 states away from offering green energy to everyone, so there’s always hope.

Photo by: IKO -
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