Powering Your World

Why?

20% of our collective carbon footprint in the U.S. is due to household energy use. To stop climate change in time, a study by the University of Michigan has found that we will need to change how we all power our homes.

Counting Carbon

Switching your home to green energy can be one of the easiest and most effective ways to reduce your carbon footprint. Driving an electric car would typically reduce your footprint by 4.4 tons of CO2 per year. That’s great! But switching your home to green energy could cut your emissions by 6.3 tons, according to a Science News article on carbon savings through lifestyle changes.

Solar and Wind

If you pay an electric bill going green can be as easy as signing up with a green energy provider servicing your region, like Arcadia Power or with your utility’s own program, like Dominion’s Green Energy.

If you want to invest in solar, EnergySage has a thorough guide. If you aren’t ready to install your own panels, community solar projects available where you live are an option. See the Coalition for Community Solar Access and its leadership members for a selection of providers (Arcadia Power, BlueWave, Nexamp…). The Coalition also provides an in depth consumer guide.

Committed to your own Solar install but want some help? Solar purchase co-ops collectively select an installer and negotiate a discount, easing you through the process and saving some on cost. Solar United Neighbors can help you find a co-op if one is forming in your neighborhood. Ready to go it on your own but need some advice? Joining an organization like Solar United Neighbors gives individual households access to its help desk while EnergySage provides help and a marketplace to shop and compare .