So you’ve changed out your incandescent light bulbs for energy efficient compact fluorescents, you’ve weather-stripped your doors and windows, and done all of the other simple, effective things to minimize your energy usage. Great! Now you’re ready to take it to the next level and further reduce your carbon footprint by purchasing clean, renewable energy. It’s easy to do, and it makes a tangible difference in our energy supply.

Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide emitted as you go about your daily activities. Carbon dioxide emissions accelerate global warming. When we drive, we’re using fossil fuels and emitting carbon out the tailpipe. When we use electricity, we’re also using fossil fuels and emitting carbon at coal and gas plants. Buying renewable energy – or green power – can offset the fossil fuels used when you turn on lights, watch television, or make toast.

Signing up for green power is easy and does great things: it brings new clean energy resources online, strengthens Oregon’s economy and is good for our shared environment.

When most Oregonians are asked where our electricity comes from, we conjure up images of the big hydroelectric dams on the Columbia River. But according to the Oregon Department of Energy, more than half of the electricity serving Oregonians came from polluting fossil fuels including coal (41%) and natural gas (10%) in 2005.

Oregon has abundant clean energy potential. Solar, wind and geothermal power are becoming more popular as they become more economically competitive. Six utility-scale wind power projects in Oregon already generate enough electricity to serve more than 131,000 households. Our state now hosts over 1,000 solar systems generating clean electricity right on our rooftops. And entrepreneurial companies and engineers at Oregon State University are figuring out ways to tap the power of the waves off our coasts. Oregon could be the capitol of this emerging industry.

Renewable energy also brings significant economic benefits to our state and region. Using homegrown renewable energy instead of imported coal and natural gas keeps jobs and money in our communities. Projects like wind farms generate tax revenue for local counties, funding schools, fire districts and other essential public services. Wind farms also provide a new source of income for farmers and rural landowners, and the construction and operation of these plants creates thousands of good-paying jobs.

Some of our new clean energy projects are due to the thousands of Oregonians purchasing renewable energy through their utility’s green power program. Portland General Electric and Pacific Power have two of the most successful programs in the nation. Both offer high quality green power choices to their customers, as do many of the smaller utilities throughout the state.

Purchasing green power is the easiest way for any home or business to support additional development of renewable resources and to move away from fossil fuels for our future energy needs. Most utility programs offer customers the ability to get some or all of their electricity from renewables. It costs a little more each month on your electric bill, but you are supporting clean, local resources. For more information and details about utility programs, please go to: http://www.rnp.org/GreenPower/utilities.html

Another option is to purchase renewable energy credits from a third party. If you decide to go this route, make sure you purchase a product that is Green-e certified (www.green-e.org) and comes from resources located in the Northwest. Green-e verifies that renewable energy products meet strict consumer protection and environmental standards.

Energy efficiency measures are an important step to reduce our carbon footprint. Developing additional clean resources is equally as important, and you can help make that happen by signing up for green power. It is a simple, positive action you can take to further reduce your global warming emissions.

------------------------------------------

Between October 2005 and October 2006, seven new wind farms were completed in the Northwest, providing 954 megawatts (MW) of new wind power capacity – that is enough clean, renewable energy to power 238,500 average Northwestern homes.

These seven new projects have brought to the Northwest:

• Between $2 million and $3 million in annual royalty payments to rural landowners;
• Between $5.8 million and $6.8 million each year in local property tax revenues;
• Nearly 1,400 construction jobs during peak construction periods;
• Roughly 80 new permanent family-wage jobs for operation and maintenance.

Recent state legislation has also made solar manufacturing more attractive in Oregon.  By 2009, we can expect to see over 1,000 new jobs in the Portland Metro area as a result.