Benefits of Clean Electricity
Dirty vs. Clean Electricity
It’s a sad fact that most of the electricity in the U.S. is made from dirty, polluting, non-renewable sources such as coal. In fact, making electricity is the #1 industrial cause of air pollution in the U.S. and creates more CO2 than any other sector.
Clean energy, on the other hand, is 100% pollution-free and produced from renewable sources that are naturally replenished and virtually inexhaustible. Creating energy from natural, renewable sources like the sun, wind and water seems like the better way to go, right?
We think so. Supporting clean energy is why Green Mountain was founded and what we strive for each day.
How Clean Energy Works
For example in the U.S. electric grid is like a bathtub. Each time you use electricity you drain a little water from the tub.
Water comes into the tub from CLEAN or DIRTY sources.
As demand for renewable energy increases, more CLEAN water goes into the tub and less DIRTY water is needed to keep the tub full.
Renewable energy doesn’t go directly to your home; it is added to the grid on your behalf.
The Benefits of Clean Electricity
Generating electricity using clean, renewable resources has both environmental and economic benefits.
Environmental Benefits
- Doesn’t emit carbon dioxide (CO2), mercury, nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2) or particulate matter into the air, water or soil; commonly cited effects of these harmful pollutants include climate change, mercury poisoning, smog, acid rain and respiratory disease.
- Doesn’t damage the land like fossil-fuel extraction
- Is made from unlimited renewable sources
- Many forms of renewable energy use little to no water
- Helps preserve and protect the environment for future generations
Economic Benefits
- Creates employment opportunities in the green job sector in the U.S.; in 2011, job creation in clean energy outpaced fossil fuels by a margin of 3-to-11
- Supports a homegrown energy source, helping secure America’s energy future
- Brings development to rural areas, where renewable facilities are often sited to take advantage of ample space and resource potential
Power of Consumer Choice
