Are you willing to pay 10-20% more on your electric bill to switch to Green Energy?

Question

I discovered that electricity and gas has become deregulated recently, and therefore other power companies can offer you "Green Energy", or energy which comes from environmentally-friendly sources such as wind, hydropower, or geothermal (heat from the earth).

These power companies supply power to your power grid, and your regular power company still distributes this power, sends you bills, and maintains the grid.

For more information and to find out green energy providers in your area, see http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/buying/buying_power.shtml

I was surprised that green energy is almost universally available in the U.S.

The downside is that your total bill will be 10-20% more. I made the switch last week, although I wasn't 100% decided. Are you willing to pay more for green energy, and do you think that making the switch is a cost-effective way to improve the environment and support conservation?

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

I certainly am willing, but what flusters me are the big guns who hold all that "power" and get to decide what to charge before they "release it".

Windmills have been around for eons. They're not entirely unattractive, depends whose perceptions we're talking about. They're permanent and may only need repairs and maintenance once in a while. Why do I have to wait for someone to give me the zoning go-ahead to build one, or worse, build some for me and charge me a monthly rate which is higher than what I'm already paying for something that's simpler, easier to up-keep and cleaner...? Since it costs less, we should charge more? Is that the way it works?

Solar panels, grass roofs, geothermal tapping ... these are all things we could individually be investing in on our own - right in our own backyards if the technology were available to the average joe. They'd save the individual a ton in the long run, but economies might plummet (although I think they'd just reshape themselves if we stuck it out).

Who says this has to cost me MORE? It SHOULD cost me LESS, be friendlier to the earth, and put the "power" back into my hands - which would actually be GOOD for societies in the long run. I think it goes to show those alarmists are on to something when they try to scare us by suggesting some very bad rich dudes are conning us little guys into thinking we need them more than we do...

Answer 3

Yeah, I'd pay more for green energy through my electricity bills.  There has to be something I can do for the environment.  Besides, what's the point of saving 10-20% of my money by not paying more if I'm not going to have a clean environment to live in?  

Basically, I'd rather pay 20% more to live in a clean environment than save 20% by living in an environment that will slowly poison my body within the next year.

Answer 4

Are you serious?   Why in the world would any sane WORKING person want to pay more?

I guess if you get your income from a goverment check it really wouldn't matter to you, since you didn't sweet to earn it in the first place.

As to you question, no.  Not even one dime more.  Make it as cheap, then come back and ask me.

Answer 5

It's just like any "New" product, they can charge more for it but in the energy game it should be the norm and the utilities should be basing price on the cost of doing business rather than just gouging people because they say it is new and different.

Answer 6

Ever had to make ends meet and feed a family?

Didn't think so..........

Answer 7

I think its funny how angry people get when you bring this up. "Ever tried to raise a family?! Bleep bloop!"

Anyway, this attitude is funny because what you bring up is:

A. optional. no one is forcing you to buy from these companies

B. good for the local economy. Green energy is decentralized and usually owned by smaller local companies

C. good for the local environment. Try raising that family in a highly polluted area and see how much you're paying for asthma meds.

D. good for the global environment. If you have kids that you plan on having inherit the earth, you should have more stake than anyone in protecting it for them.

Now, I don't want to be mean, and this was a bit of a knee jerk reaction. So let me say this: I understand that people are hurting financially these days. Times are tough for everyone, but what everyone needs to remember is that this country has been through worse, and through hard work and sacrifice we can once again rise to greatness. What we shouldn't do is use our financial trouble as an excuse for apathy and stagnation in terms of sound environmental, social, energy, and economic policies.

Take care of yourselves and your families, contribute what you can in money, labor, or knowledge, and don't antagonize the efforts of those who can contribute more.