Make Your Utility Company Carbon-Free!

Every time you switch on the lights, microwave a bag of popcorn, or watch TV, there is a good chance that the electricity you use -- and pay for every month -- comes from coal.

Across America, coal power plants are responsible for more than 80 percent of electricity's global warming pollution. But it doesn't have to be that way. You are a valued customer of your utility company, and what you say matters.

Utility companies can buy the power they sell you from coal and other fossil fuels, or from renewable energy sources like wind, solar and geothermal power. Yet less than 5 percent of total electricity sales in the U.S. comes from these sources. If enough customers demand that their energy come from these climate-friendly sources, your utility company will listen. And your policy makers will hear about it, too.  

Demand renewable energy from your local utility. Start by doing the following:

- Call or email your utility company's customer service department and ask for more renewable power.
- Slip a piece of paper into your next utility bill that says, "I am your
customer and I want to buy electricity from renewable resources like wind and solar power."
- Talk with others. Tell your friends about renewable energy, and tell them to talk to their utility companies.