Allow Nevadans to Buy Renewable Electricity on their Monthly Utility Bills
This Petition is aimed at Nevada's Utility Companies, asking them to begin offering Nevadans renewable electricity on our monthly electric bills.
As we learn more about the damages of fossil fuel generated power to our Earth's climate, many Nevadans wish to purchase a fuller mix of renewable electricity than we are currently offered.
About 80% of our current mix of power comes from the burning of fossil fuels, mainly from the most damaging one of all – coal fired plants. An increasing number of us find our reliance on these power sources morally unacceptable. We wish to instead support climate neutral, ethically generated electricity.
If our utility companies, Nevada Power and Sierra Pacific Power, would develop a “voluntary green pricing” program like those that utilities in every US state surrounding us are offering their customers (as far as the border of Kansas) we each could then live in better harmony with our ethical convictions by choosing as high a percentage of electricity from sources which are not fossil fuel dependent as we could afford.
(Please refer to the Green Pricing Program States’ Map found at http://www.eere.energy.gov/greenpower/resources/maps/images/pricing_map.gif to see how truly isolated Nevadans are is not having access to this opportunity. Then sign this petition and “Help us color Nevada Green" thereby joining all of our neighboring states.)
Given our utilities’ monopoly, they owe it to us, their captive customers, to allow us to choose power sources that do not further endanger life on earth as we know it.
Currently our utilities insist that if we want to consume more green electricity, we have to generate it ourselves. However, the costs of these systems are steep, and the knowledge needed to choose the best system, get it up and running, and keep it maintained is not easy to acquire. Furthermore, not all of us have suitable sites to house these independent power generation systems. Not all houses have wind potential, or sunny roofs, and customers living in rentals and apartments do not have the option to install independent power systems.
We feel our utilities need to accept more responsibility for Nevada’s transformation toward greener power sources. They are the Power Company, not us. They are the experts on how to find ideal sites, orient and connect all the relevant equipment, and keep these alternative power generation systems running optimally. When local sources are not keeping up with demand, they know how to go out over the national power grid to acquire the renewable electricity we desire from more distant sources. And, given that we are willing to pay a premium price for Nevada renewable energy that is not yet produced here (by buying green credits for electricity which could be generated in our state in the near future) our utilities have experience and expertise in planning and financing future electric generation projects. These are not the skills of your average homeowner, small business, church, or non-profit.
With a “green pricing program” everyone who wishes (and can afford it) could participate. No special knowledge is needed to check a green power box on a monthly bill, and to pay the increased cost required to cover the percent of “climate safe” alternative electricity the customer desires. The program is customer friendly, and those willing to pay extra no longer need to participate in the further degradation of our climate simply by being a Nevada electric customer. A program like this is one of the easier ways to raise Nevadans consumption of renewable electricity. It could also become a steady revenue source to help fund future renewable energy projects in our state.
Please sign the petition, whether you reside in Nevada, or not! The damage our greenhouse gas emissions cause are worldwide, not regional! By signing this petition we affirm our belief that Nevadans should have the opportunity to buy as high a percent of renewable electricity on their monthly utility bills as they wish, above and beyond the amount in the mix presently being offered to utility customers, and above what the law requires utilities to achieve through the Nevada Portfolio Standard.
It is understood that participants in this voluntary program will willingly pay the increased costs that their utility incurs in offering them this program. Ký thỉnh nguyện thưKý thỉnh nguyện thư