 Green electric is simply power that is generated and derived through the use of green power. You can often select this form of green electrical energy with the simple check of a box on your energy bill! Before you switch over all of your energy choices to green electric, it is good to first understand what green power is.
Green power is a subset of renewable energy, which is a subset of conventional power. It is important to understand that renewable energy and green power are not synonymous. This is due the fact that the two do not have the same sources of power generation and they do not have the same environmental benefits and costs. Green power results in higher environmental benefits and is defined as electricity produced from solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and other low-impact sources. Many individuals seek out and purchase green power to avoid contributing to negative environmental impacts and to reduce the release of greenhouse gases.
Green power sources produce electricity that is superior to conventional power technologies and resources. They also produce zero human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA controls green power and requires that green power resources must have been built within the last 12 years (the voluntary market began in 1997) in order to support “new” renewable energy development. If you do choose to select green power primarily from your energy company, first conduct some research. Green power comes from different sources and some are much better for the environment than others.
Renewable energy (which is considered to have fewer environmental benefits than green power) includes resources that rely on fuel sources that restore themselves over shorter periods of time and do not diminish. These sources are the sun, wind, moving water, biomass (organic plant and waste material) and geothermal energy. Some renewable energy technologies have an impact on the environment. Large hydroelectric resources can have environmental trade-offs associated with issues such as fisheries and land use.
Conventional power, which is the least environmentally beneficial, can require the use and combustion of fossil fuels as well as the nuclear fission of uranium. Fossil fuels impact the environment in many negative ways from the mining, drilling and extraction methods used to procure them. They also increase greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution (created during combustion). Nuclear power generation is positive in the aspect that it emits no greenhouse gases during power generation, but does still require mining, extraction and long-term radioactive waste storage.
If you are concerned with the effects that your conventional energy is having on the environment, EnviroCitizen.org strongly suggests that you convert to green electric—which does a great deal of good for the Earth and future generations of humans, plants and animals.
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