Has anyone heard about NSTAR Green? NSTAR is my electric company. I got an email that said I can opt to "go green". I can get either 50% or 100% of my electricity from wind power. I did the math and it seems like based on my kWh, I might pay 7-12 extra dollars a month to support wind power. It seems like a great idea for not too much more money. I'm wondering if there is a catch. Am I missing something or is this a good deal for someone who wants to "go green"?
Thanks,
K.
If you really want to help the environment and save money get some good solar panels installed and your electric bill will be next to nothing. When we move into our home this May we plan on installing them we know people w/ them that pay 20-25 a month for electric well worth the price if you ask me.
I have something similar with a different company for a smaller percentage but whenever I get my bill and sigh I also think that I an helping to illustrate the demand for renewable energy. Other than that there is not change.
Nat
I got the same thing - I think it sounds good but paying $100-140 extra per year and not necessarily using wind power MYSELF makes me wonder how green I actually am. Am I just pouring money into the utility's treasury? What assurances do I have that they will actually use the money efficiently to develop wind power? How much of my "donation" goes to administrative costs and overhead, vs. actual progress? I would keep doing research - a lot - and check with some environmental organizations you trust.
Hello K.,
I say 'google' NSTAR Green and read up on the company. It does appear viable, but there are still questions to ask of them. The 'down side' to wind power is the loss of flying creatures that are struck down by these fans. Our nation's bat population is being wiped out in many parts of the country...one may think, "bats? Yuck. No big deal" that is, until we notice the rise in all sorts of virus and bacteria disease carried by billions of uneaten mosquitos. Harmony. Nature has it all figured out if we would only respect the basic laws of BALANCE. There are solutions the wind powered companies are fully aware of BTW. There are ways for them to modify the turbine speeds during times in the early evening hours to allow for less damage to the flying creatures such as swallows and bats that feed in early evening...it becomes a community grassroot project however, as any monitoring of the environment means more cost to the company, and like any big business, green or not, money is most often the focus. I'd like to believe that we will some day change this attitude. It begins with people like you and I...one blade of grass side by side makes a meadow...;) Good luck. Be Peace, N.
