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Energy and Personal Sacrifice

I switched to "green" electricity today. Perhaps some people might consider me foolish for doing so; it costs more and as a graduate student I'm not exactly raking in the dough (nor will I ever, most likely). Still, there are several reasons that I consider this a necessary step:

  • Green practices cannot be considered a luxury. It's quite the opposite. Every penny that you're not spending on electricity today will be revisited upon you many-fold in the future.
  • If a student of very modest means can afford to pay more for "green" electricity, what's your excuse?
  • While I chuckle privately about the recent progressive infatuation with boycotts, it is possible to exert influence through the markets. My switch doesn't mean much, but we all know about multipliers right?

The specific details are that a minimum of 20% of my electricity will be derived from wind sources with the remainder met by low-impact hydroelectric stations [Energy Maine]. Generation will cost me 170% what I'm paying now, an increase from $0.05 to $0.085/kWh -- about $10 more per month.

On the subject of windmills, I find it infuriating when people calling themselves environmentalists oppose the construction of windmills because they "spoil the view." These are necessary because of our insane consumption of energy over the past century, but we weren't paying the bills -- it was all being charged to our collective credit card. The bill is now due. Besides, I think they're kind of pretty.