Renewable energy’s future

The hard lessons of global warming have awakened much of the universe to wasteful and wrong-headed use of fossil fuels. Now that solar and other technologies are becoming cheaper, there is an evident need to analyze our individual energy consumption. Utilizing clean, renewable energy is one of the most important actions you can take to reduce the impact on the environment. Electricity is our #1 source of greenhouse gases, more than all of our driving and flying combined, and clean energy also reduces harmful smog, toxic buildups in our air and water, and the impacts caused by coal mining and gas extraction. However, replacing our fossil-fuel infrastructure will take time and building a renewable energy system will take time as well.

Perhaps the first step is energy efficiency

Energy efficiency is a key step to reducing our impact on global warming and creating a sustainable energy future. Every time you flip on a light switch, use your computer, take a hot shower, or turn on your heater, you're using energy. The average U.S. home uses about 11,000 kWh per year,1 and a large portion of that energy is wasted. By becoming more energy efficient without sacrificing comfort, you can save money while helping the earth. Electricity generation is the second leading cause of air pollution in the U.S. Most of our electricity comes from coal, nuclear, and other non-renewable power plants. Generating energy from these resources takes a big toll on our environment, polluting our air, land, and water.

Environmental impacts of renewable energy

Renewable energy sources are used to produce electricity with fewer environmental impacts. It is possible to make electricity from renewable energy sources without producing carbon dioxide. 
Renewable energy is energy taken from natural resources that replenish themselves without depleting the earth's resources. These resources also have the benefit of being abundant, and they cause little, if any, environmental damage to the earth’s ecosystems. Energy from the sun, wind, and thermal energy stored in the Earth's crust are examples. Fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas are not renewable since their quantity is finite. Once we have extracted them they will no longer be available for use as a viable energy source. While they are produced through natural processes, these processes are too slow to replenish these fuels as rapidly as humans use them, so these sources will run out sooner or later.

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.