Several years ago, Texas deregulated the power industry in certain areas. And for once, deregulation might actually work in our favor. If you live near Houston, Dallas, or in south or west Texas, you might have the option to switch your electricity provider to an environmentally conscious, green energy provider.
Information can be found at www.powertochoose.org
(Note: I am just a concerned citizen, and have no affiliation with any power company, and make no recommendations.)
More after the flip.
Doing research on energy, it becomes clear that monopolies of providers and governments have a great deal of power in determining what kind of power infrastructure we have. Consumer choice is very limited. And with the government the way it is now, affecting governmental change is going to be difficult. One way you can vote with your dollars is to change your electricity provider.
This map shows regions of Texas that are deregulated, and the dominant provider in each.
If you live in a deregulated area, here's what you do.
Go to www.powertochoose.org.
Enter your zipcode in the upper right hand corner.
Choose commercial or residential power.
You will be provided a list of electricity providers.
In Houston, the default provider is Reliant Energy.
Here's a price comparison with other providers:
Reliant Energy $122/month
Green Mountain Energy Company $132/month
Gexa Energy Corp $110/month
Reliant Energy Renewable Plan $132/month
As you can see, green energy is price competitive.
All you have to do to make the switch is contact the energy provider you want. That's all.
With global warming and peak oil looming on the horizon, vote with your dollars and help make a move to energy sustainability.
If there is a similar program in other states, please post information on the thread below, and I will try and incorporate it into the diary.