A self-described idealist and environmentalist, Tony Weller remembers learning about renewable energy in high school. Those lessons came to mind when he made the decision to purchase 33 blocks of Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky clean wind energy for Sam Weller’s Zion Bookstore. The neighboring Dahle’s Big & Tall clothing store shares in the purchase.

"Since I was a teen, I’ve been conscious of environmentalism," explained Weller. "I remember thinking that we’re in bad shape considering global warming and pollutants, and that it would be inevitable that we would turn to wind and solar in the near future."

Rocky Mountain Power customers can help hasten that future by purchasing Blue Sky wind power for just $1.95 per 100-kilowatt hour block, in addition to their monthly power bill. Blue Sky purchases are made in addition to the renewables Rocky Mountain Power already brings into its system. Rocky Mountain Power announced that it plans to bring an additional 1,400 megawatts of renewables, mostly wind, in the next 10 years.

Sam Weller’s Zion Bookstore has been doing business in Salt Lake since 1929, and at its current location since 1961. In the early 1980s, it partnered with Dahle’s Big & Tall men’s clothing store to purchase the building they share, located on 254 S. Main St. Because the two businesses split utilities, they agreed to purchase enough wind power to offset 25 percent of their electricity usage. Buying 33 blocks makes the bookstore a Champion-level participant in the Blue Sky program.

Over a year, Weller’s and Dahle’s 33-block Blue Sky purchase displaces about 28 tons of carbon dioxide, which is similar to not driving a car 59,400 miles or planting 11 acres of trees.

Buying just one 100-kwh block of Blue Sky each month for a year has the same positive environmental impact as planting a third of an acre of trees or not driving a car for 1,800 miles.* Renewable energy, such as wind, solar and geothermal, has little-to-no emissions and the supply is unlimited. Wind power produces no air pollutants, wastewater, smog or acid rain. It also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

"By purchasing Blue Sky, local businesses such as Sam Weller’s and Dahle’s demonstrate their environmental commitment to their customers and community," said Sarah Wright, Utah Wind Power Campaign coordinator. "The recent price decrease of Blue Sky from $2.95 to $1.95 per block makes it even easier to support renewable power, we hope to see many more businesses and residential customers signing up."

To sign up for Blue Sky, call 1-800-842-8458 or e-mail  bluesky@pacificorp.com . Customers can sign up on line at www.rockymtnpower.net/goto/renewablepower .

*Calculations based on an independent analysis completed by the Northwest Power Planning Council and EPA data.

 

About Blue Sky

Rocky Mountain Power launched Blue Sky in 2000 to give customers a choice in how their energy is produced, and to allow them a part in creating demand for renewable energy resources. The program provides Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming customers the opportunity to buy renewable energy in 100-kilowatt-hour block increments, in addition to their regular monthly electric bill. Rocky Mountain Power cannot guarantee that electricity from a particular facility will flow directly to a customer’s home or business. However, the company will deliver to the regional grid an amount of renewable energy equal to the amount of a customer’s block purchase. All Blue Sky purchases help support renewable energy generation. Rocky Mountain Power purchases power or certificates associated with power from renewable power plants.

About the Utah Wind Power Campaign

The Utah Wind Power Campaign is a joint project of the Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, a nonprofit regional environmental policy and law organization and the Utah Clean Energy Alliance, a non-profit organization promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources in Utah. The goal of the campaign is to increase public awareness and use of pollution-free wind generated electricity. For more information about the campaign call (801) 673-7156 or visit www.utahgreenpower.org .