Like Pogo said, "we have met the enemy and he is us."
A new analysis has pinpointed one power plant in Minnesota as the source of a third of all the greenhouse gases in the state -- the Sherco generating plant in Sherburne County. It produces 13 million tons a year of the gases that cause global warming. All the power plants in the state produce 67 percent of Minnesota greenhouse gas emissions, according to data compiled by the Environmental Protection Agency.
Sherco power plant and coal from Wyoming. Star Tribune photo.
But really, who uses all that electricity? You. Me. Us.
Those lights you leave on? That delightfully long, hot shower? That old beer refrigerator in the basement? Greenhouse gases.
But if you live in Minneapolis there is help for your energy addiction. Center for Energy and Environment, a non-profit, will be happy to stop by your house and help you figure out how to painlessly cut back on your use of coal through its Community Energy Services program. It's a sweet deal.
First you sign up and go to class. (I did it this week.) There you get a cookie and an overview of light bulbs, at what temperature to set your water heater, why not to turn your old refrigerator into a beer refrigerator, and everything you always wanted to know about ice dams. Good citizenship is not the only reason to do this. They can tell you how each minor change in your habits will result in savings that could get as high as $400 per year.
Then you can sign up for a home energy audit for $30 bucks. Two experts will come and give your house a once over. With your permission, they will even analyze your energy bills.
So you live in Minneapolis go here, and sign up. And turn down the heat.
