Certifed Green Consultant Green Impact Solutions

Did your electric rates jump this past year?  Have you shopped around for a 3rd party electricity supplier yet?  If not, why not? 

PPL Electric encourages their customers to shop around to find the best price on electricity.  Regardless of who you choose to supply your energy, PPL (if you are a PPL Electric customer) will still deliver and service your electricity.  Check out the following link on PPL Electric’s website that answers questions about Electric Choice and tells you how to “shop around”.  http://www.pplelectric.com/choice/information

There are many options for you to choose from, but I will discuss two that I am familiar with, both of which happen to use “green energy”, or energy from renewable sources. 

Viridian Energy (http://www.viridian.com/green-impact) – Viridian offers a competitive variable rate on electricity and does not require customers to sign a contract. 

Clean Currents (http://www.cleancurrents.com) – Clean Currents offers a competitive fixed rate on electricity for a 12 month period, but does require a 1 year contract. 

Of these two, which is better?  It boils down to personal preference, really.  The reason the 3rd party electric suppliers exist is because they can offer you a better rate than the retail rates your current provider, such as PPL Electric, provides you with.  Most of the rates are within a fraction of a penny of one another, so it doesn’t matter much, cost savings wise, which supplier you go with. 

Viridian is a direct selling company and can offer you a kickback on any referrals you may bring their way.  They also offer a unique and effective fundraising opportunity for non-profit organizations.

Clean Currents operates through outreach efforts.  They look to identify neighborhood leaders that will spread the word about their program and spearhead efforts in their area to move toward cheaper and “cleaner” energy sources. 

Electing to use a “green” energy supplier is a sustainable practice that helps companies and homes earn ”green points” towards a green certification.  As with the adoption of many other green practices, electing to use “green energy” will not only help sustain our environment, but will also result in favorable cost savings.  Certified Green Consultants with Green Impact Solutions, Inc. can help you green your organization or home and save some green as well!  Contact Heather at 610-360-8859 or heather@greenimpactsolutions.com for more information about electric choice through Viridian Energy or green certification through the Green Business League.

With so much buzz about “green”, “eco-friendly”, “sustainability”, “energy efficiency”, “source reduction”, etc., it’s understandably easy to get overwhelmed!  If you walk into any green expo, you’ll see a multitude of solar panel distributors/installers, water purification systems, green pest control, energy efficient windows, you name it.  Where does one start?  How do you decide what is most important or makes the most sense for your home or business to implement first?  Taking a few steps back and developing a comprehensive sustainability plan will help you navigate through all the hype and provide you with a clear path for greening your home or company.

So, how do you go about putting together a sustainability plan?  You can start by asking yourself some important questions. 

Mission and Vision:  Why do you, in your home or company, want to go green?  Are you looking to save money?  Are you looking to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals in your home or office?  Or, are you faced with mandates or regulations that you are being forced to address?  What do you see as the end result of greening up your home or office?

Resources:  Are you a stay at home mom and have time to plan and manage the greening of your home while the kids are napping or are in school?  Does your office have a green/sustainability team or sustainability officer or is there a need for securing outside expertise? 

Budget:  What is your budget?  Are you looking to spend little to no money and start implementing some of the low or no cost items that are every bit as important and the larger projects?  Or, do you have some funds allocated  to install solar panels or switch over to all energy efficient lighting? 

How did you answer the questions above?  How do you think the next 20 people that read this article will answer those same questions?  You got it!  They’ll all be different…  and that is why you need to have a sustainability plan that is tailored to your home or business. 

At my company, Green Impact Solutions (greenimpactsolutions.com), and on behalf of the Green Business League (greenbusinessleague.com), I work as a Certified Green Consultant to help people develop sustainability plans for their homes and offices.  Putting this plan together is one of the single most important steps I encourage home owners and business owners to take before diving right in to any “greening” projects. 

For more information on developing a sustainability plan for your company or home, visit greenbusinessleague.com, greenhomesleague.com or email me at heather@greenimpactsolutions.com.

Interested in greening your business, but not sure where to start?

During the Sustainabiz 8-week training and networking program, you will learn how to adopt green business practices to help your organization cut costs and operate more efficiently.  The program will connect you with professionals in various industries, as well as walk you through developing a sustainability plan for your company.

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