These days everyone from the individual consumer to large corporations is striving to do much more than just conserve energy. They are coming up with ways to create long lasting commitments that all or at least most, of their power is supplied through green energy. What is green energy? It is energy that comes from renewable sources. It is a way for the world to protect the environment and help to ensure that all of our natural resources aren't squandered or used irresponsibility.
Studies have shown that the average household in the U.S. uses about 10,656 kilowatt hours of electricity power every year. Businesses use even more and every year the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency puts out a list of the top 25 American business users of green energy. These are all places that have found a way to make their own renewable green energy, or who purchase it from suppliers or buy credits to offset their use of conventional energy sources.
Here is a look at the top four of these companies that are setting the example for green sustainable energy for our future:
1. Intel
Intel is an Information Technology company in Santa Clara, CA and they rated number one in the 2011 list of top green energy users in the U.S. by using 46 percent of its power supply coming from green energy. This amounted to more than 1,300 million green kilowatt hours.
Intel's large purchase of green energy comes through the purchase of eco-sound electricity via offset credits, which in turn pays for green energy to get into the electric grid.
2. PepsiCo
The well-known soft drink makers have 100 percent of their total power used in green energy, amounting to 145 million green kilowatts per hour. They have been a total green energy producer since 2007. PepsiCo makes nearly 40 billion dollars in profits from well known food and drink brands like Aquafina and Quaker oats. Part of their energy savings comes from purchases of offset credits.
3. Kohl's Department Stores
Half of the department store Kohl's is green energy, amounting to 601 million green kWh. A lot of its power comes from solar energy as it is the largest consumer of solar energy in the U.S. Kohl's hooked up with Sun-Edison to get solar panels. Sun-Edison maintains the panels and in turn Kohl's buys the electricity from them.
4. Dell
Dell goes all out and out of the 554 million green kWh they have produced, more than 100 percent is green, sustainable power. The manager of Dell announced in 2008 that Dell headquarters that the company would be carbon neutral and was buying energy credits, and finding ways to increase their efficiency, and reduce emissions. This has helped Dell to save more than 3 million dollars. To make up for their overseas locations, they buy more stateside offset credits.
These are only the top four companies that won awards in green energy.
