Going 'green' for energy
Eddie Caldwell has a wife, Cricket, and a young son, Trey,
and a desire to make the world a better place.
Those factors are part of what drove him recently to be
one of the first to sign up on the town's GreenPower program.
GreenPower is a statewide nonprofit which is raising money
to invest in alternative energy production. The town recently
joined the program.
For as little as $4 a month, customers of Progress Energy,
Haywood Electric Membership Corporation and, now, the town
of Waynesville, can help the establishment of clean energy
sources like wind and landfill gas.
The $4 donation, which is added on to monthly power bills,
is equivalent to not driving 3,039 miles, or planting 192
trees, and equates to removing nearly 2,500 pounds of carbon
dioxide, 7 pounds of sulfur dioxide and 2 pounds of nitrogen
dioxide each year.
"I just think it's a small step toward supporting
renewable energy," said Caldwell, who is also the town's
finance director.
Caldwell signed on to the program by filling out a small
information card at town hall. It took all of about two
minutes, he said.
GreenPower says the $4 is used to fund the generation of
100 kilowatts. The average homes uses 800 kilowatts each
month. Major power users can buy the same credit for $2.50.
"I've got an 8-year-old son, and I realize we are
very dependent on the Middle East for our oil," Caldwell
said. "I feel like this is a small step in weaning
us off that dependency."
Forms to sign on with GreenPower are at town hall. Participants
need to supply their name, address, phone number and how
many $4 blocks they wish to buy each month. For more information
go to www.greenpower.org or call 456-3515.
"This appears to me to be a very good program,"
he said. "Though it will take a long time to wean our
dependence from foreign oil."
