Why Mountain Burger Participates in Blue Sky

 

Mountain Burger is committed to sustainable practices. We are constantly looking for ways to reduce our environmental impact through all avenues from suppliers to operations. One way we want to make an impact is by using renewable energy. Energy is responsible for about 35% of global emissions with residential and commercial buildings consuming over half of all electricity. After a lot of research, we found the most cost-effective and quickest way to use renewable energy at this time is through the Blue Sky program through Pacific Power. 

What is the Blue Sky Program?

The Blue Sky program is a way for homeowners and businesses to buy Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) which allows them to claim renewable energy. RECs are rights to renewable energy and represent one megawatt-hour (MWh) of electricity produced by a renewable source and delivered by the grid. This keeps track of the produced renewable energy that enters the grid so the renewable energy is only purchased and accounted for once and cannot be claimed by multiple people. 

Mountain Burger is proud to be a Blue Sky Luminary Business Partner! This means that we purchase renewable energy equivalent to 100% of our electricity use! Participating in Blue Sky not only means that we get to claim renewable energy and reduce our carbon footprint, but it also supports regional renewable energy projects to show our support and further demand for alternative sources of energy from fossil fuels. 

How can you participate?

Pacific Power makes it very easy to participate in Blue Sky for your home or your business (or both)! They offer multiple options so you can choose what fits your budget and your goals.

Check out the website here to learn more about the program and enroll.  

Are there other options besides Blue Sky?

There are a few other options to claim renewable energy for your home or business, however, each solution (including Blue Sky) has its advantages and disadvantages. For RECs like Blue Sky, there is an additional fee to purchase the energy, however, there are no other requirements from the consumer perspective. 

Community Solar

Community solar allows customers to subscribe to solar projects and claim solar energy without having to implement onsite solar which may be cost-prohibitive. This is available for residential and commercial electricity customers so this may be an option of interest to you.

Solar Production

Onsite production is often what we think of when we talk about renewable energy and particularly solar. Solar is a great and easy way to produce renewable energy onsite. Upfront costs often are a barrier for many people to implement solar, however, solar has continued to become cheaper for residential use and there may be rebates or other incentives to help you overcome the cost. Over time, producing your own energy can help you save money. 

Other Onsite Production

Other solutions are available but may be more difficult to implement than solar. For example, hydropower, wind, and geothermal are other ways to generate renewable energy, but may not be as practical as solar. A wind turbine in your yard may not be the best use of resources. However, depending on your needs, these are options to consider. 

Wherever you are in your sustainability journey, energy is an important aspect to address. Taking advantage of Blue Sky or other renewable energy solutions can help you reduce your environmental impact and support renewable energy projects. If renewable energy is cost-prohibitive, consider volunteering for an organization focused on renewable energy or simply show your support through social media, discussions with friends and family, and voting for bills or people that will enable access to renewable solutions.