The Great Lakes Zephyr - Wind Energy & Hydrogen Journal

Illinois PIRG : Help Support a Cleaner, Smarter Energy Future



Dear Illinois PIRG supporter,



This spring the Illinois General Assembly has an opportunity to set a course toward a smarter, cleaner energy future, by adopting common sense clean energy efficiency and renewable energy standards.  Doing so will create more than 8500 jobs, and grow our economy by nearly a billion dollars by the end of this decade, while reducing the pollution that causes asthma attacks and other respiratory disease. 



Please take a moment to contact your state legislators and ask them to act on measures that increase the efficiency of appliances sold in Illinois, and increase the amount of our electricity generated from clean, renewable sources such as wind power.  Then, ask your friends and family to help by forwarding this email to them.



To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:

http://illinoispirg.org/IL.asp?id=493&id4=ES





BACKGROUND



The Problem:



Meeting the energy and electricity needs of Illinois consumers, businesses and industries presents challenges and opportunities for policymakers, with profound impacts on the state's economy and environment.



* Altogether, the total energy bill for Illinois consumers and businesses topped $12 billion in 2000.



* Similarly, a spike in natural gas costs in the winter of 2001 nearly tripled the amount businesses and consumers spent on heating. 



* Finally, because 99% of our energy needs are met by fossil fuels and nuclear power, our energy system has very serious environmental, and health impacts, including air pollution which causes respiratory problems such as asthma attacks, mercury contamination in our lakes and streams, and global warming.



The Solution:  Clean, Renewable Energy, and Energy Efficiency



Renewable power technologies such as wind, solar and biomass, are not the stuff of science fiction. They are available now.  For example, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that we could generate 20 percent of our electricity just by using the wind energy technologies available to us today. 



That is why the state set a goal four years ago of generating 5% of our power from clean, renewable energy sources by 2010, and 15% by 2020.  Unfortunately, the companies that generate and sell electricity in Illinois have not implemented the goals voluntarily.  Consequently, we remain reliant on coal and nuclear facilities for fully 99% of our power. In order to realize the laudable state goals, the legislature must set standards, as more than a dozen other states have already set, requiring companies selling power in the state to ensure that a minimum percentage of the power they sell is generated using clean renewable power technologies.



Just as importantly, we need to reduce the amount of power we need by using energy more efficiently.  If the Illinois General Assembly passed appliance efficiency legislation like other states have done, we would increase the efficiency of our household appliances such as lamps and refrigerators, with significant savings.



Please take a moment to contact your state legislators and ask them to act on measures that increase the efficiency of appliances sold in Illinois, and increase the amount of our electricity generated from clean, renewable sources such as wind power.  Then, ask your friends and family to help by forwarding this email to them.



To take action, click on the link below or paste it into your web browser:

http://illinoispirg.org/IL.asp?id=493&id4=ES



Sincerely,



Rebecca D. Stanfield

Illinois PIRG Environmental Attorney

RebeccaS@illinoispirg.org

http://www.IllinoisPIRG.org



P.S.  Thanks again for your support.  Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family and friends.