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."



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