Community Benefits

Community Benefits include reducing fossil fuel use lowers greenhouse gas emissions, notably carbon dioxide, CO₂, which is critical to slowing global warming and stabilizing the climate.  Other environmental problems, such as acid rain, mercury contamination and particulates, are also reduced.

In addition to being the cleanest and cheapest source of energy, energy conservation and renewable resources are will result in provision of many permanent green collar jobs and careers.  These opportunities include auditors, insulators, air sealers, heating and air conditioning mechanics, educators, carpenters, solar technicians, electricians, engineers, architects, and planners, to name a few.  These are also local jobs that cannot be outsourced!  If a robust program of energy efficiency were to be implemented in Pennsylvania, approximately 10,000 jobs would be created by 2020.  

Also by lowering demand for energy, we take the pressure off price, and in fact may lower prices.  Peak demand for electricity is especially sensitive to price.  By lowering peak demand just 5%, in Pennsylvania we can lower the price of wholesale electricity by 20%.

Runaway energy prices have a destabilizing impact on communities.  By conserving energy and stabilizing prices, the entire community benefits through fewer socioeconomic problems and a more financially healthy local economy.

For more information and ways to improve our society's impact on the environment, be sure to visit the Fostering Sustainable Behavior Website and Digest