Supporting Businesses That Use Solar Energy
If you're a consumer who is committed to the environment consider researching your favorite businesses and making purchases at places that support solar energy. Use the suggestions below to help you choose businesses that reflect your support of solar energy.
When you're researching companies you should look for company-generated information about how the company incorporates solar energy into its business model which is readily available since it makes companies look good to consumers.
In order to distinguish between corporate green energy adaptations companies make because they're required to and those they choose to make because of a commitment to green energy, look for a company's required disclosure about whether their solar energy is part of mandatory compliance or part of a voluntary commitment to solar.
Use your own understanding including features of solar energy that have prevented you from purchasing solar energy to determine why the companies are able to do so in order to calculate whether the cost of solar energy is likely being passed on to customers.
Incorporating solar energy remains an expensive proposition so that you'll want to understand whether companies have access to initiatives that aren't available to ordinary consumers or whether they've made changes based on corporate policies supporting solar energy in spite of costs.
Solar energy is likely the source of less than half the energy usage of a particular company so that you should still put your own purchasing priorities first. As in the case of most of your purchases, your own commitment to supporting businesses that use solar power does not mean you shouldn't pay attention to your own needs and financial constraints.
You can find lists of companies using solar energy to meet their energy requirements on the Environmental Protection Agency website. If your commitment is to all kinds of green energy you will find some businesses that are using both solar and wind energy to meet 100 percent of their power needs.
Separate out marketing tactics from real benefits when you're weighing the importance of patronizing businesses that use solar energy. You can use the EPA website to determine the advertised benefits of using solar energy that are describe for businesses which includes the positive impact it will have on you, the consumer.
Consider whether your support of a business that uses solar energy is the best way you can accelerate the more widespread adoption of solar energy or whether more direct efforts such as purchasing stock from companies that are connected with solar energy, contributing to charities that work to install solar energy panels or volunteering with a solar energy non-profit that works to influence solar energy policy is a more meaningful way for you to support your commitment to solar energy.
Your commitment to a green lifestyle is likely to include support of solar energy and its use by business. Use the suggestions above to determine whether patronizing businesses that incorporate a solar energy policy is a way you might support the use of solar energy.
