Of the two, solar water heating is the much better buy, especially in homes like his that use electric instead of gas water heaters. Critics of alternative energy wonder if it will ever become economically viable. By substituting solar energy for conventional power over 20 years, he'll keep some 250,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. That's as much of the greenhouse gas as he'd create driving a car 10 times around the world. Udall isn't alone.
Many consumers seem willing to pay extra for renewable energy.
In Colorado, more than 16,000 people have signed up to support a 21-megawatt wind farm, the state's first. This program, the first of its kind in the United States, is modeled after successful efforts in 40 Swiss and German cities. The Christian Science Monitor. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.