No peacetime human activity causes more harm to the environment than the production and use of electricity. Until now, the average California household's annual electricity use resulted in the same amount of smog-forming pollution as a car driven from Los Angeles to New York. Air pollution is a chief cause of hospital admissions among children and senior citizens. In fact, a recent study shows that more people die each year from heart and lung disease caused by air pollution than from car accidents. Most electricity in the United States comes from power plants that use coal, natural gas, or nuclear energy.
Some electricity also comes from large hydroelectric dams.
For the first time ever, each Californian has the right to choose how the energy they use is produced. The more people who choose to buy green electricity, the healthier our environment will be. For energy efficiency programs, a kWh conserved provides the same emissions reduction benefit as a kWh generated by renewables. Energy efficiency services and programs not only reduce the need for electricity produced by fossil fuels but also save end users money on their electric bills. Retirement of emission credits will also reduce the total amount of emissions from power plants.