IDAHO: Go clean (and local)

As the president continues to deny global climate change, I was pleased to hear Gov. Brad Little say in a recent speech that there is no question that climate change is happening, and we’ve got to reverse it. I am glad leadership in Idaho acknowledges climate change, and I believe that addressing climate change through our energy sources could help while also benefiting our state economy.

Idaho currently produces only about 27 percent of the total energy it consumes. Because of this deficit, Idaho has to spend much more to import the energy it needs for industry than other states. All coal power that is used in Idaho is produced out of state and constitutes 29 percent of our total electricity. We can do better. Not just better, but local and clean.

Idaho has high renewable energy resource potential in not only wind, solar and hydroelectricity, but is one of a handful of states with access to geothermal energy. In fact, geothermal energy could cover 40 percent of Idaho’s total energy consumption if developed to its full potential. Let’s stop buying dirty energy from out of state, and create renewable energy jobs in Idaho.

JOSEPHINE BACKUS

Boise