SLO aims to become carbon neutral by 2035
–Every city across the world has a responsibility to preserve the environment and prevent climate change. It is for this reason why the Monterey Bay Community Program was launched in 2020 and promises to save millions of dollars by using cleaner energy.
While many Central Coast cities are expected to make the switch in 2021, there are two that have already taken steps to meet various climate action goals. Find out why San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay are eco-friendly destinations.
Community Choice Energy
It’s not only hotels and casinos that are investing in clean energy, as many cities and towns are utilizing various renewable power sources to decrease carbon emissions and save money. Two Californian cities leading the way are San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, as they recently introduced a new method for receiving cleaner energy, which is known as community choice energy, which was launched on January 1st.
Renewable Energies
The community choice energy program reportedly sources power from various renewables, including solar and wind. It will also utilize hydroelectricity that, despite being carbon-free, is not deemed a renewable energy source by the government. San Luis Obispo has stated the program will help the city to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035, which is ten years ahead of California’s goal of 2045.
Heidi Harmon, Mayor of San Luis Obispo, recently stated that the community had been negatively impacted by both climate change and fossil fuel pollution, which is why the city is dedicated to accelerating meaningful change to decrease greenhouse gas emissions while growing the local economy.
Benefits to Residents
The cleaner energy will provide many benefits to both SLO and Morro Bay residents. In addition to significantly decreasing carbon emissions, the program will also save customers a substantial amount of money on their energy bills. According to PG&E, customers will save an average of $10 per month. Plus, as businesses will use considerably more energy than households, they could potentially save up to one thousand dollars per month.
What’s more, the electricity will continue to be powered by PG&E’s infrastructure, so residents will not need to change how they both receive and pay for their monthly energy bills.
The new energy program will, therefore, help to turn both SLO and Morro Bay into eco-friendly destinations, which will benefit both locals and the environment.
