Green Business People and Planet Award by Green America: Angel Wind Energy - Our Daily Green

Monday, December 10, 2012

Green Business People and Planet Award by Green America: Angel Wind Energy


Clean Currents
Silver Spring, MD

Congratulations to Summer 2012
People & Planet Award winner Clean Currents!
Clean Currents is a green electricity provider that goes the extra mile to build a more sustainable community. Clean Currents sells only Green-E Certified wind and solar energy to residents and businesses in Washington, DC, Maryland and central Pennsylvania. Through renewable energy purchases by both business and residential customers, Clean Currents offset 288,430,778 lbs of CO2 emissions in 2011. We also installed solar panels and solar thermal units on homes and businesses in the Mid-Atlantic, further supporting the growth of the clean energy industry.
At its core, Clean Currents is dedicated to increasing the demand for clean domestic wind power, promoting energy efficiency and sustainability, and supporting the communities we serve.  
Beyond Clean Energy
Clean Currents goes beyond selling renewable energy. We are the only energy company in the Mid-Atlantic that is a certified B-Corporation, Gold certified by Green America, and a Maryland Benefit LLC.  Clean Currents is committed to both the environment and to the community in which we operate, and we ensure that every business decision adheres to higher environmental and societal standards.
Advocating Sustainability Initiatives and Clean Energy Legislation
The Clean Currents team works with progressive organizations including Greenpeace, the Sierra Club, and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network to encourage widespread adaptation of sustainable lifestyles and green legislation.  Clean Currents actively supports clean energy legislation including offshore wind in Maryland and renewal of the Production Tax Credit.
Building Sustainable Communities
Our hallmark community program is the Green Neighborhood Challenge (GNEC).  GNEC engages local communities in a grassroots effort to spread information about renewable energy alternatives and convert whole neighborhoods and communities to wind and solar power. Additionally, we donate back to the participating organizations for each home that switches to wind or solar power. These donations fund green projects or environmental initiatives that directly benefit the participating communities.
Over the past 3 years, the Green Neighborhood Challenge has facilitated hundreds of residents to switch to clean energy, and has raised thousands of dollars to support local green projects. Some accomplishments include:
  • Engaged over 150 neighborhoods, schools, faith-based groups, and non-profit organizations in supporting clean energy through residential electric bills.  
  • Led workshops on sustainability subjects including clean energy, energy efficiency, and composting for both youth and adults.
  • Supported the Greenbelt, MD community in enrolling 344 total homes in wind power, earning their community nearly $4,000 in donations.
    • Through Greener in Greenbelt’s participation in GNEC, over 3% of their community now runs on wind power, making them eligible to become an EPA Green Power Community.
  • Donated thousands of dollars to fund school gardens, recycling and compost bins for religious organizations, energy efficiency measures for condo and apartment buildings, planting trees in neighborhoods, and funding environmental education programs. 
With this grant, Clean Currents would invest the entire amount in the GNEC program, thereby engaging more organizations and contributing more back to the communities that support clean energy.  Visit us and learn more at www.cleancurrents.com.

Turbines
Clean Currents sources Neighborhood Wind™ from North Highland Wind Farm, Cambria County, PA.
Clean Currents’ Nicole Dvorak at an offshore wind rally in Annapolis, MD.
GardenKindergarten
Garden planted by Christ Episcopal School and funded through their participation in GNEC.
Kindergarten students at Christ Episcopal School, a GNEC participant.
Check
Greener in Greenbelt accepts their GNEC donation to benefit the Chesapeake Education and Arts Research Society. Through their participation in GNEC, Greener in Greenbelt has converted more than 3 percent of their neighborhood to renewable energy and is eligible to become an EPA Green Power community.
Testimonials:
"We are so glad to be Clean Currents partners!  Not only is Clean Currents doing great work in the community -- making it easy for homes and businesses to switch over to clean energy -- but they model the exact values we strive to instill in our LearnServe students: creativity, vision, passion, collaboration, and a deep commitment to making the world a better place for all people.  Thank you!” - Scott Rechler, Director and CEO, LearnServe International
"I think for non-profits whose work supports children or the environment participating in the Green Neighborhood Challenge is a serious win-win proposition.  It's our kids and their subsequent generations who'll be living on this planet, so by getting families to change to wind power, we can work to insure a cleaner, safer, brighter tomorrow for all of them." – Kelly Richmond, Board Chair, Friends of Fillmore Arts Center & GNEC participant
"I like to shop locally for my veggies AND for my clean wind electricity, from Clean Currents, founded and still working here in my County." – Charlie G., US EPA & GNEC participant

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