Even if some politicians have fallen for the claptrap that climate change is a hoax and therefore refuse to support a crash program to accelerate alternative energy uses, industries that provide energy are not making that grave mistake.
Since it must plan years ahead to meet consumer demand and choices as well as anticipate changes in technology and regulatory rules, Idaho Power is one of many electricity providers nationwide actively tapping into alternative and renewable sources that directly benefit the environmental health of the planet.
Out of a 20-year plan, there's one piece of immediate good news—especially for the environment: Idaho Power apparently has decided not to increase its reliance on coal for generating power. In fact, if other sources mature and the costs are relatively reasonable, Idaho Power foresees shifting more of its generation to them—geothermal, solar and wind.
If industry finds breaking old habits difficult, the same is true, perhaps even more so, for consumers.
As Idaho Power plugs into new energy sources, costs may be higher. That's where consumers have a role. They can practice their own energy conservation to reduce the size of their bills, a collective action by consumers that staves off the need for building new generating plants requiring more capital investment.
Energy demands, of course, will increase with population. Idaho Power forecasts that by 2029, its present customer base of nearly 486,000 will jump by 40 percent to 680,000. New facilities may be required, but certainly not as rapidly if energy-wise consumers learn the ways of buying and using appliances that are more efficient.
In the long run, other costs either will be avoided or sharply reduced as industry shifts to renewable, alternate energy. As the earth's air and water are spared more pollution, the climate can be measurably changed to reduce unnecessary warming.
Without reductions in man-made gases, weather changes could harm personal health, drive up costs of farm crops and create damaging tidal ocean conditions—cumulatively leading to lifestyle and economic setbacks for Americans as well as people abroad.
The inventors of radio and television and then the Internet had no idea their creations would provide humankind life-changing benefits.
The change to new energy sources is bound to mean just as much good for the world, even more if the life of the planet is saved from human abuses.
