Fifty-one years ago this month, Senator Gaylord Nelson championed the first Earth Day – a teach-in designed to inspire us to tread a bit more lightly on the one planet we have. Now, a little more than half a century later, we have some good ideas about how to reduce our environmental impact.
Among the best of them is switching the way we power our homes from coal- and natural-gas-fired electricity to propane gas.
This versatile fuel will help shrink your carbon footprint by:
Reducing emissions – Burning propane produces less than half the greenhouse gas emissions of electricity to produce the same amount of energy. Propane also contains less carbon than other fossil fuels, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene and ethanol.
Improving efficiency – Propane-powered appliances are usually more efficient than electric models of similar size and output; a tankless propane water heater, for example, can save 40 percent or more on energy costs compared to a similar unit powered by electricity, according to the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC).
Reducing harmful impact – Propane is not toxic and does not spill or pool, which makes it harmless to soil or water in the event of a tank leak. With propane, there are no risks for long-term damage to your home or property if a leak occurs.