A less drastic measure is to make sure that the electricity added to the power grid in your name comes from a renewable source. In Pennsylvania and a number of other states, you can pick-and-choose which company you pay for producing electricity. You still pay the local utility that maintains the power lines running into your home for about 70% of your electric bill. But you can choose who you pay for actually putting electricity up on the grid-the other 30% of your bill.

A program called Green-e makes it easy to find a clean energy provider in your area. Companies with Green-e accreditation generate at least half of their power from solar, wind, geothermal, biomass or low-impact hydro. If a portion of their electricity is from a non-renewable source, you can at least rest assured that it is not nuclear and that its air emissions are no worse than those produced by conventional electricity. Visit the Green-e site to help find a clean company in your area and for information on how to make the switch.

If you live in a state that doesn't let you actually choose your electricity supplier, you can still purchase what are known as Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs). Each time you buy a TRC, a renewable energy supplier such as a wind farm will add a specified amount of electricity to the power grid in your region. The price for the certificates is simply the difference between your regular electric bill and the costs you would pay if you were buying direct from the renewable company. That way you can feel proud that whatever energy you're taking from the grid, gets back up on it from a clean and green source. For more info on TRCs, visit the Center for Resource Solutions.

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