Bikram Yoga Sandy Seeks Greater Environmental Harmony With Blue Sky
August 12, 2009
SANDY, Utah — Bikram Yoga Sandy recently increased its participation in Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky program so that the studio now offsets 100 percent of its power use with renewable energy purchases.
“Buying Blue Sky is something we’ve been doing at home, and we elected to do the same at our studio,” explained Bikram Yoga Sandy owner Alex Wheeler. “I think more people should sign up as a way to help have an impact on our air quality.”
Wheeler describes his studio as a sanctuary nestled below the Little and Big Cottonwood canyons in the southern end of the Salt Lake valley. It provides a nurturing environment that encourages a sense of community for those interested in learning yoga and expanding their level of health and awareness.
“We also encourage our students to look into buying renewable power, as well as to take other environmentally aware measures, such as bicycling instead of driving,” he said.
Rocky Mountain Power’s Blue Sky is sold in 100 kilowatt-hour block increments for as little as $1.95 per month. Bikram Yoga is buying 45 blocks of Blue Sky per month, which has significant environmental benefits: Buying 45 blocks of Blue Sky per month over a 12-month period avoids 33 tons of carbon dioxide and has the same benefit as planting 2,836 trees or not driving a car 67,000 miles.
“Bikram Yoga has been an enthusiastic supporter of Blue Sky, going as far as announcing it on its Web site,” said Alene Bentley, customer and community manager for Rocky Mountain Power. “Blue Sky provides a simple, convenient way for businesses and residential customers to support renewable energy even more by paying just a little extra each month.”
Blue Sky provides Rocky Mountain Power customers an easy way to support wind-powered generation and other renewable energy facilities in the region. When a customer enrolls in Blue Sky, the company purchases renewable energy production credits on behalf of the consumer from wind energy facilities in the region. Blue Sky funds also help support the development of smaller projects in local communities that can include wind, solar, geothermal, low-emission biomass or other certified renewable energy sources. About 30,600 Rocky Mountain Power customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho buy Blue Sky renewable energy.
Separate from Blue Sky, Rocky Mountain Power is investing in cost effective renewable energy to serve its customers through company-owned generation and renewable energy generation purchases. Electricity from wind energy facilities increases the diversity of Rocky Mountain Power’s generation portfolio. Through the Blue Sky program, the company and its customers are working together to support the development of renewable energy resources even more.
Began in 2000, Blue Sky gives Rocky Mountain Power customers an easy way to support the development of small, community-based renewable energy generation projects in the company’s service area, such as solar power. More than 30,600 Rocky Mountain Power customers in Utah, Wyoming and Idaho currently buy Blue Sky renewable energy.
