Westminster Launches Sustainable Energy Challenge 

October 26, 2006

College Hopes Faculty, Staff and Students Will Sign On

SALT LAKE CITY  - Westminster College recently made the decision to purchase 11% of the campus's energy needs from Rocky Mountain Power's Blue Sky renewable energy program. On the heels of this announcement, the college today launched a challenge to the faculty, staff and students at Westminster, asking them to do the same in their homes. The hope is that over the next six months, 11% of the faculty, staff and students at Westminster will sign up for Blue Sky.

The result of Westminster's Blue Sky purchase amounts to the same environmental benefit as planting 176,775 trees or not driving 1,927,500 miles. If 11% of the Westminster community, 307 participants, enroll in the Blue Sky program at home for one year, the environmental benefit will amount to an additional reduction of 736,800 tons of carbon dioxide emissions-the same as planting 72,360 of trees or not driving 789,297 miles.

Westminster College President, Michael Bassis, remarked, "The Blue Sky program is an easy way for the Westminster community to make a big difference. Together, we can drive sustainable solutions and lead the way to a cleaner energy future."

Rocky Mountain Power customers can purchase Blue Sky wind power in 100 kilowatt-hour increments (known as blocks) for $1.95 per block per month. Seven blocks can cover 100 percent of the typical Utah household's electricity consumption. Choosing Blue Sky will allow Westminster College community members to increase renewable energy development in the region, promote sustainability efforts and provide a cleaner environmental future.

According to Sara Baldwin of Utah Clean Energy "Buying pollution-free wind power is a simple and inexpensive way to make a big difference and help drive demand for cleaner energy resources." For more information on the Blue Sky program, please visit www.rockymtnpower.net/bluesky or call 1-800-769-3717.