The sunny weather this weekend signals that spring in on the way. After Idaho’s snowy winter, I am looking forward to a bit of warmth.  But the changing season also reminds me of our changing climate.  Read on about the continuing warming trend and ways that you can take action for clean energy.

Winter Weather Reinforces Changing Climate

While this winter had some record cold temperatures and snowfall, the trend toward a warmer climate continues. The key statistic I look at is the average minimum temperatures-or how cold it typically gets at night.

This warming weather means that springtime is arriving early.  In Idaho, we see this as the snowpack quickly melts off, leading to high river flows.  Farmers respond by planting crops earlier. We hope that the solid snowpack this winter hangs on into the summer. But the trend here is clear too-hotter and drier summers continue.

While the daily weather may be hot or cold, it is these trends of average temperatures that indicate a changing climate. We can see the signature of carbon pollution in the trends. But we can all do something. We can act now to cut carbon pollution and protect our climate.

Act Now for Clean Air

Feeling the warm sun on my face reminds me that solar power is good deal for Idaho. Today, you have more options that ever before to go solar.

Last summer, ICL went all in with a rooftop-mounted solar power system. This is a good option for people with big sunny roofs and the ability to finance a system.

If Idaho Power is your electric utility, community solar may be the right choice for you. The community solar program  is an excellent option if your roof is shaded, you rent, or you only have a little bit to spend on solar.  In this program, you "subscribe" to power from a solar panel that is part of a larger project. This community ownership design saves some costs for you and makes it easy to get into solar. It’s also a vote for clean energy; your subscription shows that you’re willing to put your money where your clean energy talk is.

If you want to support renewable sources of electricity but prefer to keep it small, consider these programs by Idaho’s utilities: