Imagine getting paid $249 billion just for doing the right thing.
Well, that's what the United States earned over the last few years by increasing its use of renewable energy such as wind and solar power, according to the Guardian.
From 2019 to 2022, America seriously stepped up its renewable energy game. An illuminating study published in Cell Reports Sustainability found that wind and solar generation jumped by a whopping 55%, to the point where it provided about 14% of the country's total electricity needs last year.
That's like removing 71 million gas-guzzling cars from the road each year in terms of the climate-harming pollution that was prevented.
But wait, there's more: By burning way less coal and oil for electricity, we also dramatically improved the nation's air quality.
Key pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are linked to asthma and other health issues, dropped by 1.1 million tons. And all those cleaner skies translated to an estimated $249 billion in public health benefits.
So, which parts of the country raked in the most dough by going green? The researchers found the Central U.S. is reaping huge rewards from wind power, while the Carolinas are banking big benefits from solar farms. Understanding the benefits of renewable energy can help us double down on clean energy in the regions that need it most.
"These findings can help us target future wind and solar development to provide the greatest climate and health benefits," said Jeremiah Johnson, a climate and energy professor at North Carolina State University, according to the Guardian.
Johnson noted that the public "is often focused on the challenges we face" when it comes to the environment. "But it is also important to recognize when something is working."
As scary as the climate crisis can seem, this is the kind of progress that should give us all hope. When we work together to accelerate clean energy adoption, we're not only helping to save the planet — we're also saving ourselves billions of dollars and making the air safer to breathe.
If that's not a win-win, we don't know what is.
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