It is a good thing I did not have a drink in my mouth. I surely would have spit it out and drenched my computer.

I still don't get it. Maybe someone much wiser than I (admittedly most people are) can explain this to me.

I received an email from Utah Power proudly explaining that I could purchase "blocks" of renewable energy. Blocks represent 100 Kwh for the unbelievable price of $2 per block, per month. The average home uses 800 Kwh, the email continued to explain and would only cost $16 a month... plus the money I am already paying for my useage to purchase these blocks.

I know they will not come out to my house and run a cord directly to a wind turbine, so my power still comes from X coal powered power plant in Podunk Somewheresville. The extra $16 will be magically whisked away in a recycled container, stopping by every tree on the way so the trees can tearfully embrace it and offer gratitude, whereby it will continue it's journey to a energy company tycoon's mansion. As it flits in one of the giant stain glass windows where the tycoon Juggernaut lounges sleepily on a throne. Richly adorned in a dark suit with perfectly aligned, thin, vertical pinstripes. a pair of brilliantly shined shoes reflecting back the world around them like two blackened crystal balls. A tuft of blazing white napkin, neatly arranged in his pocket. The suit covering his bowling ball shaped body and a tiny rosy cheeked head emerges from the suit. puffing, heaving and chewing on a cigar made of $100 bills, he chuckles heartily as my $16 sails in. "Put it in the vault... with the others!" He barks to his servant standing sentinel by the door.

The part I do not understand, the part I need explained to me is that I pay the power company to deliver energy to my house. They take that money to support overhead costs. Costs of line maintenance. Cost of administration. Cost of technical issues etc. However I assume the bulk of the assessed fees goes to buy energy sources (fuels) to make more energy that I immediately consume.

With renewable energy sources, the fuel is free. Put a windmill in a field, the wind for the most part will always be there. Put a solar collector somewhere. The sun will still come up every day.

Once the infrastructure is in place, the overhead costs are almost nothing. So where does that extra money go?

Forgive me for portraying the energy company as a rich slob. I am by no means a chain-myself-to-tree environmentalist. All of my energy reduction measures have been for cost saving measures only. I have put thought into putting solar panels on my roof and a windmill in the back yard not because I dream someday of having clearer skies and purer streams trickling out of the mountains around me... but because I dream of someday not sending a check into the utility company every month.

With this mindset, this whole notion of paying extra for a source of a renewable energy seems a little... stupid.

I pray this notion does not catch on or the next time you go to the store you might see a sign for tomatoes that are not actually there and twice as much as the other tomatoes. The sign on the empty tomato cart explains by purchasing these tomatoes, no pesticides were used, no illegal migrant workers were employed to harvest them, no fuel was used to get them to the store and they are fat, sodium and cholesterol free! By purchasing these tomatoes you are supporting the environment, America, your health, the rain forest, the rare three legged, stickle back, tree cow and your political candidate of choice! Additionally, the warm feeling in your heart from your purchase of the tomatoes and energy blocks will grow so intense, a rainbow will form around you. People will be so impressed they will just give you money! The more I ponder this notion the more I think I can actually spin this. Anyone have an extra tomato cart they are not using?