Solar for Conservation
GVLT is proud to have conserved over 45,000 acres across our region. While protecting land from development and fragmentation is the first step, protecting the ecological integrity of our natural resources is equally as important which is why we’re proud to announce a partnership with On Site Energy. What’s the connection between land conservation and solar energy?
Fish need cold, clean water to survive, and rivers need high altitude snow pack to keep them flowing throughout hot summer days. Ranchers and farmers depend on the availability of that water for irrigation, and wildlife depend on the intricate balance of the changing seasons to maintain viable habitats.
Clean water, cold winters and healthy wildlife habitats are just a few examples from a very long list of natural elements that are negatively affected by air pollutants from traditional energy sources. By powering our lives with clean, renewable energy, we can take the next step in protecting the ecosystems of the land we have already worked so hard to conserve.
Over its lifespan, an average residential solar system in Bozeman will avoid the carbon dioxide equivalent of burning 147,755 lbs. of coal. This amounts to the carbon dioxide sequestered by 131 acres of US forest in one year, and 3,588 tree seedlings grown for 10 years. *
In that sense, choosing clean energy is choosing conservation. To support the inherent connection between the two, OnSite Energy will donate 1% of the cost of every system installed for our supporters back to GVLT through their Solar for Conservation program.
By working together, we inch closer to our shared goal of protecting Montana’s natural beauty for future generations to come.
*Data based off of a 6kW residential system in Bozeman, MT over the course of 25 years from the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator.