Empties For Energy

Last week at our house, we had a party and afterwards we were deluged with empty beer bottles. Yesterday I took the mess to Meijer and recouped a whopping $16. Traditionally my roommate and I try to use the empty cash for household needs.

Then today I realized that Consumers Power offers a green energy program. A customer can buy as little as one "block" of power for $2.50, or choose to switch entirely to Michigan produced renewable power (mostly wind).

Here's the beautiful part. At our house, we probably return enough empties (10 cent deposit each in MI) every month to buy a least a few "blocks." I proposed to my roommate that we devote all the empty funds to green power. Then I got to thinking. This idea has no bounds.

What if Meijer accepted bottle return funds as donations toward Green Energy? Because really, it doesn't matter who pays for it, As long as there is money going into the pot. I envision a drop box in the bottle return bay where one could deposit receipts. Meijer would pledge to use (match?) those funds toward locally produced green energy.

Here's an idea for the college kids. Now that football season is upon us, we'll have lots of beer drinking every Saturday. That's a lot of empties. It's as simple as a convenient collection point for empties. Revelers can free themselves of the empties, and feel good about making a difference. Tailgating for the environment!

At work there is a pop machine, and that means empties. Currently we all toss our cans into a dedicated waste basket, but I have no idea what becomes of those funds. I think come next week I'll be asking some questions. I encourage you to take this idea and run with it! If you live in Michigan or somewhere else with bottle deposits, turn your empties into energy!