the SNAP program

Garrison Collette, who works as an energy extension agent at the Cooperative Extension Service, sent around a message via e-mail exhorting people to help support the Sustainable Natural Alternative Power program at GVEA. It's a good idea, in my mind, and like him, I just hadn't gotten around to it yet (I've been looking into producing alternative energy, but the Republic is not there yet, alas). Here's what he said about the program:

[It] is the way our local utility gauges interest in renewable energy, and is also how it pays renewable producers.  Right now, SNAP has less than one thousand members.

I can't really complain about this small number, since until today, I wasn't a member of SNAP.  Many of us don't get an electric bill, or have it on autopay, or pay our electric bill to a landlord.  So we don't see a box that says "check here to become a member of SNAP."  Since I am one of those, I had to actually hunt down the link to become a SNAP member, and after I found the web page, it was really easy.  So, I'm including the link to the web page to sign up to be a SNAP member.  It's https://www.gvea.com/secure/snap.php. If every one of you signs up for SNAP as a result of this email, which is really just a reminder, then we will have doubled the number of SNAP members.  Think about that--Fairbanks' main renewable energy program could grow by 100% in the next few hours if you just click on the link below.

I signed up to donate $5 a month.  The minimum is $2.  I know we can all afford that.  It's more of a statement that, yes, the Interior cares about energy.  That's really all we can do right now; make a statement.  But I assure you that its a loud statement, and that there are a lot of people working to make sure that this statement doesn't go unnoticed.

Good on you, Garrison, and I think I'll take your advice.