Start living more sustainably with this easy hack
Care about lowering your greenhouse gas emissions, but not yet ready for solar panels or multiple heat pumps?
I hear you. With two kids heading to college in my own household, big upfront investments are just not realistic right now. And while my home may be suitable for rooftop solar, many Sammamish families face other barriers such as heavy tree cover or roof limitations that can make rooftop solar impractical.
But there is actually one thing every family can do to start living more sustainability today—join the Power Up Sammamish challenge and enroll in Puget Sound Energy’s (PSE) Green Power program. For about one cent per kWh, you can help make our electricity supply more green without lifting a finger yourself.
PSE’s Green Power and Community Solar are voluntary ways to support wind and solar generation without installing equipment at home. No panels, no maintenance—just a small monthly premium that supports regional clean energy.
There is also an added incentive for Sammamish residents. If we can sign up 100 households for Green Power, PSE will give the City of Sammamish $10,000 toward a solar project on a community building. That is why City Hall has launched the Power Up Sammamish campaign, to encourage small, collective choices that can make a big impact for the environment.
Both Green Power and Community Solar enrollments count toward our City’s goal.
The Green Power program matches your electricity use with renewable energy generated by PSE via Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). It is not tied to a specific array, requires no equipment, and is a simple, low-cost way to support renewables starting at just $4 per month.
The Community Solar program allows you to buy shares in one or more specific solar arrays and doesn’t require onsite installation. Community Solar pricing is $20 per share. You’ll get money back on your PSE bill for the energy produced, reducing the overall subscription cost.
Ultimately, this campaign supports Sammamish’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which aims to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The City led by example in 2025 by enrolling all municipal facilities in Green Power, cutting over 1.7 million pounds of carbon. So far, over 2,100 Sammamish households have also signed up for Green Power.
When residents, businesses, and city government enroll in Green Power or buy Community Solar shares, we accelerate progress on climate goals and deliver immediate, measurable reductions in emissions.
As my favorite scientist, Dr. Jane Goodall once said, “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”
Our choices multiply when we act together. Please consider enrolling in Green Power as we celebrate Earth Day.
PSE doesn’t profit from these renewable energy programs. To learn more, go to pse.com/greenpower and pse.com/communitysolar or visit PSE Green Power in person at Sammamish Earth Day at Beaver Lake Park on Saturday, April 25.
Christie Santodomingo is an 11-year Sammamish resident, a science educator and Green Team Leader in the Issaquah School District, and sustainability commissioner for the City of Sammamish.
