Around the start of spring time at Boise High, students were asked to participate in a petition for two reasons: to push lawmakers in Boise to switch the city over to 100% sustainable energy, and to let the higher ups know how the future leaders of Boise feel about our current energy situation.

While the city has yet to switch over 100% this soon after the petition, the steps Boise has taken towards clean energy consumption over the years have began to be highlighted and analyzed for ideas on how we can further these acts.

Boise City began a number of various projects over the past decade. The smaller steps began with developing the wonderful layer of trees above the cities hotspot today to help keep the city and her citizens cool when needed. This robust urban tree canopy was spearheaded by the Idaho Department of Lands with the USDA Forest Service and has removed 581 tons of air pollutants over time. Not only that, but the stormwater mitigation performed by the trees along with the reduced pollutants have saved Boise over 8 million dollars over time.

Idaho, though nicknamed ‘the Gem State’, is rich in various minerals but is lacking in the fossil fuel department. That’s why more than ⅓ of Idaho’s consumed energy comes from neighboring states. This poses a problem for Idaho as our leading provider, a coal-based power plant located in Oregon, is set to close in the nearing year of 2020.

The rest of Idaho’s power comes from renewable energy resources. With the mixed terrain of mountains covering the majority of the state and a vast valley running through the middle, the land has provided a near-perfect opportunity to generate more renewable energy. The mountains provide the land with thick layers of snowfall each year, creating fast-flowing rivers ideal for hydroelectric power plants. The valley we know, love, and live in today catches all the wind flowing from the mountains, creating another opportunity in wind power resources. The third option Idaho has for renewable energy lives underground. Thanks to our volcanic landscape, it’s been said that Idaho has some of the best geothermal potential in the nation. Finally, Idaho possesses the option of furthering solar power construction projects as well. With these four assets of energy, it’s a good question to ask why we haven’t furthered development to switch already.

Things that lawmakers must and are currently considering are financial, environmental, and social benefits. In the past, the Boise City Council has shown full support for sustainable energy initiatives. Boise’s sustainable future remains the apple of many citizens’ eye; the only remaining question is, why haven’t we already switched?