WIND NOW IN GOOD HANDS

This is a big deal because Allstate ("the good hands people") is a big insurance company. It is the biggest “publicly held personal lines insurer.” That an insurance company has started offsetting its greenhouse gas emissions pretty much proves Al Gore has put his point across. That Allstate has chosen to purchase wind energy for its offsets makes another point.

Snide comments are emerging about carbon offsetting. While national leaders drag their feet on providing the kinds of incentives to New Energy that Old Energy has grown fat on, contributions by those with means toward New Energy infrastructure are not only the right thing but the necessary thing.

Allstate Powers Up Thousands of Texans with Wind Energy
November 28, 2007 (PR Newswire via Yahoo Finance)

WHO
Allstate Insurance Company (Rich Crist, Texas Region Field Vice President), Carbonfund.org

The Horse Hollow II wind farm. National Security. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
Allstate made a “significant” purchase of credits from Carbonfund.org to offset fossil fuel consumption/greenhouse gas emissions from corporate headquarter electricity use and corporate travel.

WHEN
This is the second important eco-friendly Allstate initiative this year. In September, it opened a 400-employee Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified office.

WHERE
- The offset purchase will fund wind energy at the Horse Hollow II West Texas wind farm and reforestation projects in Arkansas and Louisiana.
- The LEED-certified office is Houston, Texas.

WHY
- The wind purchase will supply 24.5 million kilowatts of wind-generated electricity equivalent to the consumption of 2,000 homes for a year.
- The LEED-certified office has preferred parking for hybrid cars and is water and lighting conservation-wise.
- Allstate is also testing “Allstate Easy Pay Plan” paperless business programs in Ohio and Colorado.

The Carbonfund.org logo says it all.

QUOTES
Crist, Allstate Texas Region VP: "Allstate and its agencies are positive contributors to the communities we serve…Allstate is an economic engine providing protection to thousands of Texans and that engine impacts the environment."