By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
The Wildcat Glades Conservation & Audubon Center has joined Green-e Marketplace, a national proponent of sustainable energy, after receiving a donation of renewable energy credits from The Empire District Electric Co.
The Joplin-based utility accrues the credits in connection with its power-purchase agreement with the Elk River Wind Farm near Beaumont, Kan.
By participating in Green-e Marketplace, the nature center can now display the Green-e logo to demonstrate that all of the energy it uses is generated by renewable sources.
The Empire donation is equal to 100 percent of the electricity used annually by the nature center.
“We agreed so much with the mission of the Wildcat Glades center that we wanted to make this donation. We want to help them promote green living,’’ said Emily Stanley, a spokeswoman for Empire.
Robin McAlester, director of the nature center, said: “We can now say that 100 percent of our energy comes from a renewable resource. This adds one more piece to all of the other green features of the nature center building.’’
Brad Beecher, vice president and chief operating officer at Empire, said Green-e Marketplace certifies that the credits are derived from energy generated by the Elk River Wind Farm.
“We will still get a monthly bill from Empire, but now we can say that we are 100 percent powered by renewable energy,’’ McAlester said. “The real benefit is that it supports our mission.’’
