Green Mountain Energy Company has been selected for the inaugural PLENTY 20 list. The list, which appeared in PLENTY magazine's February/March issue, recognizes the top 20 eco-forward companies that are making a difference and redefining what it means to be green in the marketplace. Green Mountain ranks No. 12 on the list and received its award from PLENTY at a celebratory event in New York.

"Green Mountain Energy Company is thrilled to be among the top 20 green companies receiving this prestigious recognition from PLENTY magazine," said Gillan Taddune, chief environmental officer for Green Mountain Energy Company. "The award recognizes Green Mountain's ongoing efforts the last ten years to bring innovative products and solutions to the marketplace that help reduce and offset carbon emissions."

Green Mountain Energy Company offers residential, business, institutional and governmental customers the choice to support cleaner renewable resources. These cleaner energy sources help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted into the air. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. Since its inception, Green Mountain and its customers have been responsible for helping to deliver more than six billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy into the market. Additionally, the company has helped spur the development of 13 new wind and solar facilities across the nation, which are producing pollution-free power.

Earlier this year, Green Mountain introduced BeGreen^SM Carbon Offsets, an easy way for consumers nationwide to reduce their impact on global warming. The innovative product provides consumers across the U.S. with a simple solution to offset their household's carbon footprint and take steps towards becoming carbon neutral.

"Green Mountain was selected for the PLENTY 20 because of the company's leadership efforts in supporting the development of new renewable facilities and introducing innovative products like BeGreen Carbon Offsets," said Mark Spellun, editor of PLENTY Magazine. "Green Mountain is pushing the eco-envelope and helping to change the world in 2007 and the years to come."

For more information, check out The Plenty 20.

According to ENERGY STAR, the average family spends $1,900 a year on energy bills, much of which goes to heating and cooling. To help you reduce your energy use this summer, they've created the ENERGY STAR @ home Interactive Tool that gives advice and energy-efficient home improvement ideas. By following EPA's recommendations for home sealing, proper use of a programmable thermostat, and a well-maintained, energy-efficient heating and cooling system, you can save as much as 20 percent annually on total energy costs, while reducing your home's energy consumption and environmental impact.

Individual actions at home can add up to a lot of savings—in terms of energy, money, and greenhouse gas emissions. ENERGY STAR recommends these five simple steps to help Cool Your World this summer:

1. RAISE YOUR "COOL" IQ
Learning how energy is used in your home is an important step toward cutting energy costs, improving your home's energy efficiency and protecting the environment. Raise your "cool" IQ by visiting ENERGY STAR @ home Interactive Tool for energy-efficient home improvement ideas and energy saving tips and advice for your entire house.

2. GET A CHECKUP
Dirt and neglect are the primary causes of system failure. Schedule an annual, pre-season maintenance checkup with a licensed contractor to ensure your cooling system is operating efficiently and safely. Be sure to clean or change your system's air filter according to the filter's instructions—generally once a month. Keep it clean to keep it efficient.

3. SEAL THE DEAL
Don't let the hot air in and your cool air out. Find and seal air leaks that cause drafts and make your cooling system work overtime. You or a licensed contractor can follow ENERGY STAR Home Sealing recommendations to tighten your home's "envelope"—outer walls, ceiling, windows, and floors.

4. GET WITH THE PROGRAM
Save energy by taking advantage of periods in the day when your home doesn't need to be kept as cool. A programmable thermostat, set and used properly, can save up to $150 in energy costs each year. Ceiling fans can also cut home energy use—turn the thermostat up several degrees while using the fans to deliver the extra cooling comfort.

By combining these tips with renewable energy from companies available through GreenEnergyChoice, you can save money and help save the environment. Enter your address to see what's available for your home now.

Green Mountain Energy Company and Sustainable Waves, a national provider of mobile solar powered sound and staging solutions, recently announced Eco-Tunes^SM, the first comprehensive program for carbon neutral music tours and events, which includes the availability of solar powered stages and sound systems.

This initiative also includes the option for concert-goers to purchase a Be Green Ticket^SM for these events, which will be the nation's first green ticket program certified by Green-e, the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy.

"As a musician, I am so excited to be involved with Green Mountain and Sustainable Waves. Anytime I can do something positive for the environment, I'm always ready to jump in," says G. Love, front man for the band G. Love and Special Sauce. "By making our tours carbon neutral, we embrace alternative, renewable energy sources and a cleaner, healthier future for our children. I'm down with the 'green' for sure."

"Eco-Tunes is unique because it offers fans, musicians, and promoters a one stop shop for greening up their concert experiences," said Mark McLarry, Chief Executive Officer of Sustainable Waves.

Green Mountain Energy Company and Sustainable Waves are partnering with several innovative ticketing agencies, such as In Ticketing and All Access Today, to offer the new Be Green Ticket option to concert-goers nationwide. When a Be Green Ticket is purchased, event goers are provided with up to 1,000 kilowatts (kWh) of Green-e certified renewable energy certificates to offset approximately 1,300 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2,) a greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. These offsets can be applied towards the concert-goer's emissions that were generated in traveling to the event or other household emissions. For example, offsetting 1,300 lbs of CO2 is the equivalent of not driving a car about 1,500 miles for one year.

"This is an exciting opportunity for music fans who want to help fight global warming by supporting new forms of renewable energy resources such as wind, solar, and biomass energy," said Gillan Taddune, Chief Environmental Officer of Green Mountain Energy Company. "Upgrading to a Be Green Ticke makes it almost effortless and the Green-e certification process makes the purchase process both transparent and verifiable."

The Be Green Ticket is available now and is initially being offered to about 500,000 fans nation wide through In Ticketing and All Access Today. Green Mountain expects the availability to ramp up significantly throughout the year as other ticketing agencies and artists join the program.

Look for the Be Green Ticket through these artists, venues and festivals: Steve Kimock, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Perpetual Groove, Orpheum Theater and Pine Mountain Amphitheater in Flagstaff AZ, Tree Sound Studios, Harmony Festival, Boom Boom Room, 12 Galaxies, Catalyst, and Sunset Promotions (provided through In Ticketing) along with Willie Nelson, Pat Green, Cross Canadian Ragweed, and Jake Shimabukuro (provided through All Access Today), The Joshua Tree Music Festival and Camp Bisco.

For more information, check out the Green Mountain Energy press release.