Consider the following scenario:

Scientists have discovered a massive asteroid, with the destructive force of nearly 9 million nuclear bombs, hurtling toward planet Earth, due for impact in 100 years time. The global population remains fairly divided on the stark reality of the issue. While critics claim reports of this imminent extinction event are ill-supported, internationally renowned physicians and engineers actively work toward ciphering a solution that will save humanity from its impending doom. In the first thirty years, unconvinced political leaders lead over half of the population in treating the asteroid as a non-issue, as the increasingly concerned scientific community struggles to win over skeptics.

Decades pass before any considerable headway can be made. At last, research yields a potential solution to the spectacle, but there is simply not enough time left to develop it. Over the last five years, panic transpires and dispute over who is to blame causes our global civilization to plunge into a perpetual state of war. Chaos ensues until impact, and humanity is wiped out forever.

Now, replace “massive asteroid” with global warming.

The good news is that unlike the impending doom brought on by the conceptual asteroid, we as a population can save humanity from a similar fate with the use of solar energy, a sustainable means of using the sun’s energy to produce electricity. You’ve most likely heard about the benefits from a fellow neighbor or colleague. While there are a myriad of “top 5” articles on the compelling reasons why you should make the switch to solar, the real question remains, do you know what is at stake?

[caption id=“attachment_8075” align=“aligncenter” width=“679”]Screen-Shot-2017-01-14-at-4.34.04-PM-400x282 Image by Solarbate[/caption]

The United States alone is responsible for around 80% of the consumption of fossil fuels, such as coal, gas, and oil in the last three decades, which contributes to the emission of harmful gases. However, unlike our helpless asteroid scenario, there is hope with the help of trusted solar panel companies, such as Solarjoy and Solarebate. In addition to lowering the release of these toxic greenhouse gases, choosing solar can cut your current electricity bill by a fraction of what it is.

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Rather than an expense as installations tend to be, solar energy is often thought of as an investment that can save consumers as much as $20,000 in 20 years. From increasing the value of your home by perpetually reducing the electricity bill to reducing your carbon footprint, solar energy is the be all and end all. This is our asteroid, and we have the ability to stop it and save both energy and thousands of dollars.