Solar panels. Wind power. Geothermal energy. These are some of the great options for Earth friendly electricity, but they leave little to be desired for your wallet in these economic hard times. So what are we to do? Many of us want to do our part in going green at home, but when we can't afford the solar panels, the wind turbines, or other ways of retrieving environmentally friendly electricity we need to purchase it from green power programs.

The easiest way to start is call up your local electricity provider and ask them if they offer any green options. You might be required to pay a premium over and above your current rate. It might be as high as 20 cents so you'll probably want to shop around. With the eco-friendly trend gathering more popularity, prices are starting to drop.

The most Earth friendly sources don't require the burning of any fuel to create the steam most turbines require. This will prevent more greenhouse gases from entering the atmosphere. You'll want to choose wind, solar, wave, tidal and geothermal to be the most environmentally friendly.

Something to watch for is that some governments require so much of electricity be from renewable sources already. If this is the case you'll be paying more for something you're already getting to an extent.

Here are websites that let you know who provides green electricity in your area:
United States (USA)
Canada
United Kingdom (UK)
Australia