The Aug. 8 CommonWealth Back Story, “Green energy costs raising concerns,” takes a narrow view of our energy landscape, looking only at the costs of renewable energy while ignoring the many benefits of clean energy; the health and environmental costs of fossils fuels; and the billions in subsidies that have flowed and continue to flow to traditional energy sources.

Moreover it ignores the facts on the ground. Massachusetts’ residential rates and bills have actually dropped significantly since 2008 in both absolute terms and more significantly relative to other states. In 2008, our residential rates were 17.7 cents per kWh, about the same as the average for New England and fourth highest in the nation. By 2011, the most recent full year for which data is available, rates dropped to 14.7 cents per kWh and our rank dropped to tenth highest.

The change in residential bills is particularly striking. In 2008, the average Bay State residential monthly bill was $109 and we had the 18th highest bills in the nation. By 2011 the average monthly bill had dropped to $93 and our rank among US states was the 36th highest. In other words, only 14 states had lower bills than Massachusetts.

In addition, renewable costs have dropped dramatically. Early results for Solarize Massachusetts, a state program that reduces the cost of solar by aggregating demand, show that in many communities the price for solar is lower than for traditional energy sources.

As recent extreme weather events have shown, our climate is changing. We can either lead the transition to a clean energy economy or remain stuck in a world of fossil fuels and global warming pollution.

Berl Hartman is cofounder and director of the New England chapter of Environmental Entrepreneurs