Not that kind of farm

Wind Power

By Abby Goodnough

The New York Times

January 16, 2009

The United States first offshore wind farm was proposed to be in the waters of Cape Cod.  The farm would be 24 square miles and 5 miles off Cape Cod.  Although the proposal holds no serious environmental threat, homeowners all over Cape Cod are furiously protesting the farm.  They say it will indeed bring harm the wildlife around it. 

While I do see the protester's side of the argument, I feel like the wind farm would, in the long run, lead to more potential to preserve the environment.  This farm would allow the Cape Cod area to run on alternative energy resources, which in return would cause less pollution and harm to the natural environment.  So while I understand that these citizens are concerned for the wildlife's immediate predicament, there is potential for everyone to be happy in this situation.  I don't understand why people are complaining about a project that could help us in the future. (This sentence sounds contradictory to what I said above, but it's complicated.  Some aspect of the complaint I understand, most I don't.)  This project is still in the workings.  There are still many permits needed to begin the construction.  Permits are always good things to have...

Until next time...

Nothing Fancy...

Alternate Energy

by Kate Galbraith and Matthew L. Wald

New York Times

December 4, 2008

Congress hopes to impose a law that mandates the nation to get 10 or 15

percent of its electricity from alternate resources. This is in the works 

already; more than half the states have already adopted renewable 

resources. unfortunately, the deadlines for switching may have some 

states struggling to meet them, even miss them altogether.

My first thought about the announcement that there might be mandates 

for alternate energy was "this might be the push that everyone needs."  

I think that this legislation is going to better the country by moving every

state in the right direction. In fact, some states have already been moving

that way. They'll just have a nice head start on the rest of us. As for those

who think that some states won't be able to make the deadline: I think

that every state has the potential to make switching their energy

resources. If some don't think they can, then they need to try harder.

10% of all the energy isn't very much when you think about the whole 

picture. I believe that this isn't unrealistic and that states are capable 

of it.

Until next time...