Clean energy key to future

It is infuriating to see Alberta Premier Danielle Smith exploiting her province’s recent electricity grid crisis to spread misinformation about renewable energy. The truth is, wind and solar were key to helping the Alberta Electric System Operator avoid a potentially lethal disaster when record-low temperatures pushed the province’s deregulated electricity market to its limits.

Scientists have warned for decades that overheating the planet with fossil fuels would cause climate chaos – not just extreme heat, but also extreme cold, even as winters warm overall. Doubling down on the oil, gas, and coal driving this crisis, as Smith apparently wants us to do, isn’t the answer. Cheap, clean, renewable energy is the key to a better future. Governments must invest in grids that are resilient to extremes, reliable and affordable for everyday people, and free of carbon pollution. That means building a lot more wind, solar, and battery storage capacity, and fast.

We put up solar panels at our home, and I did most of the work myself with one friend who is an electrician. This isn’t rocket science, it’s common sense nowadays. Makes me wonder who else is working for the oil companies, other than Danielle Smith.

Luke Sargent, Cherry Valley

Fossil fuels cost too much

Re: Clean and Green (Jan. 10). The idea that we can’t afford to take bold climate action is a dangerous lie. The truth is, we can’t afford not to! Renewable energy is now the cheapest way to generate electricity. Meanwhile, fossil fuel corporations are robbing the public purse for private profit and costing us billions in damages from worsening climate chaos.

Let’s make this the year that Canada breaks free from the expensive, unequal, and wildly destructive fossil fuel economy. Cheap, clean, renewable energy is the key to a better future. What we need is courage and leadership from our federal representatives. If they invest in a renewable future now, they will lay the foundation for safer and more affordable lives for all of us. With bills rising and extreme weather worsening, we can’t afford to keep stalling. Later is too late.

Bob Ness, Wellington

Not all turbines, just those ones

Re: Clean and Green (Jan. 10). I am fully with you on the importance of the environment, keeping nature clean & green, and reducing our footprint. To be fair, I have to say that the County’s position on the wind turbines was not a case of “NO” to any wind project, but rather about the locations and the damage to environment that the chosen locations involved. The County was merely trying to negotiate the positioning of the turbines but met with negative response; at least that is what I recollect from that time.

You may want to check this history out with the various players. And you may agree that the locations of the turbines of that project spelled disaster to the County’s natural environment as well as many species at risk, and unthinkable numbers of birds.

Thank you for your consideration and continued efforts.

Hedy Campbell, Picton

Turbines or Resorts?

Re: Approved: Trae Resort to become a reality (Jan. 16). TRAE is just one of many developers hoping to make big bucks by building yet another resort to satisfy rich tourists’ extravagant demands for an unnatural getaway with heated pool, spa, cottages and event venue (to start with). The environmental impact of this human footprint is huge.

Despite what the developer says — “it only totals 28,000 sq. ft.,” that is only for the built structures. Not the loss of all the space needed for parking, septic, water and waste. Nothing is mentioned about the impact of ongoing human traffic by trampling the ground during “events,” and creating open spaces between buildings, and spaces for all the cottage guests’ and employees’ vehicles, never mind the noise and air pollution during and after construction. Any wildlife, if not squashed, will be scared off, expected to go live someplace else. And just where might that be, since piece by piece their habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate around the County as more and more stress is put upon the land for more housing and commercial development?

Councillor John Hirsch, a loud opponent of wind energy, and a self-proclaimed defender of birds and turtles, says in the Gazette, “whether the neighbours like it or not.” He clearly supports this development. Is this not hypocritical? Are there no birds or turtles anywhere on that 30 acres of natural undisturbed shoreland that TRAE will transform? Mr. Hirsch, who so vehemently fought against the WPD project using the infamous invisible Blanding’s turtle for leverage. (Though I have searched for one, a Blandings turtle has yet to be seen on the wind farm site). Does he really think that a daily use “resort” setting is somehow better for the birds and turtles or snakes than a wind turbine standing alone in a field using about 15 square feet of space? The trees and vegetation to be removed for TRAE’s resort, and the actual habitat destruction required, is greater than what would have been required for nine turbines.

What is wrong with people? It will be too late to start caring after the County’s natural spaces are gone due to human growth and greed. There is an overwhelming disrespect for the lives of the local residents, both human and otherwise. Treasured natural places we grew up enjoying will be taken away, sold to the highest bidder, until all is lost.

Jen Ackerman, Athol

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