Vote No on the 6th
I intend to vote No on June 6th for the new power plant in Springfield. My wife (among others) argues that we need the plant since there is no viable alternative right now. In fact, there is no true technology available to replace coal. And she is right. I will still vote no.
The reason I will vote no is precisely because there is no long term plan.
Whereas there is talk about solar and wind farms, along with other futuristic energy sources, they are not practical yet, and may never be. However, they will never exist as long as there is a cheap alternative. And that's what it's all about. Coal is cheap.
We don't care what it's doing to the environment, as long as it is cheap -- now. Look at SUVs. Look at all these people who went out and bought these behemoths. Why? It wasn't because they needed a Hummer. It was because, relatively speaking, gas was cheap. And now listen to them whine. But one thing's for sure, sales are down.
As long as there is a cheap energy, there will not be anything else. Who wants to put solar panels on their roofs when they will never be profitable? But do we want to be the ones whining when we're stuck with a behemoth coal plant?
Coal companies have invested a lot of money in digging that stuff up. And it's all worthless the minute something better comes along. Ditto for oil. There is no incentive for the energy companies to find an alternative.
And the average person will not see beyond her or his own pocketbook. As long as it's cheap, that's good enough. And who can blame them? It's hard enough to get by as it is. And the tax cuts ain't gonna do it.
The only way people will demand change is if they are hurting--right now. People will only trade in their SUVs when they can no longer afford to fill them up.
The cost of energy will go up, whether or not we build a new power plant. It will only, ultimately come down if we have a plan -- and follow through on that plan -- for a clean, renewable energy source. And so what if the price doesn't come down if it's clean and renewable?
Vote NO. Not for cheap energy, but for City Utilities' having no real plan for the future. Vote NO for a bandaid that only masks the real problem: The need for clean, safe, renewable energy. The need for a real plan for the future.
The reason I will vote no is precisely because there is no long term plan.
Whereas there is talk about solar and wind farms, along with other futuristic energy sources, they are not practical yet, and may never be. However, they will never exist as long as there is a cheap alternative. And that's what it's all about. Coal is cheap.
We don't care what it's doing to the environment, as long as it is cheap -- now. Look at SUVs. Look at all these people who went out and bought these behemoths. Why? It wasn't because they needed a Hummer. It was because, relatively speaking, gas was cheap. And now listen to them whine. But one thing's for sure, sales are down.
As long as there is a cheap energy, there will not be anything else. Who wants to put solar panels on their roofs when they will never be profitable? But do we want to be the ones whining when we're stuck with a behemoth coal plant?
Coal companies have invested a lot of money in digging that stuff up. And it's all worthless the minute something better comes along. Ditto for oil. There is no incentive for the energy companies to find an alternative.
And the average person will not see beyond her or his own pocketbook. As long as it's cheap, that's good enough. And who can blame them? It's hard enough to get by as it is. And the tax cuts ain't gonna do it.
The only way people will demand change is if they are hurting--right now. People will only trade in their SUVs when they can no longer afford to fill them up.
The cost of energy will go up, whether or not we build a new power plant. It will only, ultimately come down if we have a plan -- and follow through on that plan -- for a clean, renewable energy source. And so what if the price doesn't come down if it's clean and renewable?
Vote NO. Not for cheap energy, but for City Utilities' having no real plan for the future. Vote NO for a bandaid that only masks the real problem: The need for clean, safe, renewable energy. The need for a real plan for the future.
posted by The Holy Grail Press at 10:34 AM
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