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THE ISSUE
The city has been asked to participate in a wind farm near Rochelle.
OUR VIEW
Though it would make up just a portion of overall electricity needs, wind is a clean and renewable source.
SPEAK UP
Should the city of Geneva agree to use energy derived from a wind farm in Rochelle? Tell us what you think of this by leaving a comment below. You can also e-mail your comment here. Or leave a voice message at (630) 368-8882.
A recent event at Geneva City Hall featured a healthy debate about a dirty topic.
Representatives from TSAugust and Green Geneva discussed ways to reduce air pollution as part of the annual town meeting held by the city’s Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.
Geneva, along with Batavia and Rochelle, is part of the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency to negotiate better energy prices. As part of NIMPA, the city has been asked to buy into a 12-megawatt wind farm near Rochelle.
Members of Green Geneva promoted the wind farm as an alternative energy source. Don Dears, a retired General Electric executive who founded TSAugust, said deriving energy from a wind farm would be a “drop in the bucket” regarding air pollution. The real culprit, he said, is the nation’s use of coal.
The wind farm would provide enough energy to power 3,000 homes. But the plan could initially cost property owners an additional 40 cents to $2 on their monthly bills, depending on what grants and bonds could be secured.
Dears is correct that a wind farm of this size would address only a tiny portion of the problem of air pollution. One form of alternative energy is surely not a comprehensive approach in the climate debate.
But for a municipality, this is a step in the right direction. A drop in the bucket here and a drop in the bucket there will begin to add up.
Dears seems to believe that if air pollution cannot be resolved in total, it’s not worth making the effort. This sentiment is short-sighted, and Geneva should strongly consider moving forward with this plan.
Wind is not only an alternative energy source but also a renewable energy source. We won’t have to worry about disposing of “spent wind” after it helps generate electricity.
The debate over climate change is certainly not decided, but pumping garbage into the air can’t be good under any circumstance. Even a modest attempt to address this problem is a worthy goal.
THE ISSUE
The city has been asked to participate in a wind farm near Rochelle.
OUR VIEW
Though it would make up just a portion of overall electricity needs, wind is a clean and renewable source.
SPEAK UP
Should the city of Geneva agree to use energy derived from a wind farm in Rochelle? Tell us what you think of this by leaving a comment below. You can also e-mail your comment here. Or leave a voice message at (630) 368-8882.
A recent event at Geneva City Hall featured a healthy debate about a dirty topic.
Representatives from TSAugust and Green Geneva discussed ways to reduce air pollution as part of the annual town meeting held by the city’s Strategic Planning Advisory Committee.
Geneva, along with Batavia and Rochelle, is part of the Northern Illinois Municipal Power Agency to negotiate better energy prices. As part of NIMPA, the city has been asked to buy into a 12-megawatt wind farm near Rochelle.
Members of Green Geneva promoted the wind farm as an alternative energy source. Don Dears, a retired General Electric executive who founded TSAugust, said deriving energy from a wind farm would be a “drop in the bucket” regarding air pollution. The real culprit, he said, is the nation’s use of coal.
The wind farm would provide enough energy to power 3,000 homes. But the plan could initially cost property owners an additional 40 cents to $2 on their monthly bills, depending on what grants and bonds could be secured.
Dears is correct that a wind farm of this size would address only a tiny portion of the problem of air pollution. One form of alternative energy is surely not a comprehensive approach in the climate debate.
But for a municipality, this is a step in the right direction. A drop in the bucket here and a drop in the bucket there will begin to add up.
Dears seems to believe that if air pollution cannot be resolved in total, it’s not worth making the effort. This sentiment is short-sighted, and Geneva should strongly consider moving forward with this plan.
Wind is not only an alternative energy source but also a renewable energy source. We won’t have to worry about disposing of “spent wind” after it helps generate electricity.
The debate over climate change is certainly not decided, but pumping garbage into the air can’t be good under any circumstance. Even a modest attempt to address this problem is a worthy goal.
