Walking the Walk

During the last Legislative Session, the Minnesota Legislature adopted legislation that requires Minnesota to increase our use of alternative energy by 20% by the year 2020. It was hailed by the environmentalists as landmark legislation. One of the alternatives that the Legislature and the Governor are pushing hard is wind energy. Wind power is a favorite among the enviros, except for one itty-bitty, little problem...

There goes the neighborhood
Your Nov. 28 article "An energy model for all to see," about a wind turbine in Maple Grove, certainly tells it all! I am looking out my front window and see this eyesore!
My husband and I specifically chose to live in Maple Grove three years ago as we were very impressed with their "master plan" of residential and commercial. It was very well orchestrated. Note that I say "was." This vulgar wind turbine completely desecrates this once wonderful Arbor Lakes area. Now, don't get me wrong; I am not saying that I do not agree that wind turbines have their place and are certainly an alternative energy source, but the once-beautiful Arbor Lakes area is not the place.
We were recently in the Palm Springs, Calif., area. Take a lesson: Outside of the city, far away from any residential or commercial development, they had a large area of wind turbines. Great!
I can't believe that the Maple Grove City Council would approve this monstrosity. Maybe it was a very late night when it came on the agenda and they all just wanted to go home and so approved it. What will they approve next? A 160-foot giant donut for Krispy Kreme, or a 160-foot super-sized rack of ribs for Famous Dave's?
M. E., MAPLE GROVE

Emphasis mine. In all fairness to M.E. of Maple Grove, she is not the only one that objects to having a wind farm outside their front door.

Rich, oceanfront residents of Cape Cod do not want their view of Nantucket Sound
faintly obstructed by offshore protrusions of a proposed wind farm. So, they have hired high-priced lobbyists to kill Cape Wind, a project providing an environmentally sound source of energy. Their most important ally in this venture is a fellow wealthy Cape Cod landowner, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy

This is the problem that I have with the "green" movement. From Al Gore to Barbara Streisand to the Kennedy's of Massacheusettes, they all want alternative energy until they are the ones that have to make the sacrifice and then forget it! It's ok to have a wind farm - unless it blocks their view and then it is an eyesore that must be eliminated. It's ok for the rest of the country to give up their cars, but they must keep their Gulfstream jets because they are "important".

Over at Anti-Strib we are having a discussion on the things that we do to conserve. It started off (as many AS posts do) with a gross over generalization, but... Many of us do don that extra sweater so that we can keep our home heating fuel use lower. Many of us do ride the bus when possible or ride bikes when appropriate - it is plain old common sense! The average Americans ARE doing their part....it's time for the elites to do the same. You want us to sacrifice our lifestyles in order to save Gaia? Fine....LEAD BY EXAMPLE....give up the 100 room mansion and move into an 2 room flat. Better yet - subdivide your mansion into individual "affordable" apartments. Sell the Gulfstream and start flying coach with the rest of the unwashed masses and THEN maybe the rest of the country will pay attention to what you have to say.