27 June 2009

Save the View


While vacationing this month on Cape Cod with my parents, we followed the news about a local wind power meeting. We composed and submitted a letter to the editor together. It hasn't been published yet so I'm guessing it won't be, but wanted to share it here.

Kyah's first canoe ride with Papa-Ji, on Oyster Pond River in Chatham, MA
(Photo Credit: Sat Jiwan Ikle-Khalsa
, click for "better view".)


SAVE THE VIEW (submitted 6/19/09)

Our family has been vacationing on Cape Cod for over 20 years. We cherish the views and participate in activities off-Cape to preserve them. We have followed the progress of the Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound and now newer proposals for land-based wind farms on the Cape itself ("State planners get feedback on wind power", Cape Cod Times, June 18).

The prospect of coming to the Cape to be greeted by graceful, sweeping wind turbines, both on and off shore, delights us. Historically, Cape Cod has been home to a number of working windmills, ("Uncovering the Windmill", Cape Cod Times, June 18). How fitting it would be to start a new chapter in Cape history with the next generation of windmills.

The power-producing turbines would be a tourist attraction (especially if we beat Delaware as the first off-shore US wind farm). And not only would they produce additional revenue through tourist dollars, energy production, green collar jobs, and valuable carbon reduction credits; the turbines would have the added benefit of helping ensure that global warming-induced sea level rise doesn't put the Cape under water.

Quite honestly, we need energy conservation, energy efficiency... AND more renewable power to stop global warming. Talking about any of these alone is not a sufficient solution. However, if the Cape is washed away, there won't be much of view to save... with or without wind turbines.

Sat Guru Khalsa, Millis, MA and former chairman of Millis Conservation Commission
Sat Jiwan Ikle-Khalsa, Takoma Park, MD (formerly Millis, MA) and board member of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network
...both 20-year vacationers in Chatham, MA

Here's some more resources about Cape Cod wind farms if you like: (from Cape Cod Times)

22 June 2009

Should have started this a while ago...

Welcome to the Truthful Living blog. I'll be posting periodically (probably 1-2 month, probably not more than 1x/week) mostly about green building, energy efficiency and global warming issues... and probably occasionally about conscious consumer, simple living and sustainable future topics.

Some planned and expected regular posts should include:
- my monthly "going green" column for the local paper
- answers to reader green quandary questions
- various green building materials analyses/updates/buying guides (i.e. wind power purchases, dual flush toilets, refrigerators, dehumidifiers)
- energy case studies or reports from our house, client projects (i.e. solar panel payback)

Please subscribe via a feed reader or email to get notice of new posts... (see margin at the side)

Thanks and have a great day!
- Sat Jiwan
[sot 'jee vin]