November 7, 2010
New York Times
Wind farmers are having a harder time providing energy for clients because government institutions are saying that renewable energy is getting too expensive. Virginia state officials view the lower costs of natural gas energy as better for the state than the slightly higher cost of wind energy. Around the country governing bodies are switching away from higher-cost renewable energy, because the economic value of the energy is valued over the environmental impact. In Virginia the average electric bill would only increase 0.2%, a government official was cited saying that this increase is "unreasonably high". The author of the article favors the use of wind energy and views the decision to switch away from renewable energy as the wrong decision, the author is correctly weighing the environmental and economic issues.
V. Energy Resources and Consumption
A. Energy Concepts (Energy forms)
B. Energy Consumption (present global energy use)
F. Energy Conservation (energy efficiency)
G. Renewable Energy (wind energy)
This article doesn't have much of a biased standpoint. I think it takes in consideration of both pro-environmental and non-environmental views. It is talking about the problem that we are trying to switch to wind energy because its better for the environment but then it might be too expensive, so in the end would it really be any better?
ReplyDeleteThe small increase of expense required to use an environmentally friendly energy source is definitely worth it. If we continue to use harmful energy sources, the environment will eventually degrade to a point where we'll all be wishing we had made the crossover to clean energy earlier. Money should not be a concern when the health of the environment and posterity lies in the balance.
ReplyDeleteThis article shows that America is not willing to make the sacrifice for sustainable resources. While it does harm our economy to raise the taxes, it would help us in the long run because we will eventually run out of the resources we are using and none of this will have mattered. Also, our country is one of the most developed and wealthy countries in the world and the fact that we are not willing to pay the extra .2% of a tax shows that we do not truly care about our environment, and are not paying attention to the fact that it will eventually be better for business as well.
ReplyDeleteIt is only natural that there is less focus on environmentally friendly alternatives when it comes to resources because money becomes the priority during a time of economic instability. This is a short term way of thinking which is okay in times of crucial economic issues, but the government should look further ahead and think of the consequences that will reveal themselves in the future for diverting attention from finding good resource alternatives.
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