Dear editor,
At a recent meeting we learned that Wausau’s proposed solar garden on the new water treatment plant grounds is unpopular with some folks who live nearby. In fact, many of the good people who live near Wausau’s first step into the clean, green energy realm want as small and as invisible an array as possible. They love the woods around their homes, and want to protect the view. Nature lovers are offended by the intrusion of what they see as an ugly, unwanted technology. As homeowners ourselves, there was something in their desire to preserve “hearth and home” that at first struck an empathetic chord.
And yet many nature lovers would be proud and excited at the prospect of having a solar farm across the road, my wife and I among them. Several years ago we invested in solar panels for our home, and charge now our cars with the clean electricity they harvest from sunlight. Along with the usual lights and appliances inside our home, we also mow our lawn with a rechargeable electric lawnmower, all also powered by sunshine. While not perfect, it works delightfully well. Neither of us miss those expensive visits to the gas station at all. Renewable energy to us is a natural, exciting and clean replacement for the dirty fossil fuels we grew up with.
Clearly, we and the folks offended by solar gardens are making different choices about the same thing. Here’s what’s behind ours.
That serious pollution accompanies fossil fuel energy is an unassailable fact. Pollution comes not just in their use, but also from the regular pipeline spills, that also occur in well development, transportation and storage. This pollution is dangerous to life, period. For our well being, that of our children and grandchildren and the many other creatures we share this planet with, we need to leave fossil fuels in the ground.
Fossil fuels are expensive and Wisconsin has none. So the $14 billion to $15 billion that we send to large fossil fuel corporations outside our borders each year is money leaving our state for good. We do have a solar resource, though, and wind as well. Let’s keep our money at home where it can help our personal and state economies. Let’s go renewable!
For those who take our changing climate seriously and who are concerned about the world our children and theirs will inherit from us, the transition to solar and wind energy is a Godsend. Solar farms and wind turbines look especially sweet to us when we hug our kids and grand kids.
Truth is, none of us has much at all to say about what happens to the property next door or across the street. Our rights end at our property lines. Not crazy about loud neighbors and dogs that bark all night long? A solar garden across the road will be one of the quietest neighbors ever. Planting a prairie with plenty of milkweed between the panels creates a great habitat for pollinators like monarch butterflies and rusty patched bumblebees.
For reasons like these we loudly applaud Wausau for stepping forward on renewable energy. We look forward to a well done, aesthetically pleasing, large solar garden every nature lover can enjoy – perhaps (with native plantings) and a fringe of trees to protect the view for those neighbors who disagree.
Dan Barth of Mosinee
Editor’s note: Wausau Pilot & Review gladly publishes commentary from readers, residents and candidates for local offices. The views of readers and columnists are independent of this newspaper and do not necessarily reflect the views of Wausau Pilot & Review. To submit, email [email protected] or mail to 500 N. Third St., Suite 208-8, Wausau, Wis. 54403.
