I live and work in Southwestern Ontario. It's no big secret that our Liberal leaders Dalton McGuinty and Dwight Duncan sold our future prosperity to the wind industry. Our landscape is forever changed by behemoth turbines. Our wallets will continue to feel the pinch for many years to come as we pay for that heavily subsidized electricity.
In their race to prove themselves "Green" and line their pockets with as much of our green as they could, our politicians and the wind industry forgot one simple truth. Some of the biggest pay-offs come from the smallest changes. Easy changes that can be adopted by many so their effects are multiplied - many times over.
What if instead of forcing these monstrous turbines onto Ontarians, the government had instead focused their energies on encouraging contractors to adopt new technology. Every home in a new subdivision could be contributing to reducing our environmental footprint.
Small changes that are not terribly expensive in new construction, repeated many times over.
Things like Drain Water Heat Recovery systems that recover some of the heat rushing down the drain as you shower. Even better those systems could be coupled with Tankless Water Heaters that heat water as you need it instead of maintaining the water at a ready to use temperature 24 hours a day for the four or five hours people are actually home and using hot water.
Better insulation such as the expanding foam insulation that provides an excellent thermal barrier and vapor barrier at the same time. Even something as simple as changing roof lines to allow for future solar panel installation. Solar panels which are quiet and while they may not yet be the best solution for generating electricity, they are efficient at heating water. Water that can be used to heat your home. Something we do here for 8 months out of 12.
Any of these and other innovations could have been easily encouraged by offering incentives such as rebates or reduced development fees. Rather than driving away manufacturing jobs and leaving us with minimum wage call center jobs as a feeble replacement, the government could have encouraged growth in the construction industry - another well paying employment sector.
Instead, we've been shafted by our elected officials, and the shafts are 120 meters high.
If things are in Canada as they are here in the States, I believe the government likes to have its constituency dependent upon them.
ReplyDeleteIt's about the only explanation for some of the decisions they make.
I'm convinced our politicians just want to line their pockets.
DeleteThe problem with all your quite brilliant ideas are simple: the Government can't charge you money for them. They're all for green, as long as they're -- as you said -- lining their pockets with green.
ReplyDeleteNor can the build themselves some nice cushy jobs to go to once they "retire" from politics.
DeleteWe have those things clouding the environment here in Northern California too. Love your post though...stupid government.
ReplyDeletep.s. I nominated you for an award if you'd like to check it out. http://camomsworld.blogspot.com/2013/04/a-new-awardcheck-it-out.html xoxo
Thank you for the nomination. It's much appreciated.
DeleteWe have a whole bunch of windmills here. They just put some up, oh last year or so. I love them. Mainly becasue we have an overloaded power grid, a lot of wind, and a coal industry that is tearing my state apart and killing poeple. So at least in my area I think they are a good thing.
ReplyDeleteOn the surface they seem like a great idea, but most installations will consume more energy during the manufacture of the turbine than the turbine will generate over it's entire lifetime. If the wind farm can generate enough to be viable without heavy subsidies from government and taxpayers it's great. The ones in my area are not.
DeleteThere are tons of windmills in Northern IL and southern Wisconsin. It's actually a pretty awesome sight. However, if I'm not mistaken they are privately/business owned. In any case, I don't think they have upset anyone. But, I understand about government stuff. Here in the states it feels like we're willing to give up more and more of our personal freedoms and rights so we don't have to take responsibility for our own actions. Or at least allow them to make laws that are going to someday be our undoing.
ReplyDelete