Kansas is a good example of how fighting climate change can be an act of patriotism and pragmatism, reports Kim Larsen at Onearth.org. The Climate and Energy Project there does not discount climate change, but appeals to Kansans to develop wind based on their own self interests. Many are worried about energy security and want the US to lead the world in fuel efficient homes and cars. Core values of thrift and stewardship of the Earth also make clean energy look good to otherwise conservative voters. Educating voters helped the project create conditions to attract a wind turbine factory. The Project has also pioneered creating energy efficiency competitions, known as Take Charge Tournaments, among communities, thereby engaging whole communities to achieve significant reductions in energy usage. The success of this social model attracted national attention. Now, the project is helping promote wind farms. And none too soon. As Bob Dean notes at the Natural Resources Defense Council blog, the valuable revenue from harvesting wind energy on some drought stricken farms is what keeps them from going under, as crops and cattle fail.
Join the swelling numbers of voters telling Congress they’ll VOTE for Clean Energy candidates here: http://signon.org/sign/we-are-the-clean-99?source=c.em.cp&r_by=487176 then please – spread the word. This is how YOU can make a difference.
Sources
http://www.onearth.org/article/common-sense-in-kansas farmers and wind energy
http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/bdeans/wind_energy_a_lifeline_for_dro.html how wind energy is saving drought stricken farms
