Today’s world is completely dependent on generated energy. From the second we wake up in the morning to a blaring radio to the cars we drive to school and back in, to watching late night Jersey Shore marathons, we can’t live without petroleum, oil, coal, and nuclear power. These are the materials that our culture and life are built on. They are our transportation, our food, our social life.
But nuclear power is the cause of mass panic due to radiation fear after the 9.0 magnitude earthquakes in Japan on March 11. Oil rigs have exploded, killing 11 people and injuring 17, and spilled out into the Gulf of Mexico threatening 400 different kinds of wildlife. And while coal is 54% of our energy it’s also the main air pollutant in America.
So, how do we live the kind of life we’re so accustomed to without destroying the planet? Reducing our energy consumption by turning off lights, unplugging cell phone chargers and maybe even riding a bike somewhere are all nice ideas. However, in reality these are small-scale solutions to a big-scale problem.
Although the future for our planet looks bleak with modern technology and expansion bulldozing over it, there may still be a sliver of hope, in wind. Wind energy is sustainable, we’re never going to run out of wind. Also, after a wind farm is set up it’s a fairly cheap way to get energy.
There are currently 35 counties in Iowa that have wind farms, soon Johnson County could also be added to that list. A meteorological tower has been put up and a private company has plans to build 10-20 wind turbines near Solon.
While one wind farm in Iowa is still a small step to solving a bigger global energy crisis, it’s important to begin to look at wind energy as one of our better options for energy in the future.