Renewable Energy Is the Future – Butler Eagle

Yesterday my wife and I drove through Pennsylvania to attend our granddaughter’s wedding here in Butler. We just returned from a nice trip to Ireland. What I find odd, and perhaps indicative of our country’s insistence on promoting fossil fuels, is the complete absence of wind turbines visible in Pennsylvania along the Interstate 80 corridor, none that I could see.

In Ireland, a country not much smaller than Pennsylvania, more than 35% of its total electricity demand comes from renewable energy sources. Wind turbines are everywhere. Maybe Pennsylvanians think, “Not in my backyard.” But to me, seeing wind turbines in the open says a lot about the country’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving infrastructure.

Pennsylvania (and New Jersey) can and must do more. Think about that when you cast your vote in November.

James V. Gruber, Washington, N.J.