I would like to disagree with your assessment; really like to, but I'm not sure I can. Early on, when the towns up here started getting ready, (11/04), I was thinking that the first sign I saw, "Can Willits achieve energy independence by '07 ?" made me groan, cuz that wasn't doable. A few days later, it changed to '010; or is is ought 10?.
Anyway I thought that could be doable. I'm thinking wind, I'm thinking sun, I'm thinking of all the creeks around here, and I think we can do it. We know what's coming, we can do it.
Then I drive around town, and.... nothing. I think I found my first solar set-up, in Willits, yesterday, on the appliance store. (Maybe 60 % of Laytonville, and a large percentage in Willits, live out in the hills, off the grid. I'm talking just the towns).
Stuff is happening; the L'ville Health Clinic just signed their paperwork to get rebate approval for solar; 29KW/hr, get an 85K rebate. They are looking for grants, too. The new grocery store had a roof built for solar, but they just built the store, so they can't afford it for a few years. Next town project is to storm the school board meeting in August and make them go solar; apparently the superintendent is the problem. We can beat him. Advantage of small towns. Willits is about to build a new hospital; will be the first green certified rural hospital in the country. We just started a 2 acre community garden; Garberville, 2 towns up the road, hasn't started PO yet, but already has a 7 acre community garden with 2 acres for biofuel.
But, ya know what? I don't think we are gonna make it, even up here. I think we have hit the peak, and we may not have enuf time anymore.
There is a group of folks starting to work with the care, storage, and eating of acorns; they may be right, although I still want to snicker at them. But I'm not; I'm keeping my mouth shut on that one.
Rat |
