FYI
Here in Ontario, our provincial government has in gestation the Green
Energy Act (GEA). It is refreshingly progressive. It still does not
address the issue of the paradigm paradox (growth forever) but it a step
in the right direction. It encourages wind and solar energy
development, and the phase out of coal.

In the county where I live there is a NIMBY movement that has been
highly active, and unfortunately, quite successful at convincing people
that large wind farms cause sickness, do not help reduce CO2 and bunches
of other false information. This NIMBY group has now developed into a
province wide organization.

I'm co chair of a local County Sustainability Group (CSG). Those of us
interested in energy have developed a position statement that is now on
our web page, noted at the end of the letter below that was published in
this week's local papers.

Also in this weeks paper is an ad we have placed inviting people to a
public meeting in which we will feature Jack Alpert http://www.skil.org/
to tell us how the sphere of human responsibility needs to expand
somewhat in order do deal with future issue.

The fun of retirement just never ends!!
Don Chisholm

Letter to The Editor: In Picton Gazette July 16/08

Comment on NIMBYism and the wind energy debate.
Probably the majority of Ontario citizens would make significant effort
today, toward the preservation and enhancement of the future well-being
of our young generation, and of those who will follow, as earlier
generations have done. Also, it is likely that it would take a
significant obstacle to prevent good people from doing so. Well, there
seems to be such an obstacle. We can call it an advanced form of IMBYism.

The energy team of /County Sustainability/ Group (CSG) have prepared a
paper that discusses techniques and tricks that may have caused a large
number of people to adopt the, “Not In My Back Yard”, stance with regard
to wind energy development.

Our reason to clarify wind farm issues is that we place a higher
priority on the stability of Earth’s life support systems and the future
well being of today’s young and following generations, than on the right
to a view with no wind mills, or a perceived loss in home value, or
other very local issues focusing on “me” in the present. These issues
pale in importance to the bigger issues that will be faced by today’s
young.

Also, our paper illuminates the high degree of deception and erroneous
information within the NIMBYist arguments that generate data to cast
doubt on global warming or on the benefits of wind farm development, etc.

Like it or not, our world is changing. In a functioning democracy,
voters have a responsibility to be fully informed. The Ontario
Government’s /Green Energy Act/ provides one small but essential step
toward more positive future possibilities. We think it should receive
wide support.

Please visit our web page to see where you fit in the four cornered box
of the energy debate. The paper is on our web at:

http://www.countysustainability.ca/WindTruth.htm

Don Chisholm
Member of the CSG Energy team.
Ontario
613 476 1700