Put offshore wind on the front page
The News Journal’s Tuesday, April, 5 edition, toward the end of section A, featured an article titled “UN: Earth ‘on track’ to unlivable status.” The article notes: “Temperatures on Earth will shoot past a key danger point unless greenhouse gas emissions fall faster than countries have committed, the world’s top body of climate scientists said Monday, warning of the consequences of inaction but also noting hopeful signs of progress.”
In that same News Journal edition, a headline reads: “WHO (World Health Organization): 99% of people breathe bad-quality air ~ Pollution is responsible for disease and death.” Here in Delaware, we are called the “tailpipe” because of the pollution coming from other states.
What is the answer? The UN article continues to say that a move “toward renewable energy such as increasingly cheap solar and wind power…” reduces pollutants that cause the earth to warm and pollution related deaths.
An investment in clean, job-creating, renewable energy is a very real possibility right here in Delaware.
DNREC has recently released a study by Special Innovative on Offshore Wind (SIOW is part of UD) describing various pathways for Delaware to create legislation enabling the development of an offshore wind project.
Not only can such a project generate from 800 to 1,200 megawatts of electricity, (some 30,000 homes), it would lead to clearer air in our state and help to reduce the dangerous warming of the planet. The price of energy for consumers would be competitive to the current price and stable over time-not responsive to fluctuating oil/gas prices. If climate and health costs are included, the costs are further reduced. If only a third of Delaware’s energy were produced by offshore wind, an 800-megawatt project, 10 premature deaths a year and millions of health care dollars would be saved.
What can be done right now? Each of us can contact our legislators and ask them to review the Offshore Wind Report and encourage them to pass legislation to jumpstart offshore wind development.
Let’s put the climate action on the front page of the newspaper!
Jill Gaumer, Wilmington
How to deal with bully Putin
When are we going to wake up? You don’t play nice with someone like Putin. NATO should tell him to back off or missiles will be raining down on Russia. That he will understand. That is the only way to deal with a bully.
Stanley Rosen, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware needs offshore wind; how to deal with Putin: Letters to editor
