Editorial from October 17, 2006

"What global warming means to the valley"

By Danielle Seckler

   Election time is here again and it is ‘warming’ up on the proposition campaign trails, especially about global warming. At both the CSD and City Council meetings, presentations have been made for these governmental agencies to get on board with other cities to help reduce global warming.

   I’m not a scientist or environmental impact specialist; however I do have a practical ideology about how the human race has impacted the earth. Historically it has been proven that the industrial revolution had a serious impact on our water, air, and the land we live on. If it hadn’t been proven, we wouldn’t have clean-up sites, trying to remove the harmful elements that seep into our water and land, which cause harmful diseases to us and our children. We know that in the 50’s the government did above-ground atomic testing and the results on the areas that were impacted, just as one example. Our parents and leaders didn’t know then. We do know it now.

   My primary concept is that the human race impacts the environment around him. Maybe you do or do not believe in global warming and even if I can’t see it directly affecting my valley, I know we are and still are impacting the valley. The growth of the valley has impacted our need for electricity and natural gas. Remember the price gouging during the winter of 2000? We all paid dearly for these utilities.

   Yet, the questions I heard before and after the presentation made were how can we affect global warming? What the presenters did not make clear to the audience of civic leaders and the public was how they could affect global warming in this valley. Nor did they let people know how this would reduce the cost of future taxes on the population in the valley.

   A quick Google search gave me over 2 million results about grants for funding solar power. Here is just one give for solar power for a school. (Click Here) Then there is Federal and California rebates for people who use solar power, perhaps the governing entities of the valley.

   Currently, BBARWA is discussing a new natural gas or diesel generator for the plant. This is a perfect example of thinking outside-of-the-box. Instead of building either, why not plan for the future to be completely off the grid for both electrical and natural gas, by building a solar power plant of their own. The location of BBARWA and the unobstructed view of the South skies, make the location ideal. Anyone who thinks that the rates for natural gas, diesel, or electricity will not rocket skywards, is putting their head in the ground. As these natural resources are clearly being used more and more, especially in third world countries, which means that the US and other first world countries will have to compete on the open market You don’t have to an economy major to realize that scarcity, due to less production or more customers, will have a major impact on the cost of these items.

   The presenters for the City Council and CSD could have told these groups that getting on board with solar power would, in the long run, have the affect of less electricity bills for lighting. If Caltrans can put little photo sensors on top of call boxes, then why not have one on top of each light post in the valley to light up our community? Why not use Bear Valley Electric as the back up for the solar power? Or how about putting photo cells on top of City Hall or even on a patch of land to power all the City’s facilities?

   So here is our challenge to the valley’s civic leaders; stating that they are on board with trying to cut global warming is just as good for the people of this valley, as it is good for the planet. By looking for ways to better manage the utilities by the use of reusable power or clean power, then they will leave a footprint only, and less pollution.

   The task for a medium or large City is much more difficult. A small town with the right leadership can be ready by the middle of this century, to power the valley, provide economical services to its residents, with independence from outside influences. We pride ourselves on our pioneer spirit and the independent ideals of our valley’s forefathers. The civic leaders of the valley should be looking into getting electrical vehicles so that they can ‘tank up’ at BBARWA or City Hall now.

   Solar power is just one avenue to be looked into. There is wind power and let’s face it the wind goes across the lake and down through the valley is constant. Santa Ana winds will always come and there is no way to stop it. Both the sun and the wind are free and will do their thing, if mankind uses them or not.

   It is time for this generation to provide for the future, without high cost to the valley’s residents today – and that is our challenge to our valley’s leaders.

   Can you imagine if every civic entity was using something like solar power for every pumping station, or governmental vehicles? How much money would it save them now in utility costs, which in turn on put on the consumer.

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