Off Cape Cod in Massachusetts and off Long Island in NY are homes to some of the United States' best wind energy reserves. The only places more favorable are out west, such as North Dakota, Texas and California. You would think a prominent community like Cape Cod would be home to some of the most forward thinking citizens of our time. However, the "good neighbors" of Cape Cod have vehemently opposed the installation of large off-shore wind turbines. Some residents site that turbines kill birds. More often, though, critics think wind energy is a great thing - as long as the turbines are somewhere else. Wind merchants have been trying for years - and failing - to build turbines in these offshore waters. Every attempt was opposed by wealthy owners of shoreline mansions.

I'm no politician (or wealthy beach-front land owner), just someone who is tired of the wealthy few getting in the way of progress for everyone. I'm also not hesitant to point the finger at my home state and a community that's practically in Kook Wear's backyard. Our neighbors in St. Lucie Florida have been given the opportunity to have Florida's first wind energy installation. Residents are fighting the move, saying that governor Crist is using it as a ploy to be viewed as a "green Republican." There may very well be merit to that argument, however, the fact is that Florida does not have much good wind to farm. St. Lucie is lucky enough to have winds that can justify the installation of a small farm. My opinion is that it's their responsibility to allow these turbines to go up. I feel environmentally safe energy options should be deployed anywhere possible. I don't make it a habit to trust politicians very often either. But even politically motivated advances are exactly that... advances. Let's take it however we can get it, one step at a time.

Pura vida,
Ben