Letter to the Editor - February 3, 2010

First wind turbine

In response to the article on the first wind turbine to rise in Essex County (Windsor Star, Jan. 19), I am always amazed at how many refuse to investigate the value of wind energy and instead focus on a cursory tabulation of the number of temporary jobs these projects provide.

Parallel to the corn ethanol bubble, I believe our governments have created a gold rush instead of a meaningful impetus to an overall solution regarding our future energy needs. The true "net job creation" figures of the industry are negative as shown in several European economics studies.

Spain's recent analysis has shown that for every "green" job into which they invested, 2.2 jobs were lost in other sectors. Therefore, touting that the Harrow Industrial Wind Project is providing 125 jobs represents a temporary fix that has diverted money from possibly more viable solutions.

One must also realize that the subsidies the wind industry receives do not reflect the quality of the energy product, its proximity to load, transmission congestion constraints, its ripple effects on the load balancing resources in our grids, its sprawl factor, nor the value received for the energy tax dollar compared with other technologies. Until proof of benefit can be quantified and verified, it is beholden on our governments to cease paying hard-earned tax dollars to this industry.

Everything we use, consume, buy, sell, import or export has a significant electricity cost buried in it. As electricity rates rise due to green madness, energy intensive industries struggle across the board. Whether through rates or tax dollars, keeping our electricity rates as low as possible is the best thing we can do to retain and build industry and commerce in our nation.

In turn, in a healthy economy, we have more resources with which to protect the environment. A healthy economy keeps us at full employment. A healthy economy also includes a thriving agriculture sector. There is tremendous push for the ag-food industry to be a part of the renewable energy bandwagon. I can't help think of the advances we could make in Ontario if the monies involved with the Green Energy Act were diverted to making growing food a thriving industry: food being the second largest employer in this province.

Colette McLean
Harrow Ontario

Hockey Day In Essex

I would like to acknowledge all the individuals involved with organizing Essex’s own Hockey Day in Canada. What a great day!

It is people like Drae Prentice, Don Kraynack, Nick Williamson, Joe Garon, Nick Diniro, and all the individuals involved that help make the community of Essex what it is. The amount of time and effort involved is amazing.

Watching the younger groups to the more out of shape older groups was a blast. The smiles on their faces and the memories they collected from this day are unforgettable.

Thanks again guys, and hopefully you can pull it off again next year.

Craig Baker