Letters

Letters to the Editor: August 28, 2009

Letters to the Portland Editor

By PORTLAND PHOENIX LETTERS | August 26, 2009

WARMING TO WIND POWER

The venting of wind-power skeptics in the Phoenix piece "What's Wrong With Wind Power" (by Deirdre Fulton, August 21) really misses a major point — global warming. When we finally get down to grappling with dangerous climate disruption all forms of non-carbon emitting power will rise. The slogan "No new electric power generation" cannot be our salvation because America must decommission 1100 coal-fired power plants or spend large sums capturing and storing their emissions. On the other hand, finding space for solar installations will get easier as deserts expand opening up new expanses of dry, uninhabitable real estate. It looks now like wind and solar power, plug-in hybrid vehicles, and above all else, breathtaking new energy-efficiency techniques will all be key. Maine needs to get wind power right, but I say "Blow, baby, blow."

Jon Hinck
State Representative
Co-Chairman of the Utilities & Energy Committee
Portland

CORRECTIONS IS BROKEN

Lance Tapley's continuous critique of Maine's Department of Corrections (for the latest installment, see "Secret, Co-Opted, and Unaccountable," August 14) gives us the most focused and objective reporting available on behalf of prisoners, prison staff, and overburdened taxpayers. In a society where prisoners, and the conditions and treatment they are subjected to, is often ignored by an uncaring public and glossed over by the DOC in the name of security and budget controls, Tapley has been a steadfast and courageous voice of advocacy for humanitarian treatment.

With a failed system based on political motives ("get tough on crime"), fear, and prejudice whereby we imprison 2.3 million citizens, 25 percent of the world's incarcerated — five to eight times more than Canada and Western Europe — Lance Tapley's body of work speaks the truth and exposes a correctional system that doesn't work and is shrouded by complicit quiet.

Jim Bergin
Blue Hill

Related: Photos: Stetson Wind in Maine, The Mighty Wind, A mighty wind, More

Photos: Stetson Wind in Maine
Photos of Stetson Wind in Washington County, Maine
The Mighty Wind
The Rhode Island recession, among the worst in the country, has become something of a national curiosity: how could such a little state be in such big trouble?
A mighty wind
This past Earth Day, President Barack Obama, speaking at an Iowa wind-turbine factory, delivered a gusty peroration. "The nation that leads the world in creating new energy sources will be the nation that leads the 21st-century global economy," he said. "America can be that nation. America must be that nation."
Photos: Art from paper bags
Photos from the GASP Gallery's 5th anniversary gala, Bag It!
An unlikely clash: wind developers and environmentalists
The growing push for wind power in Rhode Island is creating friction between wind developers and an unlikely group of critics: environmentalists.
Faltering steps forward
As in many other sectors, the green world in 2009 was marked as much by bluster as by tangible positive action.
Here comes the sun
It's All Right
Building on green energy
This month, my landlord will install new energy-efficient windows in my apartment. This is great news: Better insulation will reduce both my energy use and my heating bills. I'm happy to be experiencing first-hand what many agree is the single most-important step in the fight against global warming: eco-friendly building upgrades and weatherization.
Why wind power blows
The world is looking for a no-brainer solution to the 21st century's impending energy crisis, and wind power seems to provide many of the right answers.
Holding a finger to the wind
Across New England, there's currently less than 150 megawatts worth of wind turbines installed and operational. That's small change compared with what's happening in places such as Texas and California. But it's a whole lot more than existed just a few years ago.
Which way the wind blows
The venting of wind-power skeptics in the Phoenix piece “ Why wind power blows ” really misses a major point: global warming. When we finally get down to grappling with dangerous climate disruption, all forms of non-carbon emitting power will rise.
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ARTICLES BY PORTLAND PHOENIX LETTERS

DEPARTMENT OF CONJECTURE | January 27, 2010
The Haiti disaster will not serve to turn a state from toss-up to safely Republican as the George W. Bush Administration's calculated response to Hurricane Katrina did in Louisiana.

DIAMON FLIP-FLOPS | January 13, 2010
If Al Diamon wants to break down the political and other mistakes of the 21st century, he could include a few of his own.

COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT | December 30, 2009
Can we have a benefit show or something in the coming year to save up enough money to buy three ghosts (preferably the ghosts of local rock's past, present, and future) to visit Sam Pfeifle in his dreams to tell him the following.

CALL FOR HEALTH-CARE REFORM | December 22, 2009
The November 7 passage of health-care reform, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, in the House of Representatives was a very important and exciting moment for everyone who is dedicated to the idea that all Americans need and deserve access to high quality, affordable health care.

ABUSED BY THE SYSTEM | December 16, 2009
It is a Godsend to read the article "Stopping Abuse," by Deirdre Fulton, in the October 16 issue. I personally have been dealing with abuse most of my life.

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