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:: Saturday, November 21st, 2009Boston Bureau
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CPN hosts environmental authors in Cambridge
10/25/07 · 7:07 am :: posted by CCToday
Environment: a Hot Topic at Harvard
Co-authors support Cape Wind and Clean Power Now
Co-authors support Cape Wind and Clean Power Now
By Libby Hughes, Boston Bureau for Cape Cod Today
Not only does Barack Obama have star power, he has promised to spend $150 billion on new sources of energy. Cape Cod’s advocacy group, Clean Power Now (CPN), is in love with this idea. So are the authors of a brand new book, called "Break Through, From The Death of Environmentalism to the Possibility of Politics.” by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus. Boston’s famed publisher, Houghton Mifflin, has never in its history invested in such a big, national book tour., and Harvard University hosted the young authors last night at their Museum of Natural History behind the Harvard Law School on the sticky, dank evening of October 24.
There was tough competition for these writers. The Red Sox were opening their kick-off to the World Series over at the Fenway with a blimp hanging auspiciously over the field. Nevertheless, they almost filled the Geological Lecture Hall to people of unwavering devotion to the subject of environment.
Cape Codders attended
A contingent of Cape Codders—Richard Elrick, Chuck Kleeklamp, Jim Liedell, filmmaker Liz Argo, Carl Freeman, and others-- from Cape Wind and CPN were there. Their fiery passion on the issue of environment brought them, too. Author and mentor Ross Gelbspan (The Heat is On and Boiling Point ) was also there to cheer them forward.
Afterwards, CPN hosted a fundraiser at the Hotel Marlowe, overlooking the Charles River in Somerville, near the famous Galleria shopping mall.
Rescuing Erie, PA
Shellenberger and Nordhaus started out as young idealists in 1984, trying to awaken Americans to pay attention to their surroundings. Nordhaus described how they went to Erie, Pennsylvania, because its industrial economy was dying. The two men tried to turn the thoughts of the jobless workers away from the factory closings to the possibility of creating new sources of energy and new jobs. The residents slowly began to feel a certain hope and enthusiasm.
Apollo Alliance
The two men established the Apollo Alliance for promoting clean energy. With stars in their eyes, they took the idea to Washington, D.C. and made a coalition with the trade unions. Guess what? Nothing happened. Despondent, they remembered Martin Luther King’s dream speech. They discovered that King gave a nightmare speech before the dream speech. He was in a dark mood. Singer Mahalia Jackson wouldn’t let King stay in a state of despair. She kept saying, “Martin, what about the dream? Tell them about the dream.” And so, the authors wouldn’t let their own dream die.
Politics of the Possible
Shellenberger then told the audience how they worked for various causes. They were convinced that because of global warming, new technology would make an impact in economic growth. The Breakthrough Institute, their small think tank, decided to reverse the Politics of Limits to the Politics of Possibilities, starting with innovation.
Unlimited opportunities
The authors kept repeating that new markets will open; economic development will prosper; and global freedom will come for individuals—the art of the possible. They dismiss the “gloom and doom” attitude. We can find out what China needs and supply it. They sounded very much like Thomas Friedman and his book, The World is Flat. Friedman’s theory is that the global economy is a level playing field for all of us to share and prosper. The two champions for environmentalism acknowledge that global warming and skyrocketing oil prices have forced us to think in new ways.
Greg Watson
CPN Annual Meeting tonight
Thursday, October 25,
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
The public is invited to attend Clean Power Now's annual meeting being held tonight, Thursday October 24, 2007 at the Heritage House, 259 Main Street, in Hyannis.
The keynote speaker is Greg Watson, Undersecretary of Energy and Environment for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Also, William and Dorte Griswold will be speaking about wind power in Denmark.
Light hors d'oeuvres and a cash bar will be available. What is CPN?
Here is a capsule sketch of what Clean Power Now is advocating for Nantucket Sound: How many wind turbines would be needed? 130. How tall are they above the ocean surface? 400+ feet. Jim Gordon, the head of Cape Wind Associates, would be the prime investor in search of other private investors. Once the wind farm is in operation, it would sell electricity.
McCain endorses Cape Wind
Barbara Hill, executive director of CPN, told the guests at the fundraiser, that she went to New Hampshire and asked Senator McCain if he supported the Cape Wind project. In front of 500 people and television cameras, McCain answered that he was for it, see story here. Hill proudly announced that CPN now has 9,000 members from Massachusetts and neighboring states.
Go to D.C. and the world
Nordhaus applauded the CPN achievements. He told CPN to take the fight to Washington, D.C. and to every place in this country and to the world.
Tidal energy
Also at the fundraiser was a man named Dan Rafferty. He represents a company called Natural Currents New England, headquartered in New Bedford. Their business is to make canisters of any size to be planted under water, creating electricity from tidal energy. He sees it as a complement, not a threat, to the wind turbines. Through the Federal Regulatory Commission (Ferc), the new company has temporary permits for the Cape Canal, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket. This company in New Bedford estimates that new jobs from 500 to 1,000 might be created.
According to some observers, the canisters are underwater and can’t be seen; thus making them an attractive product. From six miles offshore, the wind turbines appear to be a half inch tall on the horizon or like wind sails. In other words, not an eyesore.
ENVIRONMENT is a hot topic
6 comments
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Ted from Hyannis Port [Member] writes:
Chuck muscling his way into the bold print, nice...
maverick [Member] writes:
Libby..." Their fiery passion on the issue of environment brought them, too. "
Please explain how Cape Wind will help the environment. As Mark R. of CW has stated, it will have no impact on global warming.
But it will destroy Nantucket Sound and many endangered bird species.
What environment are you talking about? Your pocketbook and electric bill? No one has guaranteed lower electric bills with Cape Wind. But they have guaranteed the enrichment of a private developer at the expense of all the residents of Cape Cod.
Please explain how Cape Wind will help the environment. As Mark R. of CW has stated, it will have no impact on global warming.
But it will destroy Nantucket Sound and many endangered bird species.
What environment are you talking about? Your pocketbook and electric bill? No one has guaranteed lower electric bills with Cape Wind. But they have guaranteed the enrichment of a private developer at the expense of all the residents of Cape Cod.
Shecky [Member] writes:
Libby, ignore Mav, he's almost harmless and just off his meds again
capecrusader [Member] writes:
destroy Nantucket sound??
since glaciers created Nantucket exactly how will some wind turbines destroy it??
since glaciers created Nantucket exactly how will some wind turbines destroy it??
maverick [Member] writes:
Shecky...don't need med's for this one. A no brainer.
" In return for spoiling such natural beauty, wind farms produce only a fraction of the energy of conventional power plants while requiring hundreds of times the acreage. Two of the biggest wind farms in Europe have 159 turbines and cover thousands of acres between them, but together take a year to produce less than four days' output from a single conventional power station.
Similarly, a proposed wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts would require 130 towers and more than 24 square miles of ocean. "
" In return for spoiling such natural beauty, wind farms produce only a fraction of the energy of conventional power plants while requiring hundreds of times the acreage. Two of the biggest wind farms in Europe have 159 turbines and cover thousands of acres between them, but together take a year to produce less than four days' output from a single conventional power station.
Similarly, a proposed wind farm off the coast of Massachusetts would require 130 towers and more than 24 square miles of ocean. "
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LIBBY HUGHES is capecodtoday's Boston reporter. She is an author, editor, playwright, and lyricist. She has been the co-publisher of three cape newspapers and has freelanced for major newspapers in Africa and Asia. She is a summer resident of Brewster.
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