Ideas on energy; religion in America

Ideas on energy

A good solution for those with a “not in my backyard” mentality would be to impose on them a large premium (tax!) on any energy from oil or gas used by them or their community.

The premium would be on their gasoline, heating fuel, electricity, food (it takes petroleum to fertilize, plant, grow and harvest) and all goods from virtually any store (delivered by trucks, trains or planes that use fossil fuels).

It’s easy to pick a fight against an industry until you realize how dependent you are on that industry.

Let’s examine the facts. Fracking isn’t the real issue. It’s America’s massive need for energy — energy that can’t be replaced (only supplemented) by wind, solar and hydrothermal at this time or ever, by other means known today.

Let’s step back into the 19th century and turn out our lights, give up our cars, raise our own animals for food and clothing and grow our own vegetables.

When you’re willing to do that, I’m willing to say let’s not frack in your back yard.

— Philip Carlisle, Arlington

Texas does need to implement a robust Demand Response program to head off future rolling brownouts.

But rather than requiring occasional cutbacks in utility power demand from a scattering of electricity customers, what if hundreds of thousands more customers voluntarily reduced their electricity demand?

And what if they performed this magnanimous deed without receiving any compensation from their electricity provider? And what if they performed it every day?

Well, it’s happening daily at thousands of North Texas homes, schools, offices, commercial buildings, libraries, police stations, city hall buildings and an array of other sites.

These property-owning electricity customers are reducing the total statewide demand on the hundreds of for-profit electricity-generating plants, much to the annoyance of their investors/owners.

And without even trying, they’re reducing the prospect of another midsummer utility meltdown and reducing their monthly electric bills as well!

How do they do it? Simple!

They invest in a solar electric power system that feeds directly back into the building’s electric breaker panel so that whatever is running is completely or partially powered by the sun.

Solar is an option that should be promoted and incentivized statewide, but influential investors don’t seem to agree.

— Jim Duncan, Azle

If you truly believed that humans are causing the climate to change because we burn fossil fuels, you would be in favor of switching to an alternative fuel that is clean (no carbon), safe and reliable.

Just 40 miles south of Fort Worth, the Comanche Peak nuclear power plant has been quietly generating power for more than a million homes for 25 years. It also generates about 1,400 well-paying jobs.

A few years ago, Luminant Energy proposed to expand the facility. More clean, safe, reliable energy. More jobs.

Guess who started to kick and scream? The very folks who say that burning coal and gas is destroying the world.

— Mike Leinen, Grapevine

Religion in America

My mouth literally fell open as I read the words “religion has no part in this country” in a July 3 letter (“Court and marriage”).

Has this letter writer been living with her head in a sack?

The Pilgrims coming here seeking religious freedom, the massive crowds singing God Bless America, even each new president swearing his oath of office with a hand on the Bible.

All are woven into the very fabric of America.

And in her spare time, the writer should perhaps check each bill and coin in her purse.

Every one is imprinted with the words “In God We Trust” !

— Norma Glover, Weatherford

July 4 parade

The Arlington Fourth of July Parade has evolved from a small cadre of youth on bicycles, pedaling around the small lake in Randol Mill Park in 1965, to 160 entries that included giant floats, marching bands (and still some decorated bicycles) on a two-mile route that stretches through a flourishing downtown Arlington.

The all-volunteer Arlington 4th of July Association works 11 months planning the parades, and I know that former Arlington Council member Dottie Lynn, Beverly Leggett and members of Church Women United, who staged that first parade, were smiling down on its 50th anniversary on July 4.

I was so proud of the hard work of the entrants and the spirit of the more than 60,000 spectators who showed so much love of country and community.

America needs more family-oriented events like the parade, where parents, kids and grandkids can sit together and take pride in the values celebrated in a good-old fashioned Fourth of July parade!

Thanks to all who made Arlington’s possible.

— Donna Darovich, Arlington

This story was originally published July 10, 2015 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Ideas on energy; religion in America."