Outside my window, the leaves on the maple tree are popping out. An early spring is upon us. The cherry blossoms around the tidal basin in Washington D.C. arrived several days early this year. In fact, ABC News reported in 2024 that “While warming temperatures are causing cherry blossoms all over the world to bloom earlier, rising sea levels are leaving the National Park Service no choice but to cut down more than 150 trees that have lined the waterfront view for more than a century.”
While we revel in the warmth, we suppress the reality that greenhouse gases not only give us early spring, but also the global warming that threatens nature’s beauty and health as we have known it. For example, some parts of the country are facing droughts, floods and forest fires.
Of the total global warming carbon dioxide, 33% is produced by oil, gas and coal-fired generation of electricity. According to American Clean Power, “Today more than 75,000 onshore wind turbines across the country are generating clean, reliable power. Wind power capacity totals over 161 GW, making it the fourth-largest source of electricity generation capacity in the country. This is enough wind power to serve the equivalent of more than 46 million American homes.”
Over the course of a year, modern turbines can generate usable amounts of electricity over 90% of the time. A typical wind turbine can repay its carbon footprint in less than half a year and will generate emission-free electricity for the remainder of its lifespan. The Center for Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan reported that, “If 35% of U.S. electricity was wind-generated by 2050, the electricity sector would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 23%, eliminate 510 [metric tons] of CO2 emissions annually, and decrease water use by 15%.” The U.S. has an estimated 463,400 terra-watt hours of renewable energy technical potential, but less than 1% is used.
“I can proudly say, Doug, that we have not approved one windmill since I’ve been in office. And we’re going to keep it that way. My goal is to not let any windmill be built. They’re losers.” These are the words spoken by President Trump to his interior secretary, Doug Burgum, at a recent White House event. This scurrilous attitude expresses a total disconnect from the value of renewable energy. It proclaims a total disregard for the wellbeing of the Earth and the health of humankind.
Grasping for justification, Trump even raises a spurious concern for the environment. He has said that wind turbines are, “very bad environmentally; they kill the birds; they’re unsightly; they make a lot of noise.” It is also true that the turbines are noisy, but two people standing directly under one are able to carry on a conversation without shouting. Also, Trump’s efforts to stop the construction of windfarms has involved spending nearly $2 billion to facilitate doing nothing — paying companies to stop wind generation projects. Several large-scale wind energy projects on the east and west coast of the U.S. have been canceled in the last few months. Some of them were well on their way to being completed.
No pride should be taken in blocking proven ways to construct pollution-free generation of electricity. It is ludicrous and nefarious to sacrifice the health of the environment to profits from oil and gas burning power plants. Financial profits are reaped by only the few already wealthy. However, with the use of solar and wind power, the many will profit from a cleaner environment and an inexpensive energy source, as well as the enjoyment of spring with a good conscience.
John Buttrick writes from his Vermont Folk Rocker in his Concord home, Minds Crossing. He can be reached at johndbuttrick@gmail.com