Questionable education
Stratford Gazette, www.stratfordgazette.com 9 December 2010
Re: Students break ground on solar panel project, news, Dec. 2
I question some of the subject area that the students are learning. Although a great project of environmental awareness, I wonder if the economics department passed its approval to this project.
A project to build spirit, a project to involve students and a project to make money, but is this a project able to develop economic sustainability? A businessman loves to sell high. But can he stay in business by buying at 10 times the going rate?
As a business, to sell power at 82 cents is good profitable business, but what customer can buy the power for that price and stay sustainable? How long would any business be able to stay viable at those prices?
What household owner is going to put up their hand and say “I will pay for 82 cent power?” If one group is going to sell it, another is going to buy it. But if the price becomes unrealistic … that’s another lesson.
In the article, it stated the students toured wind farms. An industrial wind electricity production plant is no more a wind farm than a school is an education farm. As the school group toured these wind sites, I hope the social justice school club discussed the people from Kincardine, Shelburne and Essex-Kent areas who have been driven from their homes by the health effects from industrial wind turbines.
Students gain great value from questioning, getting involved and being engaged. I congratulate them for that. To the adults and teachers, be sure to open their minds to all aspects of a topic.
The topics here to discuss could be sustainability of electricity at 82 cents, social injustices and health issues with wind turbines or the real question might be “What kind of energy policy has our government got in place?”
Keep up the good work students, life provides lots of learning opportunities.
Tom Melady
Dublin
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2010/12/09/questionable-education/