Investing in What’s Worthwhile
As we continue to bear the burdens of the Red, we must be conscious of what we have lost and what we have gained. We stand in the wake of what we hope is the worst, and while some of us stand victorious, others have lost more than mere property.
The destruction of a home that you have loved, lived and worked for is something that cannot be described with words. And it goes without saying that we empathize deeply with Valley City, Lisbon and all the communities who have lost, and who may have yet to see the worst. If you stand a victor, it is your obligation to tend to those who arrived at a grimmer outcome. Lend whatever you can, if only an attentive ear for the weary.
We hope that this last month will mean more to our community than simply dodging another bullet. When the time comes to crawl back up from the mud and brush off the dirt, will we wait until the next natural disaster to employ the supernatural collective will that is Fargo-Moorhead? No one can take the wind out of our sails but ourselves. Our next step, then, is to put our rejuvenated ambition into motion.
Do your part to keep our city, our state, and our beloved planet Earth clean. Pick up a candy bar wrapper off the street, give recycling a try, support local agriculture. There are a number of things we can do within our community to promote a cleaner, healthier environment. Those of you who helped with the flood effort likely recall the joy of protecting our city. Even though the work was hard and the conditions were sometimes dismal, there were more smiles than not in the trenches. You may have caught yourself wishing the flood wouldn’t end. An addiction to civic virtue is a glorious thing, and we hope none of you ever kick the habit. Get your fix and carry this momentum into the future.
Fighting the End of the World?
Some speculate that there is an ongoing series of catastrophes on our planet that seem to occur more and more frequently (Red River, Katrina, Sri Lanka, Italy…). While many scientists would argue that catastrophes such as these are regular occurrences in the grander geological scope, one can’t help but be a little paranoid. Is global warming the real deal? Are we nailing the lid to our own coffin?
Whether or not global warming is real, it is our obligation to improve this planet regardless. Do we really need natural disasters to point us in the right direction?
Thankfully, there are crusaders out there trying to beat the clock of our alleged path to self-destruction. We would like to acknowledge some of the incredible innovations being made in the name of a cleaner piece of the Galaxy. At the local level, the City of Fargo is utilizing natural gas emitted by our landfills to generate electricity, Moorhead is offering free curb-side recycling for all, and together they are doing their part make our community the best it can be.
In the short-term we can push for more renewable energy, more mass transit, do our part as individuals for the greater good, and a number of other things. In the long-term, we need to be investing more in the research and development of environment-enhancing technologies. All of the technology we are currently employing (wind, solar, methane, biodiesel, nuclear power, etc.), was new and innovative once. If we keep our eyes to the future, while still pushing for more of what we’ve got, we predict the results will be beyond measure.
Over the past six months, our weekly science columnist, Andrew Haynie, has highlighted a number of facets of research being conducted in the name of bettering the planet—some seemingly bizarre, some sounding more like science fiction. A few of the things he has discussed include: Utilizing E. Coli bacteria to create an alcohol more efficient than ethanol, the alleged “cleanliness” of clean coal, wave-powered turbines, and this week he explains how burning methane frozen in ice reduces CO2 emissions from the combustion process.
If you want proof of the fruits of exploring new technology, let us take a look at the power plant in Benson, Minnesota. In 2007, the community of Benson erected an energy plant called Fibrominn, that is fueled entirely by turkey litter (turkey leavings mixed with wood fragments). By burning 75 tons of turkey litter an hour in the stoker of a modified steam turbine generator, Fibrominn can generate enough energy to power up to 50,000 homes. It is currently powering roughly 45,000 homes already, and since they distribute to Xcel Energy, you may have been receiving turkey-poop power without even knowing it.
Fibrominn provides a safe means for litter combustion, while providing land farmers with a cleaner alternative to raw manure (which emits greenhouse gases). Clean, available energy, clean fertilizer. How is this facility the only one in the nation?
Earth is in an obvious state of peril. We can either invest in a cleaner Earth, or we can invest everything we have in space colonization, because we’re standing on a sinking ship. Which one is more practical?
Questions and comments: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- Members only features
- Members can email articles, add articles as favorites, add tags to articles and more. Register now to unlock additional features.
