Response to NDARE: Georgia Hill, Greenpace Frontline City Coordinator

Response to NDARE

While I applaud NDARE for their foresight to pursue renewable in North Dakota, especially wind, I would strongly caution the Alliance on investing in food sources for fuel. It is absolutely necessary that we develop alternative energy sources but we have to be extremely smart about what we harness all while keeping in mind the “big picture.”

The current method of ethanol production is not sustainable. Fossil fuel is still used in this method of production which will not help in stopping Global Warming. Experts across-the-board involved in this discussion have stated that corn-based ethanol will never supply more than 10 percent of our current fuel demands in our country. Corn will not solve problems at the gas pump and will not be able to be used as food if it’s being used as fuel (Union of Concerned Scientists). The grain that it would take to fill one 25-gallon gas tank with ethanol could feed ONE person for an entire YEAR. If corn is increasingly pumped up as a fuel source we will feel the cost in our pockets at our local grocery stores only taking more hard earned money away from American family at a time when many need their paychecks the most.

The good news is we can meet our energy needs with out corn-based ethanol (or coal and nuclear power for that mater). By mid-century we could see wind, solar, and other clean energy sources providing energy for half of our country (Greenpeace International). In 2007 alone the wind industry grew by 45 percent (American Wind Energy Association). Congress can help make dangerous, wasteful, and dirty energy sources a thing of the past if we urge them to step up and become champions on this issue. For more information I would encourage HPR readers to go to http://www.greenpeace.org to learn more about the issues surrounding Global Warming and the solutions we can make happen.

Georgia Hill
Greenpeace Frontline City Coordinator
formerly of Fargo
currently of Los Angeles