Dear Editor,
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.“ (Proverbs 29: 18)
I agree with letter writer Cen’C Lovengston that we’re courting disaster by continuing to use electricity from fossil fuels when we have more than enough sunshine to produce clean energy in excess of our needs. Indeed, we are short-sightedly ignoring evidence that only big oil and those who make huge profits from fossil fuels benefit from destroying our environment and holding us hostage.
After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the only electricity available in some parts was a solar unit; it enabled a small community to bake bread the very next day. At nights, solar lights in two sports field, previously set up by a Haitian businessman, attracted crowds desperate to escape the darkness that blanketed Port-au-Prince. The general electricity supply took a very long time to return, as office buildings, generators, posts and lines were extensively damaged in the areas affected. Eventually, solar lighting was provided for the tent city for reasons of safety and economics. It provided the cheapest light, required no fuel purchase, and caused no fire hazard to easily combustible tents.
The National Housing Trust (NHT) has billions in reserve, more than enough to provide solar electricity for its clients. All NHT houses should be off the grid for water and electricity — solar powered, with tanks of sufficient capacity to supply homes year-round, with water recycled for gardening. Models for both are pretty easy to find.
In Belize, every house has a tank; only rain water is available for domestic use. The island of Tokelau (close to New Zealand) is powered completely by solar energy since 2012. Prior to going solar, Tokelau had electricity 15-18 hours daily. Now, they produce 150 per cent of their needs and will repay the loan in nine years, by 2021. They have cold winters, sometimes getting up to 12 inches of snow in a day. We have no such drawback.
We have lost quite a bit of the Hellshire beach, reclaimed by the sea, due to global warming, and unless the issue is addressed we will lose more. One of the Pedro Cays islands, Jamaica’s premier fishing ground, has already disappeared under water. The other two are going. This means the loss of vital food as well as jobs. Jamaica Public Service just received an increase, despite falling oil prices; our electricity bills went up with no new equipment and every effort to cut back. With solar power, price increases will be a thing of the past. Hawaii is going solar for cheaper electricity. Solar power keeps getting cheaper and more efficient.
With more churches per square mile than any other country, we often forget that God made us stewards of the environment and will demand an accounting, bringing “to ruin, those ruining the Earth” (Rev 11: 18). Can we please do the maths and publish the results as to the economy of this?
Novlette Myers
nhemyers@hotmail.com
“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.“ (Proverbs 29: 18)
I agree with letter writer Cen’C Lovengston that we’re courting disaster by continuing to use electricity from fossil fuels when we have more than enough sunshine to produce clean energy in excess of our needs. Indeed, we are short-sightedly ignoring evidence that only big oil and those who make huge profits from fossil fuels benefit from destroying our environment and holding us hostage.
After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, the only electricity available in some parts was a solar unit; it enabled a small community to bake bread the very next day. At nights, solar lights in two sports field, previously set up by a Haitian businessman, attracted crowds desperate to escape the darkness that blanketed Port-au-Prince. The general electricity supply took a very long time to return, as office buildings, generators, posts and lines were extensively damaged in the areas affected. Eventually, solar lighting was provided for the tent city for reasons of safety and economics. It provided the cheapest light, required no fuel purchase, and caused no fire hazard to easily combustible tents.
The National Housing Trust (NHT) has billions in reserve, more than enough to provide solar electricity for its clients. All NHT houses should be off the grid for water and electricity — solar powered, with tanks of sufficient capacity to supply homes year-round, with water recycled for gardening. Models for both are pretty easy to find.
In Belize, every house has a tank; only rain water is available for domestic use. The island of Tokelau (close to New Zealand) is powered completely by solar energy since 2012. Prior to going solar, Tokelau had electricity 15-18 hours daily. Now, they produce 150 per cent of their needs and will repay the loan in nine years, by 2021. They have cold winters, sometimes getting up to 12 inches of snow in a day. We have no such drawback.
We have lost quite a bit of the Hellshire beach, reclaimed by the sea, due to global warming, and unless the issue is addressed we will lose more. One of the Pedro Cays islands, Jamaica’s premier fishing ground, has already disappeared under water. The other two are going. This means the loss of vital food as well as jobs. Jamaica Public Service just received an increase, despite falling oil prices; our electricity bills went up with no new equipment and every effort to cut back. With solar power, price increases will be a thing of the past. Hawaii is going solar for cheaper electricity. Solar power keeps getting cheaper and more efficient.
With more churches per square mile than any other country, we often forget that God made us stewards of the environment and will demand an accounting, bringing “to ruin, those ruining the Earth” (Rev 11: 18). Can we please do the maths and publish the results as to the economy of this?
Novlette Myers
nhemyers@hotmail.com