I applaud guest columnist Michael Alterman’s personal decision to lower his own energy consumption. He is correct that we all need to do this. [“Solar panels are not virtuous,” Gazette, March 4]
But I disagree with his conclusion about limiting the growth of renewable energy.
The writer seems to argue that because we have not managed energy growth and use well in the past, it is useless to expand renewable energy. He is correct that we have not phased out fossil fuels as rapidly as needed, have not even set appropriate goals in that regard, and have not focused on decreasing overall energy use. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t create more solar farms — his argument is a false binary.
Of course, we must decrease fossil fuel use far more rapidly than we have been doing. We must focus on decreasing personal, corporate and governmental/military energy use. And, as Alterman points out, we must also reduce wealth inequality and stop making economic growth our ultimate goal. But we can do all that, and also produce more renewable energy. In fact, given the realities, we must do both — as Alterman, with his new solar panels, is doing.
Susan Donaldson
Northampton