Tackling the Energy Monster
Guest Opinion by Verdel L. Petersen
The monster has grown to astronomical capacity, so has its ferocious appetite. It constantly gobbles, but is never satiated. The terror it evokes in the territory has some panic-strickened. When will this living nightmare cease? Will we eventually be consumed by the beast?
Although anxious, some brave citizens on St. Croix decided to control the monster. They made loud noises in an attempt to chase the beast away. Sadly, the plan failed; not being deterred, tough, they pledged to increase the decibel and frequency. A few thought of a better idea-appeal to the leaders of our land.Bemoan the hardship of feeding the monster and hope for a positive response was their plan. This plan also failed. The leaders tried to appease the monster by offering it a tantalizing treat. Needless to say, their effort did not cause it to retreat.
The legacy of the monster still confront us. At this point, the monster should not be a mystery. The beast causing so much fear is no other than the WAPA bill. As long as we consume electric energy and depend on WAPA, we will continue to fight the monster. WAPA uses fossil fuel to generate electricity. There are several disadvantage to burning fossil fuels. First, fossil fuel such as coal, oil, and natural gas produce air pollutants. Second, fossil fuels are a nonnnnnnrenewable resource. This means that once the world’s supplies are exhausted, there will be no more. The increasing rate of consumption is causing the rapid growth of the monster. Unless our government consider alternative energy sources, the energy crises will persist. Research on other energy resources as the sun, wind, water, nuclear fuels, and even biomass should be undertaken. Biomass includes plants, animal wastes, and all other forms of matter that come from living things.
It is not the sole responsibility of our government to ensure that the cost of electricity is reduced. All WAPA consumers can play a role in energy conservation. We could adopt the three R’s of saving energy-reuse, reduce, and recycle. Several energy saving tips have been suggested numerous times on the airwaves. How to reduce the cost of electricity is no secret. Teachers could ask students to write a proposal for a research project that would develop an alternative energy source. The governor might be able to award a student for producing an effective comprehensive energy plan. I am confident that there are high school students who are smart enough to create such a plan. The so-called experts will only cause the government bundles of money. These experts are sometimes purely motivated by greed; their fees for consultation could be enormous.
The cynics may argue that finding viable solutions to our energy problem is too time-consuming. Many citizens want instant relief. Further, some WAPA customers continue to complain that using less electricity does not make a dent in their bill. Since the customers cannot control the LEAC, they feel that they’re being held hostages by WAPA. Of course, WAPA is not to be blamed for the cost of fuel. The cost for a barrel of oil constantly fluctuates. Should we expect the barrel of oil to plummet? WAPA purchases fuel; it does not control the price of it. The cost of quenching the thirst of the monster will continue to rise. We are all feeding the beast, making it more monstrous. We must face the inevitable. Again, unless alternative energy sources are utilized, we will remain captives to WAPA.
We can no longer sustain our dependency on fossil fuel. We can no longer afford the escalating cost of electricity. The time to take proactive measures is now. Cheap talk and rumbling cannot make the monster disappear. Let’s be patient and mindful that our Honorable Governor John P. deJongh is working on a plan to resolve the energy crises. He needs the cooperation of all concerned citizens. Submit your proposals and ideas free of charge to him. I am drafting a reduce, reuse, and recycle proposal and plan to forward it to the governor’s website as soon as possible. Together we can battle the monster. We the people of these Virgin Islands, in order to form a more perfect paradise, establish economic stability; insure domestic tranquility, provide for clean air, alternative energy sources, and abundance of fresh water; promote energy conservation, efficiency, and cost-saving measures and secure a safe, clean environment for our future generation.
Verdel L. Petersen
St. Croix, VI
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