Local politicians push alternative energy

On July 22, the Senate pulled the climate bill from the calender; even as we are filling the Gulf of Mexico and the shorelines of four states with pollution to last well into the next many decades.

On July 22, in Farnborough, England, the airlines and the aircraft manufacturers were working extremely hard to show that their aircraft cut emissions and increased fuel efficiency. These airline companies and engine manufacturers were also demonstrating their ability to use fuels made from sugar cane, prairie grasses and other renewable fuel sources.

Do you think that Boeing, Airbus, United, American, and others would work so hard on climate changing technologies if doing so would increase their bottom line costs?

When you hear about increasing taxes and job-killing climate protection laws, think about the companies whose bottom lines would be affected. If user companies are working so hard to change fuels and efficiencies, climate changing technology must be a good thing.

In the Fox Valley we are very lucky to have a group of farsighted politicians, who got together to promote legislation to bring alternate energy technology to Elgin. Senators Noland and Lauzen, representatives Crespo, Farnham and Schmitz, brought Siemens to the valley, manufacturing wind turbine parts, and hiring new people. They were working on all of this before the federal stimulus bill.

If you are fortunate enough to live in Community Unit District 300, 301 and 220 you can thank your school board members for looking far enough into the future to work with these legislators on alternative cost-efficient energy. These folks should be re-elected and allowed to continue to work for a clean environment, new high paying jobs and cheaper energy costs for our school districts.

Ernie Ebner

Elgin