In this day and age, green and renewable energy is not only for the wealthy or the eccentric: the potential for their use is becoming more prevalent and widely used.
USM, for instance, recently finished New Hall, a “green” dorm, making it possible for the campus and its students to be more energy efficient.
We could go even further: the top of the hill on the Gorham campus, where Bailey Hall is located, would be an ideal location for generating both solar and wind power-it is clear of trees and exposed to sun.
Solar panels could be built on top of Bailey Hall, New Hall, as well as Woodward Hall.
The argument for the use of renewable energy is a good one. Solar and wind power, which make up a majority of available “green” energy, are especially money-saving because of the efficiency of the technology involved.
Advantages of solar power are numerous and for most people the pros outweigh the cons.
First, solar cells have the ability to absorb renewable energy from the sun without making any noise. But perhaps the most appealing benefit of solar energy is that, unlike oil, the sun is non-polluting.
This is crucial in an era of uncaring corruption of the atmosphere that protects us from so many outside problems. Instead of releasing greenhouse gases and carcinogens into the air, solar power allows us to collect power and put very little stress on the environment.
Really the only clear problem with solar power is that the initial bill is quite expensive. If you can afford it, however, the power will soon start paying for itself.
Advantages of wind power, especially at the top of a hill, are that there is plenty of wind to go around up there. Wind energy is easy to capture and with modern technology becomes very efficient as well.
Once towers are set up to catch the wind, they no longer contribute to greenhouse gases or other harmful substances. The turbine itself does not take much room.
This is good news for farmers, as they can place turbines on their land and continue to use the land below them for farming.
Though USM is no farm, we should set an example by employing wind and solar power, helping the environment and saving money at the same time