Craig Jungers wrote: > On Mon, Oct 19, 2009 at 12:31 AM, rebyl_kayak < > rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com> wrote: > >> Of course I wouldn't dream of encouraging controversy or tangential topics >> :~) but if anyone wants to take this up off line! >> >> >> I'm not at all sure it's tangential. Paddling itself is, after all, a form > of alternative energy. Any, or all, of us could simply switch to some sort > of engine other than the human one if we were so inclined. > > My wife and kids and I cruised on a sailboat for years that was powered by a > combination of solar panels and one wind generator (as well as a Volvo > diesel that could be hand-cranked to start). Of all those forms the wind > generator was by far the most intrusive. The diesel was louder in decibels > but would only need to be run an hour to do the same charge as 24 hours of > that almost equally noisy wind generator. But the solar panels only needed > to be repositioned a few times a day and never interfered with sleep! > There was an interesting article in the local newspaper (Ottawa Citizen) the other day. A gentleman in Ottawa had undertaken, at considerable expense, to install solar panels on his roof in order to power his own systems and to sell the excess to Ontario Hydro. While everything is working as he planned, as far as the equipment itself is concerned, the Ontario government changed the rules (possibly in reaction to the USA's "Buy American" policies) and now claims that they will not pay for his excess power because an insufficient percentage of the hardware is of Canadian origins. So he gives the excess power away -- and they don't seem to be complaining about getting it. This same gentleman attempted to install a small wind turbine in his back yard. The city, while encouraging "green" ventures, refused him a permit because the structure was tall enough that, if it fell over (despite being anchored VERY solidly), some part of it would encroach on a neighbour's yard. It would certainly seem, from this particular gentleman's experience, that governments large and small are not as "green" as we'd like them to be. (Which also ties in, in a way, with the thread about PFDs and offshore kayaking in Australia. Elected officials may know how to get elected, but it seems they run out of knowledge right after the votes get counted.) -- Darryl *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Mon Oct 19 2009 - 10:36:59 PDT
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