ON A RIDE FOR RENEWABLES

Ohio Embracing “Big” Solar; President Kennedy’s Legacy Lives; Pennsylvania Embracing Wind Power; Giving Thanks
Tom Weis, November 17-25, 2010 (Ride for Renewables

Tom Weis is riding from Colorado to Washington, D.C., to announce his call for the U.S. to move to 100 % renewable energy by 2020. These are excerpts of his reports from the road:

November 17, 2010: Ohio Embracing “Big” Solar

"…one of the nation’s largest solar farms is being developed in Zanesville. This popular project, fittingly called “Turning Point,” is expected to bring up to 600 jobs through local manufacturing of the solar panels needed for the nearly 50 MW solar farm. Even more fittingly, it is being sited on a former coal mine. The project is slated to go online in 2012…"

November 22, 2010: President Kennedy’s Legacy Lives

"…today marks the 47th anniversary of one of the darkest moments in U.S. history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy…But you cannot kill a dream. President Kennedy’s bold call to land a man on the moon before the end of the decade was successfully achieved…I chose the 48th anniversary of his historic 'moon shot' speech…to launch my ride because we need a modern day, green energy moon shot today to revive our economy, put unemployed Americans back to work and protect the planet for future generations…[In the 'moon shot' speech, Keenedy said] 'We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.'"



"We can choose to green our energy grid…It would also demand…the political courage and personal strength to stand up to the powerful and wealthy special interests, in this case, the fossil fuel and nuclear lobbies. The easy choice is to keep doing things as we always have, while unemployment lingers; the economy stagnates; China claims the mantle of world economic superpower; and the climate continues to deteriorate. The hard choice, and the one that will 'organize and measure the best of our energies and skills,' is for President Obama to boldly challenge the nation to renew America with renewable energy by the end of the decade.

"…[President Kennedy once said] 'The problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by the obvious realities. We need men who can dream of things that never were and ask 'why not?'"

From PointsofOriginII via YouTube

November 24, 2010: Pennsylvania Embracing Wind Power

"…Near the little town of Garrett, was excited to spy a large wind turbine on the horizon through the trees…Saw a few more turbines as I came to the town, so headed up a country road in search of the project. The hill was so steep I had to push the trike up part of it, but I was determined to get closer. Pedaled a few miles further and made a good guess on a side road which took me right smack into the middle of the project. Surrounding me were 30 megawatts of wind projects, all I believe developed by Florida Power & Light, including one sited on land reclaimed from a coal strip mine. It was a beautiful sight to behold.,, Turning around to pedal back down the hill, I was met by a dozen or more turbines a few ridges away. Was graced by a regal-looking hawk alighting on a branch above me as I pedaled towards the project…"

November 25, 2010: Giving Thanks

"…Today is about gratitude, and counting all the wonderful blessings…"