Every once in a while, my dad and I exchange articles that
we think the other person will enjoy. Yesterday, he fittingly sent me a link to
‘‘The wild west of wind:’ Republicans push Texas as unlikely green energy leader’; the two authors note how Texas has become a national leader in wind
energy, producing three times as much energy as Iowa, the state with the second
largest wind capacity.
I loved seeing Texas perceived as a pioneer in renewable
energy. However, it must not be forgotten that the state similarly produces the
most natural gas, coal, and crude-oil across the whole of the United States
(EIA, 2017). This state is predominately Republican and sustainable practices
do not abide well with their agenda.
The article does not mention the Democrats, lobbyists, and
environmental organisations that work hard to push for a greener agenda. For
instance, the Sierra Club’s Lone Star Chapter, the grassroots environmental NGO
that aims to protect and preserve Texas’ natural resources, is involved in
advocating renewable energy at the local and state levels. I’m pretty sure that
without these people and their endurance, Texas wouldn’t be this ‘green energy
leader’.
References
EIA (2017) Texas:
State Profile and Energy Estimates, [Online]. Washington D.C.: U.S. Energy
Information Administration. Available at: http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=TX [Accessed 21
February 2017].
