By all rights, Arizona should be the solar energy capitol of the world. But it isn't. Right now, Germany is producing more solar power than Arizona. Germany! Close your eyes and imagine all the jobs that aren't being created here. Breathtaking, isn't it? You might think that those twin Sequoias of the Arizona congressional delegation, our esteemed Senators, Jon K. and John M., or Null and Void, as I prefer to think of them, would spend all of their time promoting legislation that would thrust our state into the forefront of the green energy revolution. You would be mistaken.
Thirty years ago, a Phoenix developer built a small solar powered subdivision. He went to JPL and ARCO Solar for the latest technology and even got the Department of Energy involved. He had plans to use what he learned from this first project to build an entire solar powered city, that also incorporated the latest water saving technology, near where Anthem is today. But he had to fight against the utility companies every step of the way and finally decided that, even though the subdivision was a success, it wasn't worth all the hassle to try and build his solar city. So he moved on to other projects...
That small subdivision is still in existence, its solar panels turning out clean, cheap energy. And surrounding it are hundreds of thousands of homes that get their electricity from coal fired plants. That's because it's cheaper in the short run to burn coal or build another dam somewhere upstream. So that's what we do. Forget about acid rain, ground water depletion and pollution, cancerous toxins, and overall air quality. What are you, some kind of environmentalist fairy? The status quo is always so much easier--in the short run. Don't make waves. Just hold your breath and try to tread water until the next real estate boom comes along. Because that's how we roll in Arizona.
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