The luxury of esthetics

Serving North Haven and Vinalhaven, the Fox Islands wind turbine project is underway. Many of the islands in Penobscot Bay have to buy mainland electricity at ruinous rates; the three turbines planned will save money, eventually, and make the islands energy independent, both good Maine virtues. The project has had overwhelming support from the residents.

Emboldened by this, Monhegan is also considering a turbine. And now the oil paint thickens. How would the artists and nature lovers coming to this natural heaven on earth deal with an artificial thing standing 130 feet tall, gently roaring? Would they take their easels and money belts elsewhere? Or would they, we, all accept that this is the price of progress?

Electricity is our sacramental wine. We must have it at all costs, preferably not as the result of fossil fuel incineration, but still we must have our lights, our computers, our lifestyles. Only the most severe of isolationists thinks we can live without it. Power is both the sin and the forgiveness of our lives: coal and oil is the addiction, wind and solar and tide machines the cure.

It seems we don't have the luxury of esthetics anymore, especially in poor Maine where nearly 90% of power comes from fossil fuels. Even in wealthy Massachusetts the folks of the Cape and the Islands will, I'm sure, eventually succumb to the arguments of Cape Wind. What no one questions is the need for all these machines in the first place.