[at-l] MATC and Windmills

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...Is that what your book is about?", asks Hummingbird.

My role in life seems to have evolved into "keeping the debate honest." It's
what I did mostly when I worked for a newspaper. Some will question it, but it's
essentially what I do on this list. I'm the crank that says damage occurs over
the years even though it's not noticeable initially.

The book grew out of the "first" energy crisis of 1973 and 1974. What I thought
were extravagant claims were being made about how much money could be saved by
using solar power, wind mills and other alternative energy sources. My book did
some basic arithmetic and tried to point out what makes economic sense and what
doesn't.

I didn't mind people experimenting. I did mind that people were being enticed
into investing in alternatives with the promise of saving money, when it wasn't
going to happen.

That aside, the book is basically a home energy primer. It talks about
insulation, wood heat, passive solar (that's the alternative that is absolutely
free and always is useful), weather stripping, ventilation needs and such.

It had only limited success. The publisher printed 10,000 copies and sold only
2,000. I bought the remainders for 10 cents each and gave them away door to door
when I ran for the state senate -- and lost.

A dozen or so copies show up annually at our local library sales. I buy them
back for 50 cents each, so that I will have a few on hand. I've offered them to
folks on the list and a few took me up on the offer. It's a no cost option. It
was so much fun giving them away, that I've never stopped.

Weary