Renewable Energy is Our Future

In this photojournalism article, author Averie Black hopes to spread awareness on how we use energy in our town.

Renewable Energy is Our Future

By Averie Black

For hundreds of years, Oregon has been known for its mountains, trees, rivers, and the abundance of charming nature that supports its ecosystem, but ever since 1889, when the first power lines were installed in Willamette Falls Oregon, the empty skies are filled with wire. Since technology has advanced, technicians have the ability to replace these ugly power cables with alternative energy and take back the beauty of the past. Although Southern Oregon is the perfect candidate for alternative energy with our wind, rivers, frequent power outages, and uncanny ability to catch fire, Grants Pass, along with many other towns, has not yet advanced towards alternative energy.

Over quarantine, power cables were put to the test. More power outages than ever spread across the US during the pandemic, and a lot of it was due to the strange weather patterns of 2020. This is not only inconvenient, but dangerous. Fallen cables send violent shocks through anyone who touches them, killing people instantly. Trained technicians risk electrocuting themselves every time they have to fix fallen or broken cables. Power cables also have a track record of starting fires, which we do not need any more of. Alternative energy, such as solar panels, hydropower, and wind energy can prove more durable and safe than power lines. For example, an article written by Justine Calma, the science reporter for The Verge, states, “Renewable energy — particularly solar panels paired with batteries and microgrids — has the potential to make the grid more resilient when disaster does strike.” Global warming is continuing to affect our weather, and scientists expect similar storm patterns in the future.

Photos taken at Tom Pearce Park

Substation in Grants Pass

Cell Phone Tower in the Middle of Town

Substation in Grants Pass

Warning Sign on the Fence of a Grants Pass Substation

By using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels, a few impacts will happen. Firstly, it will greatly reduce the amount of Carbon Dioxide being released into the atmosphere, causing climate change. According to the website Union of Concerned Scientists, a non-profit group founded by scientists and students from Massachusetts Institute of Technology,“Increasing the supply of renewable energy would allow us to replace carbon-intensive energy sources and significantly reduce US global warming emissions.” In addition to that, renewable energy is more sustainable than fossil fuels. While the Sun, wind, and rivers provide natural energy sources, there is a limited supply of coal, oil, and natural gas, not only making alternative energy more environmentally friendly, but also more reliable.

With the fall of power lines and rise of alternative power, bringing Oregon back to the natural beauty it once was will be an ease. Switching from cables to alternative energy will not only bring natural aesthetics back, but will help the fight against climate change and insure a healthy ecosystem for future generations.

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