Government Not Earth Friendly

Dear Tradewinds,

How our government wastes energy with permits of new large constructions.

We hear constant reminders that it is necessary to save energy, mainly energy obtained from combustion of oil. There are many recommendations and projects targeted to save energy and produce energy without burning valuable carbohydrate fuels which are unfortunately the almost irreplaceable sources for transportation.

We also hear this strongly on our islands: build wind generators, experiment with solar energy, use more efficient light bulbs, warm up your water with solar power etc. This is marvelous; the government even contributes to your expenses of some of these things including installation of water saving toilet tanks. This is one, very positive activity of one branch of our government.

On the other hand, we have terrible, unnecessary waste of energy caused by another branch of our government: There is a good regulation that all new residential houses must have water catchments cisterns, smaller for one-floor houses, larger for two-floor houses depending on the size of the roof.

This is very good arrangement because rain water you do not catch must be produced by the government by using plenty of electric energy which is produced mostly from oil. On top of it, this water must be transported to most places by heavy trucks which consume additional fuel and also significantly contribute to destruction of roads and slow-down of traffic. It is therefore in our common interest to use this source of water as little as possible.

However, our government unfortunately does not have this in mind. It helps to waste the energy needed to produce and distribute water — there are currently three building developments under construction having three or more floors. Of course the roof surface in these buildings is not adequate to catch enough rain water and the water needed will have to be mostly delivered.
Such energy-wasting constructions were recently started in Calabash Boom and two large condominium complexes in Cruz Bay. Calabash Boom is especially wasteful because the water has to be transported by trucks wasting additional oil. The government even recently allowed the developers of Calabash Boom to cancel construction of their own reverse osmosis water production plant which means that they will use water trucks to complement their inadequate catchments of rain water.

In addition, Calabash Boom will be residences for working people. Since most jobs are in Cruz Bay area, additional energy used for daily transportation of the residents going far to work will be wasted. The committee permitting this nonsense not only does not realize that they are doing wrong thing, they also do not allow any public criticism of their action. Where is the democracy if you do not allow to hear what the concerned other people are saying?

This energy-wasting policy should be stopped: all new buildings should have adequate roof surface and water storing capacity to minimize the need to get water from government sources. This means to revise and scale down the recent projects like Calabash Boom.

Name Withheld by Request