To the Editors, I want to thank William Cronon for his March 10th editorial opposing drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The fact that we as a nation are even considering desecrating a National Wildlife Refuge and a land sacred to the Native Gwich'ins for less than a year's supply of oil is a clear indication that we are far too dependent on oil and other 19th-century fuels. Superior energy sources already exist. The fastest growing energy source in the world is wind power, a clean, renewable energy source that does little environmental damage.
Solar energy is arguably even more attractive.
As demand for solar photovoltaics has increased, the price has plummeted. For two billion people worldwide who have no access to the electrical grid, solar energy is far more cost-effective than traditional fuels. We have viable alternatives to fossil fuels, but they are only effective if we use them. The devastation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be a terribly sad result of delaying our inevitable transformation to an economy based on clean, renewable energy sources.