This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The main section of The Tribune on June 21 contained the article, "First day of summer scorches Southwest." The article correctly ties the heat wave to climate change and warns of the dangers of severe injuries and even death to people and pets.
The article speaks of "straining the power grid," and the operator of California's power grid, calling on people to conserve electricity during peak hours.
What the article makes no mention of is the fact that these increasingly common and dangerous heat waves make the development of alternate energy sources, such as rooftop solar, solar farms and wind farms, even more important. The article makes no mention of how rooftop solar, during peak hours, can supply energy to the grid, taking stress off the grid.
Instead, we get utility companies and fossil fuel lobbyists trying to sabotage cheap and effective solar power. We get utility companies trying to discourage customers from installing rooftop solar, by levying cumbersome, additional fees for spurious reasons.
It is time that we as citizens, take action locally to improve our energy environment, save money and start fixing the climate.
Michael A. Kalm, M.D.
Millcreek