In between doing some Planet Green events I’ve been filming for G Word, one of Discovery’s new shows. Here’s a recap on one of my favorite episodes that I think you’ll totally dig. Btw, can you pick out the Campus Climate Challenge pin I’m wearing? Stay tuned for some clips, bloopers, and what it looks like going up a wind turbine!
“I imagine putting up a windmill is quite a big undertaking,” I said to Ned Hall, President of AES Wind Energy. “Yes, very much so,” he responded. “So when one is going up, do you notify the community that you are having a big erection?” Oh yes I did, I said it. Bam, Bam, Bam. (joke I got compliments of W. LaDuke)
A windmill kisses the wind.
Journey to the Center of a Windmill
Where: Abilene, TX—the “Friendly Frontier” of wind energy and the U.S. city with the most churches per square mile (as told to me by a Wiccan cab driver who picked us up from the airport).
What: Explore wind energy and what it means to us
Why: Because gas isn’t cheap or green and wind seems like a cool, viable alternative
“It’s kinetic art,” Ned Hall, President of AES Wind Energy said to me as we looked out over the miles and miles of magnificent white wind turbines. The rotating blades were hypnotizing, leisurely spinning their 120ft arms in the wind. The blades may only turn 20 revolutions per minute, but the 20 mph winds were enough to whip our hard hats off as we craned our necks David-&-Goliath-style to ogle at the impressive structures that easily rival the Statue of Liberty in height.
The producers told me I’ll be climbing to the top of the windmills. Ha! Good thing I didn’t tell them I am terrified of heights until we were in the safety training. They seemed pretty pissed that I didn’t let them in on that important tidbit of information beforehand. Hell, I didn’t even know you could climb up the belly of a windmill. What’s in there anyway? How does it convert wind to electricity? And what does it look like from the top of a turbine? I guess my curiosity totally outweighed my acrophobia, because I had a blast climbing to the top to salute the breeze.
What can you do?
- Call your energy supplier to find out if you can purchase environmentally-friendly energy alternatives like wind;
- Like to play the stock market? Invest in wind energy companies;
- Offset your travel emissions with accredited companies like Native Energy, which re-invests the money into wind energy projects
- Get involved in the alternative energy revolution. Support or get involved in organizations like Energy Action, Green for All, 1 Sky, and others.
- Sign up for Power Vote, whose goal is to get 1,000,000 young citizens supporting clean energy solutions, which will be unveiled at the next Powershift Feb 27-Mar 2 in Washington, D.C.
“I stand erected”
These are the scenes Planet Green didn’t want you to see…Coming soon…Coming soon. Coming soon.
At a windmill construction site in Abilene, TX
This is how big they are!
Free, clean energy: Wind and Solar!
Line ‘em up!
Energy Action, pin-up style
Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you. That is a Campus Climate Challenge pin.
Filming at the wind turbine erection site.
Shafted! Yah, I’m not just showing you this for posterity’s sake. I actually climbed up this monster! 250 ft into the air on the belly of a windmill. How about that!?!
That’s me in the top of the wind turbine, standing on the gears.
And this is my view from the top…Prepare yourself…
My view from the top! Windmills as far as the eye can see.
The answer is a resounding “YES!” I did get to hang over the edge of the windmill’s nose.
Lovely view. Lovely view.
