Margotlog: You Are My Sunshine

Margotlog: You Are My Sunshine

My only sunshine. You do make me happy. Dreaming of catching you in sun flower disks, and little peaked roofs, in giant mirrored faces that track across the sky. My sunshine, our sunshine, with as much potential as Houston, as New Jersey. Never thought of that, didja, Minnesota?

At home, we had our 1912 peaks and valleys assessed. Not so fine, with many "facets" high along a crowded urban street. Not so fine for applying shining solar panels. Better would be a roof with a long sun-south facing slope like friends we know closer to the Big River. Perfect for gathering rays and transmiting them to the electrical grid. Not only to beam heat and light inside, but sell the extra bucks back to Xcel! How bout them bananas?

Yet I persist, calling to help the Sierra Club entice outstate Minnesotans to spent Earth Day, April 22, at the State Capitol in Saint Paul. To whisper in the ears of legislators from Austin and Winona, Duluth and Grand Marais, Rochester and Hibbing, Moorhead and Mankato: we want renewable, we want a standard even better than 25% renewable by 2025. Let's aim for 40% renewable by 2030. Think of the jobs!

Think about creating better roads to Minnesota farms who've opted to have an immense wind turbine installed. There goes the dirt track. In comes a modern cement ribbon strong enough for a behemoth to pass over.

Think of significant pollution decrease--no more coal-fired mess. Less mercury in waters, thus in fish, thus in people, especially children more prone to suffer neurological damage. Far less asthma. Think of that, you parents whose childen wheeze, who don't dare run fast, play sports, play hard. Fear fear fear waking at night and not being able to catch that disappearing breath.

 Yes, it's true: If we covered the Sahara desert with solar panels we could power the entire planet virtually until the end of time. But nobody's factored in the weight of those panels. Enough to dent the Earth, wouldn'tja bet? Me, I wouldn't. But I would drop my socks if the Earth got it together sufficiently to create such a life-saving measure. Better luck starting close to home where we can lobby, and suggest, plead and connive.

Me, I want a solar disk or two shared by our block, proceeds to cleaner air, slower global warming, to our own pockets.

Me, I want a solar sculpture part along the river in Saint Paul. It's a million dollar idea. But instead of proposing it to the give-away by that name, I opted to ask for funds to help our threatened SPCO orchestra. The solar sculpture park idea is there for the taking. What a novelty! What a kick? Huge robots powered by the sun. Kids agaga! Parents trying to recall the lay of their roofs. Everyone romping around in and out of the sun, even in wnter. In our coldest, clearest, sunniest days. Solar cooking hotdogs outdoors. Dogs trying not to get cooked outdoors. Shades on the sun who's smiling down on us. 


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