What, Our Energy Isn't Good Enough For You

Everyone at some time has entertained thoughts of moving to Vashon Island. You haven't? Entertain them now - We'll wait. In the meantime we'll register Vashonist.com.

It's artsy, it's crunchy, it's an island: what's not to love about Vashon? Add to the 'pro' column, "no more complicated lighbulb maintenance." The island's new energy policy indicates that as a part of stage one residents will recieve compact fluorecent bulbs that will be "paid for by a new public utility district and installed by professionals." Professional light bulb installation, that's right.

Also a part of stage one, according to this P-I/AP piece, is the addition of insulation to what were built as summer homes but have evolved into year-round residences. Planners are counting on that alone to reduce the island's energy usage by up to 70%. The remaining energy required to light up those professionally installed compact fluorecent bulbs will be addressed in stage two where the island enters a zero-sum relationship with the grid and begins using power generated locally by means of wind, solar and other renewable sources. One of the "other renewable souces" mentioned is "biomass energy" in which...well, we can't quite understand any of the descriptions we can find online, but it sounds a lot like burning wood. The advances we've made never cease to astound.

This plan is the result of work by The Institute for Environmental Research and Education based on Vashon Island. Their page on Energy Independant Communities is here. All kidding aside, Seattlest loves our proximity to this kind of energy progressivism.