The little steps that each city takes ultimately lead to cleaner air for the entire country. For example, San Francisco is completing a new cruise ship terminal that will include a facility to provide electric power to docked ships. Ships will be able to plug in to shore side power that is generated by hydro and solar electricity. This will reduce harmful emissions from the ships by up to 80 percent. The Port of San Francisco estimates that in 2004, 90 tons of diesel soot and nitrogen oxide were emitted by docked cruise ships. Juneau and Seattle have already implemented shore side power facilities. It is an idea that Vallejo's ferry operator should look into when its ferries are docked and waiting for passengers.

In another plan to reduce emissions and congestion, San Francisco is considering following London's lead in instituting a congestion charge that will tax drivers who enter downtown during business hours. London has realized a reduction of downtown traffic by 30 percent and brought in about $350 million for the government. San Francisco has an edge with public transportation such as cable cars, street cars, BART, ferries, trains and a buss system that is available for people who work or want to play in the downtown area.

As windy as Solano County is, I foresee a future in residential wind systems. We had an old windmill on the farm that was used to pump water before electricity was installed in rural areas. Because it was no longer needed, my parents removed it when they built an addition onto our house. Today, there are three-bladed turbines available that have the potential to save consumers 30 to 90 percent on their electric bills. Some models can be efficient in wind speeds as low as nine miles per hour and no noisier than an air conditioner.

However, local zoning rules, height limitations, and price can be a deterrent. Southwest Windpower's (www.windenergy.com) 1.8-kilowatt Skystream system starts at $8,500 fully installed, while Abundant Renewable Energy's 10-kw turbine can run up to $80,000. A homeowner would need at least a half acre of land for these turbines to be successful and the towers would range from 45 to 110 feet. Local companies that sell wind turbines include Alter Systems in Berkeley, Solar Depot in Petaluma and Real Goods in Ukiah.

In June, eight new wind turbines went on line in the Montezuma Hills near Rio Vista generating electricity for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District. These wind machines are 415 feet tall, 100 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty. The diameter of the rotating blades is - it's true - as long as a football field. They are the largest units installed in the United States and each one produces enough energy annually to provide power to more than 1,000 households.

Last spring, I read in the Dodge City Daily Globe about a wind farm being built between my hometown and Montezuma, Kansas. These machines top out at 340 feet which is 150 taller than the grain elevators that dot the high plains. What are the odds of two wind farms with the name Montezuma! Wind energy is definitely cleaner but has its problems as a hazard to our eagles and hawks. According to the Center for Biological Diversity, potential sites for new wind farms should be reviewed for bird abundance, migration and use patterns, and wind farms should be designed and operated to prevent or minimize bird mortality. When existing wind farms are having adverse impacts on birds, as at Altamont Pass, these impacts should be fully mitigated.

COMPOST CLASS
Vallejo's last free backyard composting class of the season is scheduled for Saturday, October 7 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the VALCORE Recycling site. Call 55 EARTH for more information.