Why a Wind Turbine Matters

Paul Jackson `92

Q.  Why is the wind turbine such a big deal?  Why should the average person care?

A.  5 words, two concepts.  CLEAN ENERGY and LONG TERM SOURCE.  It demonstrates what is meant by clean energy and the development of an energy source that will not run out until the sun does.

Q.  Why is the wind turbine such a big deal at St. Olaf College ?

A.  The acquisition and installation of a wind turbine on-campus fully embodies the mission of St. Olaf College , and one can explore its richness in the context of commitment to the liberal arts, rootedness in the Christian Gospel, and incorporating a global perspective. 

Within the framework of the liberal arts, many disciplines intersect with the wind turbine.  Wind power has roots throughout human history and bridges many social structures and cultures.  For instance, government policies about wind, including tax credits, subsidies and regulations, dot the landscape of a nation's energy plan.  Others use energy to do their work at a time and place in the fabric of a community.  Transforming energy to do work and the efficiencies of the various processes comprise important lines of discovery and application in the natural sciences.  The structure and location of the turbine itself brings the above areas into conversation with issues of land use and one's sense of aesthetics.  It provides a real-life, local case study for on-going analysis in and outside of classrooms and shows us a way to reconnect to the rhythms of the earth-wind whistling through the trees and the blades of the turbine, changing with the daily cycles of the earth. 

Rootedness in the Christian Gospel brings us to our call to be stewards of God's gifts, to use our gifts to care for our neighbor and our environment.  Moving to a cleaner, more sustainable energy source improves the health of organisms, human and non-human, scattered about the globe by shrinking the pool of materials emitted into the earth's atmosphere.  It saves land and water from being mined or contaminated in societal efforts to recover finite resources like coal, oil and gas.  Concomitantly we discover savings and stimulation of gifts at the college itself.  Resources, once used to purchase our total energy needs, may be reallocated to improve current programs and initiatives or invest in new ideas.  The turbine may serve as a point of inspiration that allows the greater community to recognize additional gifts and talents and put them forward as offerings in our call to serve the neighbor. 

Finally, but not the least of these intersections, wind energy allows St. Olaf to create another point of engagement with the global community.  We are not the first to successfully transform wind energy into electricity or develop a broader vision for living in harmony with the other inhabitants of this planet.  Whether at home or abroad people can share their stories about the impact wind energy has on our daily life, daily culture and personal sense of self.  We build connections with each other, with the earth, and with God.  This is why a wind turbine is such a big deal at St. Olaf College .

Paul Jackson is a St. Olaf graduate (`92) and faculty member in the Department of Chemistry. He teaches Environmental Chemistry and is on the St. Olaf Sustainability Task Force. He wrote this in Fall 2004.