Submitted by Julie DesChamps
There’s an Asante proverb, which states, “If you want to plant something for me, plant peanuts, not corn.”
Why peanuts? Well, peanuts remain in the ground and form vines. Planting peanuts is a forward-looking, long-lasting decision by the farmer. On the other hand, corn is uprooted and destroyed every season.
Julie DesChamps. Photo: Kimberly Lee
The majority of the CMS Building Committee planted corn, not peanuts for our community. On August 15, they rejected the Alternative-1 Geothermal option which promises a ground-source heat pump, geothermal wells and solar photo voltaic array. Of all the choices on the table, this system provides the greatest energy efficiency and is the most cost effective.
Thornton Tomasetti, the scientific and engineering consultant firm hired by the committee, identified the geothermal system as the best option, and Chair Tony Turner gave a strong argument in favor. Yet, the decision relied not on the professionals’ recommendations, data and case studies, but rather, skepticism and misinformation.
With only a few questions asked and little deliberation, these committee members rushed to judgment and passed up a geothermal-based system that offered the smallest upfront expense and the lowest fifty year costs. They said no to Inflation Reduction Act grants and investment tax credits totaling 40% of the cost. And they lost the opportunity to save significantly on future operational expenses by rejecting the most energy efficient system, one which approached net zero energy.
Why choose a fossil-fuel driven system over highly efficient and dependable renewable energy technology? Why make such a short-sighted decision? Why choose corn over peanuts?
This was a poor decision for the resilience of our community and our town’s financial outlook.
Instead of a more sustainable future, the committee has planted corn for our children.