The growth of solar and wind power is giving parts of rural America good reasons to turn to renewables Small towns are suffering. A powerful Wall Street Journal article from earlier this year said that rural America, much of which is seeing a drop in population, is the new ?inner city,? due to declining economic health and accelerating issues of disinvestment, drug dependency, and job loss.
Many other studies and stories have painted a similarly bleak picture, and much post-election analysis has revolved around finding ways to help these communities and their residents thrive. For an increasing number of small towns and rural communities, part of this answer lies in sustainability and going green.
While sustainable design isn?t a panacea for the challenges rural America faces, many places are finding that there is economic value in renewable power and resilient design. The growing presence of solar and wind power in rural communities has created opportunities and income (green power currently employs roughly five times more Americans than the coal industry) and helped municipalities save both money and resources. These towns and cities, each with fewer than 75,000 residents, demonstrate that at a time when state and federal governments slowly grind through gridlock and partisanship, responsive local leadership can still be decisive. While there are certainly plenty of long-term environmental benefits to be gained from these actions, the local leaders and communities ...