We have become so dependent on certain luxuries today, that it would be impossible to rid ourselves of them completely without suffering from immense withdrawals. There are some things that haven’t been around forever, but since their existence we have used them for our everyday activities, and we now can’t live without them. For example we’ve been relying on foreign oil and nonrenewable fossil fuels for years now, and as these years pass, our environment suffers more and more. We constantly hear about the damage fossil fuels are doing to our earth, and yet we continue to use these nonrenewable resources at an increasing rate.

    Five main fuel types are being used today throughout the world; oil, coal, natural gas, nuclear power, and renewable resources. According to the Energy Information Administration, 38% of global energy consumption relies on oil, 24% on coal, 23% on natural gas, 6% on nuclear power, and only 9% on renewable resources.

    Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi stated that oil prices are hitting record highs and it’s not unreasonable to project that oil prices could eventually be double or triple today’s levels. However, there are alternatives to using fossil fuels that we may really need to begin looking into before it’s too late.

    The Offshore Wind Project may just be the alternative necessary to put an end to our reliance on foreign oils and nonrenewable fossil fuels. Wind power is a clean, emission-free, renewable resource that will be an extremely advantageous change. This project will supply energy for the communities of Long Island, and will be beneficial for marine life as well.

    The Long Island Power Authority plans to build 33 offshore wind generators that would generate 100 megawatts of electricity, which would be enough to power 100,000 homes on Long Island. Due to the Island’s population density and development, it does not have enough suitable space for large wind farms, like in other parts of America, which is why we can put the strong and consistent winds of the South Shore to good use.

     There are many Long Islanders who oppose this alternative because they claim that it will ruin the view of the ocean. But what these people fail to see is that if we do not turn to an alternative energy like wind, the atmosphere will eventually become so poor that we won’t be able to see anything offshore.

    Although the project is an expensive one, ranging from about $190 million to $220 million, it’s necessary in order to save our environment. The Wind Park will save about 13.5 million barrels of oil over twenty years. Wouldn’t it be nice if we were able to rid our environment of the harm that’s being done due to fossil fuels? If we go through with the investment, Long Island will be the first in America to operate an offshore wind project.