French president shows way on sensible energy 

Chapter #9: Don Quixote and a Call to Sarkozy

Don Quixote swiftly dialed the memorized overseas numbers and looked again at the newspaper article outlining the indiscriminate placement of industrial turbines in quaint rural areas of France.

The voice on the line repeated her request if she could be of service. Her soft voice had a delightful and surprisingly clear Britist accent. “Bon jour! Yes, you can be of service. I’d like to speak to Nic, is he in?

The secretary broke into a prolonged laugh and told Don that only he would ask to speak to the new president of France by nickname alone. “Yes, President Sarkozy has been expecting your call, Mr. Quixote. He has been looking for a good excuse to get out of the agenda.”

Quixote lavished praise on the French president for his actions against the proliferation of commercial-sized turbines all over the countryside of France.

Sarkozy was quiet and then said, “Yes, yes. You see, I have been unhappy with how the rush to get this form of energy into being has adversely impacted my country. We hurried into this wind energy with reckless abandon, without a good plan and without careful guidelines. We were grandiose with our government incentives and selfish in our expectations for our citizens. Now after years of reviewing the outcomes, we can readily see the degradation of our environment.”

Quixote was listening but also thinking of the beauty of his home and the precious Niagara Escarpment. Sarkozy continued, “What you have read about my stance against the unbridled advance of commercial wind turbine development in my country is true. So, on November the 6th, I knew I had to take control of this situation. I stepped forward with my proposals. As president of France, my new policies will end the industrial wind turbine installations in rural and wild areas. I am happy to report that this has greatly relieved the citizens in over 800 villages who have or would have had this energy plague forced upon them. I have made a promise to protect public health from the wind turbine nuisance, restore peace in these villages and to protect the cultural and natural heritage of France.”

Quixote drew a long breath and thought out loud, “We have an Ad Hoc Committee here in Calumet County reviewing this same rush to gain this intermittent and pricey form of energy.”

Again, President Sarkozy spoke. “My dear friend, when your committee studies the long-term lack of gains, weighs the social and health issues and sees how costly this form of energy is, they’ll do the right thing. Support their efforts and keep up the work necessary to arrive at sensible energy policies.”

Quixote silently prayed that common sense would steer those making life altering decisions for his home.

“It is our intent,” President Sarkozy added, “to reevaluate and rewrite France’s total national energy strategies. Wind energy has a place. But it cannot indiscriminately dictate conditions unto the citizens. It must fit in. There are some very promising technologies we are looking at. We hope to show Europe that an energy policy can reconcile the fight against global warming while respecting the countryside and every citizen.”

Quixote’s mind registered an “Amen” to that pronouncement from his long-time friend.

“Thank you for calling. My secretary enjoyed asking me if a ‘Nic’ could take your call. I had to tell Mr. Chirac it was a call from the USA. I didn’t really lie now did I? After all, how could I possibly ask a former president to leave because a fictional character wanted to speak with me?” Both of them laughed at that thought and wished each other well.

Don typed in http://www.wind-watch.org/news/2007/11/06 for anyone wishing to read more on Nicolas Sarkozy’s Nov. 6 press release.

Could we come up with a similar solution that would meet our energy needs and yet be compatible with our environment? Alternative sources? The old saying was, “The French listen to no one and no one listens to the French.” Quixote felt it was time to rethink that old saying. The French were definitely on to something!

Stay tuned to this channel for further “Episodes” as Don Quixote provides us with valuable and enlightening information. Or, call for further information at 849-2441 or e-mail us at ccc4re@gmail.com.

Factual information for this Don Quixote adventure provided by French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s news briefing on 11/06/07. Material provided by,

Don Bangert

Tri-County News

15 November 2007