The town of Woodstock, along with Oxford County, is investigating the possibility of meeting all of its energy needs through renewable sources, such as solar and wind power, by 2050.
This plan, which has gone before council, would make it the second municipality form across the country to make such a commitment to going green, with the first being Vancouver.
According to Prof. Jose Etcheverry, who lectures about green sources of energy and is an expert in the field, making the change isn’t just good for the environment, but also for the economy. He noted that renewable sources can be replenished, which will tend to keep their price stable, while nonrenewable sources have a limited lifespan, so their costs will go up as they become depleted. This results in higher costs for the county and its residents. A printing company can produce materials that outline the reasons why choosing alternative sources for power and other energy is a good choice for the area they live in, and for them as well.
Oxford County already has charging stations for electrical vehicles, and a bio-gas plant and wind turbines are planned for next year.
Prof. Etcheverry remarked that once area residents see for themselves the benefits of using alternative sources of energy, they tend to become very supportive of it, as it provides security, is better for the environment and makes economic sense.
