Monumental changes in society and the economy all have to begin somewhere, often with little notice or fanfare.
Area residents can see the beginnings of what we are persuaded will be, at some point in the not-so-distant future, a seismic shift in the way we conduct our lives and the flow of our economy by taking in the Missouri Alternative and Renewable Energy Technology Center on the campus of Crowder College.
Right now, the center exists mainly on paper. But when construction is complete, it will feature 27,000 square feet of instructional, research and incubator facilities. Director Art Boyt has long been known in the area for his passion for all things sunny and leading his students to the top tier nationally of solar racing. The MARET Center will broaden the alternative-energy mission to include wind and biofuels.
The center will be a source of education, but also provide a safe haven for putting research on alternative energy directly into practice by housing start-up businesses focused on energy-efficient products and services for the market.
The $9.6 million center, itself, will be an ongoing experiment, with solar panels on the roof expected to provide enough juice to power the center's activities and fill 25 percent of the entire campus's energy needs.
Altruism is good, and appealing to the better part of our natures to conserve and protect the environment is part of the plan. But real progress on alternative energy will come when businesspeople and homeowners see that solar, wind and bio can be cheaper and more efficient than traditional sources.
"The market is really right," Boyt says, "with the cost of renewables going down and the cost for energy going up."
We agree. Great changes come from small beginnings, and Crowder is leading the way.
Opinion
In our view: Important project
- Opinion
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Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
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Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
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Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
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Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
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Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
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Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
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Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
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Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
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Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
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Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
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Our View: Victims should come first
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