NIMBY: Not-In-My-Backyard. The constant refrain heard from opponents of any large-scale civic engineering project. One of the major projects that always brings shouts of NIMBY is the building of wind turbines.
Now the argument may come to Evanston.
The City Council continues to consider a plan that would eventually bring turbines to the waters of Lake Michigan off the coast of Evanston. The City has officially begun a search to find a developer to build the potential wind farm. City staff have said the best place for the turbines would be directly to the east of Northwestern, between six and nine miles into the lake.
The DAILY understands the concerns some people have with the building of the wind farms. One of the best parts about living in Evanston, or going to NU, is getting to experience the beauty of Lake Michigan whenever you want. Why would we want to obstruct the view with wind turbines?
Chances are, though, the turbines would not be highly visible. According to the Cape Wind Project in Nantucket, Mass., turbines built between five and 10 miles offshore only rise a half inch above the horizon in clear conditions. In typical Evanston weather, they might not be visible at all. Obviously the Cape Wind project is different from Evanston’s potential project, but the theory is the same.
More importantly, our school and our city should be proud to display they are proponents of progressive energy solutions. For NU, supporting such a policy could be a major draw for prospective students. For Evanston, it can be another example of the city as a groundbreaker in progressive policies.
In an interview with The DAILY, University President Morton O. Schapiro said he supported the idea of the turbines.
“This ‘not in my backyard’ thing I’ve never really been a big proponent of, especially if it’s really functional, green, aesthetically pleasing,” he said. “Then I think you’ll want it in your backyard.”
The Daily agrees wholeheartedly. We hope Evanston continues to investigate the project, and NU is an active partner when the time comes.
