COLUMN THE VIEW FROM WEST DAVENPORT Power Grid Mixes Good, Bad And Ugly Electrons A few weeks ago, an article appeared about installing a geo-thermal system to heat and cool the family home. The subject was very transparent about the fact geo-thermal systems require considerable electricity to run the pumps that circulate the fluid and to provide the energy necessary to make up the differential between the temperature of the water sourced from beneath the ground (normally 55 degrees) and…
Online home of The Freeman's Journal and Hometown Oneonta
Advertisement
Mike Zagata - Page 3
COLUMN Hidden Consequences Of Saying ‘No’ To Gas By MIKE ZAGATA When we live in a community for a lengthy period, we tend to become “comfortable” with those with whom we attend church, purchase services from, hire to do household repairs and who sell us the various products we need. Indeed, over time we simply assume they will always be there. Is that true in Oneonta or, for that matter, in Upstate New York? This past week I had a…
COLUMN What Are Fossil Fuels? What Are Renewables? By MIKE ZAGATA • for Hometown Oneonta & The Freeman’s Journal Based upon what I read in our papers, there seems to be a lack of information and/or understanding about fossil fuels and the so-called “renewables.” This might be a good time to attempt to get all of us on the same page. The descriptive term “fossil fuels” includes coal, oil and natural gas – the energy sources that were formed millions…
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER With Week To Go, Energy Summit Fills 125 Of Its 200 Seats Seeking ‘Balanced Agenda,’ 19 Speakers Planned; Day Expands From 6 To 9 Hours COOPERSTOWN – With a week to go, 125 people have already signed up for the Otsego County Chamber’s “Energy Summit: Infrastructure & Economy,” and the day has expanded from the original six hours to a nine-hour program to accommodate a growing roster of speakers. Planned Thursday, Jan. 31, at The Otesaga,…
Column by Mike Zagata for January 11, 2019 Renewables Not Ready To Replace Gas Those who oppose using fossil fuels to provide the bulk of our energy needs without offering viable alternatives are depriving this and future generations of job opportunities. When our country attempts to keep our illegal immigrants seeking to enter our country illegally in pursuit of jobs, Nancy Pelosi and those aligned with her call it “immoral”. What should we call doing that to our own citizens?…
Column by Mike Zagata for December 21, 2018 1. Today, Renewables Can’t Go It Alone We all share a concern about our environment and what forms of energy to use in order to maintain our lifestyle and position in the global economy. Fossil fuels are non-renewable and thus the day will come when they are gone. Energy companies know this and realize that, in order to remain viable, they must look for renewable alternatives. However, there isn’t a magic switch…
Column by Mike Zagata for November 23, 2018 Knowledge Workers? Great, But Traditional Industries Needed, Too As I began to read an article in last week’s edition, I felt a surge of excitement. The author, an elected official, had just stated that her constituents elected her twice because they understand that protecting our environment and growing our economy are not mutually exclusive policies. That is close to a statement in my recent book, “A Journey Toward Environmental Stewardship.” My excitement,…
Column by Mike Zagata for November 2, 2018. Is Upstate Downbeat? Blame Slow Recovery According to a newly released report from the Empire Center for Public Policy, “New York’s Uneven Economic Recovery: A Tale of Two States,” those of us who live in Upstate New York escaped the real estate/housing bubble that led to the economic crash in 2008. Why? Because our economy was so bad that we didn’t experience a bubble like the rest of the country. How’s that…
Column by Mike Zagata for October 12, 2018 Natural-Gas Issue Is A Ruse; Real Intention Is No Growth Apparently something happened to The Professor during her youth to cause her to come forward during the confirmation process for The Supreme Court Justice, but we’ll never know for sure exactly what happened, nor will we know who was responsible. That wasn’t the intended outcome of the public spectacle we’ve been subjected to. The intended outcome was to delay the confirmation process…
Editorial for September 28, 2018 Balance Today’s Energy Needs, Tomorrow’s Energy Wishes It’s a great idea. In a column at the end of August, Adrian Kuzminski – citing the Tompkins County Energy Roadmap, completed in March – wrote, “Let me suggest … that the Otsego County Board of Representatives, in a bi-partisan spirit, is the logical authority to establish an Otsego Energy Task Force. A large, diverse umbrella group is far more likely to develop a comprehensive, viable energy strategy…