We live in an energy sacrifice zone, which essentially means we sacrifice our health, water, air and ecosystems in order to produce energy for other communities.

There are many reasons I love living in Southwest Colorado, but that is not one of them. Increasing intensity and frequency of forest fires, pine beetle devastation, and decreasing snowpack and water scarcity make it clear we are experiencing the impacts of climate change, in addition to suffering the direct impacts of energy extraction.

Imagine a different future, one in which we benefit from the production of clean energy. An estimated 4.7 gigawatts of coal were retired in the United States last year. Corporations and communities like ours are realizing there are affordable alternatives that provide greater security without sacrificing jobs, clean air and water or ecosystems that sustain us.

We are fortunate. We live in a region with abundant solar, wind, geothermal and biomass potential. These resources are nearly infinite in supply and not subject to the boom and bust of global markets. We should be producing clean, safe, economical energy and transforming this region from an energy sacrifice zone to an energy advantage zone.

The good news is we have a powerful voice in our energy future. Rather than purchasing our electricity from an investor-owned utility, we are members of the La Plata Electric Association cooperative. Every year, we elect directors to the board who will represent our interests. This year, Jeff Berman and Alison Dance are running for Districts 3 and 4, respectively. They believe we should take advantage of our abundant local renewable energy resources to secure clean, affordable energy that supports our local economy. Please join me in supporting them to help shape a better energy future for our community. Look for your ballots to arrive around May 2.

Erika Brown

Durango