Two Towns in Texas

For all of its faults, the sheer size of Texas guarantees diversity. Diversity, not only in landscape, but also in viewpoint and ideology. While trolling for an article to write about, I came across two from opposite ends of the environmental spectrum. The Statesman tells the story of the "300-acre solar array" approved by the Austin City Council yesterday. Scheduled to begin operating just outside of Austin in Webberville by the end of 2010, this is a perfect example of what makes me proud to be an Austinite. The Texas Observer recounts the extended drama of a West Texas town as it welcomes the construction of the first radioactive waste dump granted a permit in decades. Surprisingly, only one Andrews resident has voiced opposition to burying material that will continue being radioactive well into a million years in the future. The comparison of these two articles exemplifies how outcomes can be drastically different with some foresight and a little bit of daring.