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ANWR efforts not in vain

Dear Editor:We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who attended the two Arctic National Wildlife Film Nights last week in Aspen and Carbondale, and to Belly Up, the Aspen Skiing Co. and Dos Gringos for hosting the events. It was heartening to see how passionately the people of this valley care about the environment well beyond their own back yard.Thanks, especially, to all who wrote or called their senators to urge them to oppose allowing oil drilling in the refuge. Your efforts were not in vain. In our democracy, it’s never a waste of time to let our elected representatives know how we feel on issues. This issue is by no means settled, and citizen comments received by senators last week may weigh in their political calculations on future votes, or on other related issues.And speaking of related issues, let’s not forget that the fate of our own local ANWR – the Roan Plateau – is still in the balance. Public comments are being taken until April 11, and can be submitted at http://www.roanplateau.ene.com. For info and letter-writing tips, see http://www.saveroanplateau.org.The bigger context to all this is that we, as a nation, have our energy policy priorities backassward. America cannot drill its way to energy independence. The good news is that we can increase our national security, improve our economy, reduce the threat of climate change and spare ecologically sensitive places like the Arctic Refuge and the Roan Plateau – by taking up a policy that puts the emphasis on efficiency and utility-scale renewable energy sources, and by decreasing our individual carbon footprints through the consumer choices that we make. For info and links, see http://www.areday.net.Dave Reed, Wilderness WorkshopBrook Le Van, Sustainable SettingsChip Comins, American Spirit Productions