I have a message for my fellow West Virginians, and all of America for that matter:

Do not fear the wind!

Wind has been used as a tool of change, possibility and progress since the inception of the sail by the Egyptians around 3,500 B.C. It led Hero of Alexandria to invent a wind wheel during the first century A.D. Today, we know this invention as a windmill. Windmills have helped mankind in many ways. They have been used for irrigation, grinding corn, generating electricity, and more.

Using wind has played a pivotal role in the progress of every nation, especially America! Christopher Columbus would have never been able to make the long voyages that made Europe aware of the Western world without wind in the sails of the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. Everyone might still believe that the world is flat. The Mayflower Pilgrims would have never landed at Plymouth Rock. There would be no Thanksgiving.

The story of America would have never been written if mankind did not embrace the idea of using the wind! Its contributions reach as far as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, every star and bar on the American flag, and beyond.

I, truly, cannot envision our world or my country without it.

It is of note that harnessing wind is directly responsible for the discovery and progress of electricity. Benjamin Franklin would have never performed his stormy kite and key experiment if he had not used the wind as a means.

From flying a kite to flying a plane, none of it would be possible without harnessing wind. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that using wind is going to play a crucial role in energy concerns all across our nation, even here in West Virginia.

Currently, community members and local organizations are proposing a wind farm on Coal River Mountain in Raleigh County. This idea of using wind for power is just as great now as it was then. It would help to diversify our economy, make our energy costs cheaper and preserve our homeland for many future uses. It would provide safe, good-paying, local jobs for the people in surrounding communities. It would also be an infinite resource of energy.

Coal has been the bread and butter of West Virginia for many generations. Unfortunately, we all know that coal is not going to last forever, but the wind will be blowing long after we're gone. A wind farm would allow for continued mining through traditional, underground methods during the transition into a future of renewable energy sources.

I hope that you, as I, will support and help make the Coal River Wind Farm a reality. We need to start thinking about our future, the future of our children, the future of our homeland, the future of our state, and the future of our country.

This is our chance to do our part to create a cleaner, smarter, safer tomorrow for everyone.

Regalado is media coordinator for Coal River Mountain Watch.

Do not fear the wind!

Wind has been used as a tool of change, possibility and progress since the inception of the sail by the Egyptians around 3,500 B.C. It led Hero of Alexandria to invent a wind wheel during the first century A.D. Today, we know this invention as a windmill. Windmills have helped mankind in many ways. They have been used for irrigation, grinding corn, generating electricity, and more.

Using wind has played a pivotal role in the progress of every nation, especially America! Christopher Columbus would have never been able to make the long voyages that made Europe aware of the Western world without wind in the sails of the Niña, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. Everyone might still believe that the world is flat. The Mayflower Pilgrims would have never landed at Plymouth Rock. There would be no Thanksgiving.

The story of America would have never been written if mankind did not embrace the idea of using the wind! Its contributions reach as far as the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, every star and bar on the American flag, and beyond.

I, truly, cannot envision our world or my country without it.

It is of note that harnessing wind is directly responsible for the discovery and progress of electricity. Benjamin Franklin would have never performed his stormy kite and key experiment if he had not used the wind as a means.

From flying a kite to flying a plane, none of it would be possible without harnessing wind. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that using wind is going to play a crucial role in energy concerns all across our nation, even here in West Virginia.

Currently, community members and local organizations are proposing a wind farm on Coal River Mountain in Raleigh County. This idea of using wind for power is just as great now as it was then. It would help to diversify our economy, make our energy costs cheaper and preserve our homeland for many future uses. It would provide safe, good-paying, local jobs for the people in surrounding communities. It would also be an infinite resource of energy.

Coal has been the bread and butter of West Virginia for many generations. Unfortunately, we all know that coal is not going to last forever, but the wind will be blowing long after we're gone. A wind farm would allow for continued mining through traditional, underground methods during the transition into a future of renewable energy sources.

I hope that you, as I, will support and help make the Coal River Wind Farm a reality. We need to start thinking about our future, the future of our children, the future of our homeland, the future of our state, and the future of our country.

This is our chance to do our part to create a cleaner, smarter, safer tomorrow for everyone.

Regalado is media coordinator for Coal River Mountain Watch.