I was pleased to read John C. Wilkens’ Nov. 14 letter to the editor, “France leads the way in energy,” on our nation’s energy future. The public needs this discussion urgently. As Mr. Wilkens said, “When will we ever learn?”

May I suggest that perhaps we have already begun to learn? Certainly his suggestion that we look at the progress of nuclear energy in France is a good start. Extend that thought to making the whole world our area of inquiry, including the whole range of human concerns in our avid pursuit of “the best way.” As a the French would say, “Formidable!”

Many folks have become increasingly aware of out dependence on the “experts” for guidance, even as they remain aware of the necessity for their own participation in the decisions made by a democracy. I would like to suggest three sources of information, which I find useful for this purpose: The World Watch Institute; the Union of Concerned Scientists, and Scientific American magazine.

The latter reference dated Nov. 2009 brings us a synopsis of a most comprehensive study made this year at Stanford University, which notes, “Nuclear power results in up to 25 times more carbon emissions than wind energy, when reactor construction and uranium refining and transport are considered.”

This study makes a proposal that 100 percent of the world’s energy requirements could, at top speed in the right political climate, be supplied by wind, water and solar sources 2030. The proposal would not include nuclear energy.

Paul Bixby

Oak Harbor