VOICES

Are actions louder than words?

There is no doubt that almost universally we have all heard the statement, “Our actions speak louder than our words.” It’s almost as if it is a given, a truth that cannot be debated. The supporting statementis , “What we do speaks so loudly that others can’t hear what we are saying.” Again, for the past many centuries, it would be hard to dispute this as something other than fact.

If we were to take a contrarian view in the world we live in today, I would suggest that maybe the enormity of words has fi nally usurped the actions of the people. What do I mean by this? In today’s world it is so much easier to hide behind our words when we can simply post, tweet, text or email, and although we may be challenged or trolled, we are not really held accountable. We can go on the attack, and then we can pretty much hide.

Standing up for our beliefs is an action, but it doesn’t have to be a violent or argumentative act. Instead, sometimes we fi nd ourselves getting into a verbal arm-wrestling match through back-and-forth rhetoric that only fans the fl ame of discord. Even with all the information shared with families, through the news and through social media, we still have more verbal bullying taking place, written and spoken, that unfortunately can lead to tragic consequences.

What if we truly got back to where our actions really did our speaking? What if more of us stood up to the bullies where others fi nd themselves defenseless or unable to? What if our actions spoke so loudly that the goodness in our hearts triumphed over the pervasive evil that seems to be growing in our communities? An evil that doesn’t have to exist. An evil driven by polarization of belief systems whether they be social, political or theological.

We are facing crisis and words coming at us from every angle. Yet instead of fi nding the solution by coming together, we become further separated because we would rather fi ght and fi ght dirty than listen and try to understand, working toward a solution. We have a border crisis, fentanyl crisis, infl ation crisis, violent crime crisis, education crisis, police crisis, teacher crisis, nursing crisis, physician crisis, fi rst responder crisis, recession crisis, energy crisis, society crisis, divisive crisis, faith crisis, employment crisis, and yet instead of us all stepping up to try and take action to bring us closer, the words we choose and socialize with only drive us further apart.

So, which is speaking louder today, our actions or our words? Those words we hide behind via texts, posts and emails? Those words we hide behind that deface public property? Or is it our action or inaction to do what is right, even in the face of confl ict and adversity?

Look, I have family and friends who are on all sides of the spectrum around these problems. Some are on very extreme sides and others are centrists. And for me, I may even be accused of having my words speaking louder than my actions as I write this column each week. Yet, my action is actually writing this column with the intent of urging us all to fi nd common ground and a middle that makes us better together. There will be no

victory where one side completely convinces the other side that their way is right, this will never happen. However, we can get closer and simply agree to disagree more WINNING often. What can happen is that our WORDS actions of love, kindness, justice, mercy, gentleness, generosity, understanding, cooperation, unity and togetherness prove that we are still the United States of America, and that we stand better together than we do when we stand apart. How about you? Are your words or actions speaking louder these days? Knowing that this column Michael Norton will absolutely rub some the wrong way, at least initially, my hope is that my intended actions and my words lead us all to a better place. I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when our actions and words speak so loudly that they call us all together, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

A biggest ever for battery storage - but not for long

The 13,500 solar modules sandwiched by hillsides of sagebrush, pinyon and juniper near Glenwood Springs capture the eyes. It’s the four shipping containers of lithium-ion batteries, capable of fi ve megawatts of storage, that will briefl y set a new high mark for Colorado. Battery storage is coming on in Colorado. This project narrowly eclipses the previous record in Colorado set four years ago. Late next spring, the 275 megawatts of battery capacity planned by Xcel Energy at Pueblo and in Adams County will dwarf this record of 5 megawatts. More yet will be coming after that.

We need storage to complement the intermittency of the renewables but also because this makes economic sense. This transition to an energy system with fewer emissions has so far slowed or stopped increase costs in prices of electricity. If only we could be so lucky with organic food.

Storage capacity within Colorado will rise signifi cantly in the next fi ve years. Imagine driving on Interstate 70 across the Great Plains into Denver. In the city’s western suburbs, the highway rises slightly. In this analogy with battery storage, we’re still in the suburbs. Lying immediately ahead is the sharp rise to Floyd Hill with plenty of uphill beyond.

Mike Kruger, the chief executive of Colorado Solar and Storage Association, a trade organization, rejects this analogy. Instead of uphill struggle, he describes downhill glide. Lithium-ion storage will expand, he explained, because of rapidly declining costs that parallel those of solar panels a decade before.

In his view, we’re about to descend from Loveland Pass.

“Imagine the tiniest thing you can think of,” Kruger said at a Colorado Renewable Energy Society webinar. “That’s storage in Colorado today. Now think of the biggest thing you can think of. That will be energy storage in the future.”

All of Colorado’s larger utilities plan signifi cant storage but in somewhat different ways. Platte River Power Authority recently received 31 bids for various non-carbon generation and storage proposals in and near the four communities it serves in northern Colorado. For example, Estes Park, whose frightened residents had to fl ee in 2020 as two megafi res approached, might need both storage and solar panels if power deliveries get interrupted.

Wildfi re threat also fi gures into the solar and storage at the college campus near Glenwood Springs. Should outside power be cut off, students could shelter in place.

Colorado Springs Utilities, the state’s fourth largest utility, is soliciting bids for batteries with 400 megawatt-hours of storage to become operational in 2024. Utilities

spokesman Steve Berry predicts growing importance of battery storage as long as the technology becomes increasingly cost-effective, effi cient and reliable. BIG “Battery storage will help us PIVOTS better manage the intermittent characteristics of renewable energy, but it will also provide greater grid resiliency, help insulate customers from market volatility, and help us modernize our grid for emerging technologies,” he says. We are also beginning - just beginning - to see batteries in homes and businesses. In a program called Allen Best Power+, Holy Cross has assisted in placing batteries at 68 homes and businesses. Supply chain issues have 122 still on the waiting list. It is doing this partly to learn how to draw on these batteries to meet peak demands, such as when the snowmaking guns at Aspen and Vail power up as temperatures dive during November evenings. Now come state and federal

ers of lithium-ion batteries, capable of fi ve megawatts of storage, that will briefl y set a new high mark for Colorado. coming on in Colorado. This project

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