I’m not a nuclear physicist, and I believe little of what corporate America or our government tells us. But I’m struggling with the Diablo Canyon issue.

Obviously, I do not want a meltdown in my back yard. But I’m wondering, from where should we get our power? I like my refrigerator and turning on the lights in the morning. Green power would be great.

So let’s see: How about solar? Oh, can’t do that, there’s a rat out there in the desert. What about harvesting the wind? That’s bad—birds might fly into windmills, and they’re ugly. What about all that power you feel in the waves of the ocean? No, that might endanger some shrimp or fish. Hydro? Don’t even go there.

So if Diablo closes, in whose backyard are we going to build all the coal-, gas-, or oil-fired power plants needed to provide our electricity? Not in mine or yours, I’m sure.

So I ask, do all these environmentalists turn on their lights when they go home? Well, here’s a starting point for our representatives in Sacramento: Every new housing development in California should be required to install solar panels on the roof and a cistern in the ground to capture rain water—an easy way to help prevent brownouts and water our lawns.