Wind turbines are popping up in some unlikely places. There has been a battle over the pros and cons of offshore wind farms for years; are they an eyesore interfering with whale and fish migration or a smart alternative energy source with minimal impacts? But some people are putting turbines in their backyards, literally.  A couple in Crisfield, Maryland has installed a wind turbine on their farm for $18,000.  The system is expected to eliminate electricity bills for the property with the possibility of selling energy back to the grid.  The local government of Crisfield is also considering investing in a wind farm to supply power to everyone.  The town spends $20,000 a month at the current electricity plant; a $4.18 million grant from the state of Maryland could allow Crisfield to build two or three large wind turbines.  If implemented, the turbines could become a tourist attraction (as they have in Atlantic City) and the money previously dedicated to electricity generation could be spend elsewhere, stimulating the economy.
Crisfield is one of many sites around the nation with aspirations for building small-scale wind systems.  No matter the reason behind the surge in demand for turbines – the shock of the oil spill in the Gulf, new availability of grant money for alternative energy, hopes of stimulating local economy – the mentalities of these small towns are helping to turn our nation away from the “business as usual” mentality towards energy consumption.