James R. (Randy) Udall developed Colorado’s first solar-energy incentive program, the world’s first renewable-energy mitigation program, and some of the most progressive green-power purchasing programs in the country. Udall is co-founder of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas–USA and writes from Carbondale, Colorado.

Excerpt:

… Everyone wants to hear the story of Samso. In 1997, Denmark held a
contest to select an island that would eventually be run entirely on renewable
energy. Samso won. In the decade since, the islanders have invested $70
million of their savings and government grants in wind turbines, district
heating plants, solar panels, and biofuels. Today, they are energy independent.
Their carbon footprint is not just small, it is negative, since they produce
more energy than they consume.
Reporters who visit the island sometimes describe its farmers as “beefy.”
Like farmers everywhere, those on Samso occasionally have difficulty finding
wives. This led them to create a website called farmerdating.dk. The
personals are in Danish, but a typical one reads: “Beefy farmer with large
tractor seeks attractive woman with boat. Must be able to sew and clean fish.
Send picture of boat and motor.”