Opinions & Editorials
A platform for diverse perspectives on Energy, Environment & Equity
Welcome to the Opinions & Editorials section of the Don’t Get Played Cooperative—a space for independent thought, critical inquiry, and constructive debate on the far-reaching impacts of large-scale energy developments.
This page features original commentary, analyses, and op-eds from a wide range of contributors—landowners, researchers, policy skeptics, environmental advocates, and concerned citizens. Each piece offers a unique lens on the evolving relationship between renewable energy, rural communities, ecological integrity, and public accountability.
The views expressed here are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the official positions of the Don’t Get Played Cooperative. We believe that fostering open dialogue—even when perspectives differ—is essential to building a more informed and empowered public.
Above all, we strongly encourage readers to do their own due diligence. Read widely. Examine the data. Question assumptions. And draw your own conclusions. That’s the spirit of this cooperative: informed voices, not echo chambers.
Opinion/Editorial Hub Shortcuts
Lots of information here. This section provides shortcuts so that you can access specific sections of the Research Hub. Enjoy!
JW Thompson
JW Thompson
The mindless rants and opinions of a NIMBY... Enjoy!
A Call to Action - Protecting Our Legacy
Adverse Health Effects of Dirty Electricity, Stray Voltage, and Electromagnetic Pollution
JW Thompson
And on the Eighth Day, God Made a Neighbor
JW Thompson
Devaluation of Property Values
JW Thompson
Big solar farms may be stressing agricultural ecosystem
JW Thompson
Discrediting the Renewable Energy Industry’s Narrative on Misinformation by Country Folk Like You and Me
JW Thompson
Exploring the Path to Generational Wealth - Lease vs. Sell
JW Thompson
Don’t Let the Dominoes Fall - A Rural Communities Guide to Stopping the Renewable Energy Avalanche
JW Thompson
Ethical Energy or Modern Slavery - The Disturbing Reality of Renewables
JW Thompson
JW Thompson
Farmers vs. Renewable Energy - Where Does the Farm Bureau Really Stand
Fear of Change.. Oh, Please.
JW Thompson
Farmland Is for Farming, Not Renewable Energy Experiments
JW Thompson
Getting Straight Answers - How to Spot Evasion and Read Body Language When Speaking To A Renewable Energy Developer
JW Thompson
From Farm to Grid - How Battery Energy Systems Alone Might Harvest Your Wallet
JW Thompson
Legal and Ethical Guidelines for Ohio Township Trustees - What Every Community Member Should Know
JW Thompson
Green Dreams, Red Ink - How 100% Renewable Energy Will Bleed Rural Ohio Dry...
JW Thompson
Lesson from Germany and California
JW Thompson
Making Your Voice Heard - How to Write Letters and Speak Out Against That Renewable Energy Project Coming to Your Community
JW Thompson
Mare’s Eat Oats and Doe’s Eat Oats, but Little Lambs Eat... Cadmium
JW Thompson
PFAS and Their Potential Environmental Impact on Rural Community
JW Thompson
Misinformation - Solar Prices Are Falling.. IN FACT – Solar Prices Are Actually Increasing
JW Thompson
Not Your Dirt, Not Your Decision
JW Thompson
Pawns vs Kings
JW Thompson
Possibility vs. Probability vs. Plausibility
JW Thompson
Physician Fires Shot Across The Bow of Solar Developers and Data Centers In The State Up North
JW Thompson
Property Rights and the Founding Fathers - What It Means for Rural Communities
JW Thompson
Public Meetings Are Like Family Dinners -Why Public Forums Serve Communities Better Than Round-Robin Meetings
JW Thompson
Renewable Energy Developers Are Failing Our Communities - Why NIMBY Concerns Matter More Than You Think
JW Thompson
Seven Deadly Solar Sins - A Comedy of Errors Starring Renewable Developers...
JW Thompson
Shadows on the Soil - The Hidden Costs of Utility-Scale Solar Developments on Farmland
JW Thompson
Solar Energy For Dummies - Solar 101
JW Thompson
Solar Panels… The Sunny Side—and the Not-So-Dry Side
JW Thompson
Sowing Solar, Reaping Subsidies - The Renewable Energy Hustle Behind Data Centers and Electric Vehicles
JW Thompson
Sunshine and Shenanigans - The Real Story Behind Solar Farms and Land Prices
JW Thompson
The Nuanced Nature of Property Rights in Ohio…
JW Thompson
The Potential Adverse Effects of Renewable Energy Facilities on Doppler Radar
JW Thompson
The Real Playbook - Faith, Family, and the Fight for Rural America
JW Thompson
The Risks of Relying on a Chinese Product Backed by a 30 warranty
JW Thompson
The Sovereign Farmer’s Dilemma, Selling Out to the State in the Name of Property Rights
JW Thompson
The True Cost of Renewables - Are Utility-Scale Energy Projects Really Worth It
JW Thompson
The True Cost of Solar - Why the “LCOE” Might Not Tell the Full Story for Rural Landowners and Farmers
JW Thompson
Time for a joke - Tier 1 Equipment
JW Thompson
Turning Breadbaskets into Battery Backups - A Recipe for Disaster
JW Thompson
Unleashing American Energy - A Story of Promise, Conflict, and the Future of Rural America
JW Thompson
Unveiling the Double Standard - Foreign-Owned Companies Label Community Opposition as “Dark Money
JW Thompson
Utility Scale Solar, Soils, and How Do I Protect My Property, My Livestock, and My Family
JW Thompson
Utility-Scale Solar Lowering Energy Costs... Nope!
JW Thompson
We’re Not Your Mule - Why Rural Communities Are Pushing Back Against Renewable Energy Hype
JW Thompson
What you do not hear being said regarding Utility-Scale Solar Development's Negative Economic Impacts
JW Thompson
When a Solar Developer Speaks, and It Just Doesn’t Seem Right - A Lesson from the Country Road
JW Thompson
Wind, Solar, and Your Wallet - Princeton’s Take on the Renewable Energy Hustle
JW Thompson
Would Your Marriage Survive 25 Percent Reliability Neither Will Our Energy Systems
JW Thompson
Miscellaneous (for now)
ALONA ARMSTRONG , SUSAN WALDRON , JEANETTE WHITAKER, and NICHOLAS J . OSTLE