Do you remember that white writing, No to Waste, on the blue field of a flag? Yes, the one that is still there, hanging in our neighbor's window, proudly displayed in Signora Franca's grocery store. I see it every day behind a colleague's desk, here in the editorial office. That flag accompanied a popular feeling of healthy rebellion against Sogin's plan to transform Sardinia into the dustbin of Italy's nuclear waste.

It was 2003 and this publishing group took to the field already then with its main strength - the word - to oppose. A noble intent that infected tens of thousands of Sardinians. Others, with their noses in the air, remained indifferent if not critical, perhaps only out of prejudice. It is the salt of democracy, which also seasons columns and blogs and sometimes poisons the debate on social media, fueled by chronic malcontents.

The salt of democracy can be used in many ways. I have mentioned my father, a historic correspondent from Quartu, only in another editorial, the first as director of the Unione, I do it again today because of the importance of the topic. Together with the overwhelming passion for this work, Natale passed on to me a life lesson learned day after day, at home, between the ringing of the telephone and the complaints of the old typewriter. "Listen to everyone, my son. Always listen to everyone."

I jump forward decades to last February, the regional election campaign. Everyone passed through the front door of the Unione Sarda, guests and gatecrashers. Everyone had the opportunity to talk about programs and objectives in the newspaper, on Videolina, on the radio and on the website, to tell the Sardinians why I am better than him or her in restoring health care, transportation, roads, in standing by farmers, artisans, Sardinians who would like a job. And everyone made more than one commitment to stop energy speculators, in the knowledge that the Draghi and Meloni decrees on renewables would perhaps have contributed to saving the world but certainly to killing Sardinia. A crime of state that for years this newspaper, unfortunately an easy prophet, feared and tried to avoid.

Whoever has governed Sardinia in turn has done little or too little to approve an energy plan with balls. They have all turned their backs on methane (we are the only land in Europe not to have a direct supply): we have remained attached to the gas cylinder. And the commitments made just six months ago by everyone, in this newspaper, on predatory energy, have become a law that only tickles those who have begun to devastate our land.

There is much talk of areas "suitable" to host wind turbines and panels. The Region should follow the lead of a ruling by the TAR and the Council of State which, in a dispute with the multinational on duty, reiterated (as per the 2015 resolution of the Council) that 98.8% of the Sardinian territory is untouchable. It is true that the decrees of Mario Draghi and Giorgia Meloni have paved over everything and everyone, but the Region has the shield of the Special Statute. Take it out and look at the interests of the Sardinians before everything else. There is plenty of space for panels on the roofs of houses, public buildings, and companies. Isn't this also clean energy? Or is it only the kind that generates profits for speculators?

Sunday 13 March 2022 (the centre-right governed the Region, remember?) L'Unione presented itself to its readers with a shocking front page: our Island offended on land and sea by monsters they call "parks", wind and photovoltaic. On that occasion I evoked the spirit of Pratobello, the women and men of Orgosolo first and then half of Barbagia who, without violence, held on to the pastures. The State wanted to replace sheep and grasslands with military installations, but was forced to surrender. The popular initiative bill that can stop today's devastation, 55 years later, is called Pratobello '24. And from Abbasanta to Zerfaliu the rustling of signatures on the forms is becoming a hurricane.

Those who were hoping for a flop (and not only among those who want to speculate with our wind and our sun) are trying to quickly straighten the helm, the wind is too strong. Pratobello teaches: a united, determined, civilized people who fight for love, the love for Sardinia, no, cannot be defeated.

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