I have been reflecting lately on the way we obsess about issues. 'We' meaning, in this case, 'the American social organism as reflected in media and personal interaction
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Locally, here in WV, my community recently lost a case against a company who is going to build a wind farm. The ridge where this farm will be built is home to many species of bats and birds..... The wind farm was opposed by our local community because it will kill many birds and bats as well as destroy the wild vistas and habitat....
In WV not only are big companies raping our land for coal but they are also lining up to destroy our ridge lines with super mega sized wind turbines.
I'm so sick of hearing how about how good the wind farm will be for the environment? Whose environment is it good for? Perhaps the folks who live hundreds of miles away and are slated to recieve the electricity... but what about the folks who live nearby and what about the birds and bats!
The ridge that has been slated for construction of the turbines has always been a remote, wild forested area. Wildlife has always thrived here...I wonder what will happen after construction of the turbines are complete. I'm sure the trees will be cut and habitat will be lost. All in the name of electricity. Makes me sick.
It gets really tricky too, because the newer turbine designs that have less impact on the birds, are the super mega huge ones. So if they're uglier, but better for the environment, could we live with that? Is it better than a coal mine? How important is a pretty view?
I'd personally like to see a lot more done with reducing demand. We all have to take responsibility for our contribution to demand.
My understanding is that the larger the turbine is, the less effect it has on birds, because the blades of the giants move much slower. And the giants really aren't all that ugly -- they're kind of pretty in their own sort of ponderous fashion. Tehachapi has just about every type of commercial wind turbine that's ever been installed in any numbers in US in operation -- 6000 or so in all.
There's about 40-50 megawatt-class turbines sitting at Mojave airport waiting for installation. They've been sitting there a year -- not sure what the holdup is.
In WV not only are big companies raping our land for coal but they are also lining up to destroy our ridge lines with super mega sized wind turbines.
I'm so sick of hearing how about how good the wind farm will be for the environment? Whose environment is it good for? Perhaps the folks who live hundreds of miles away and are slated to recieve the electricity... but what about the folks who live nearby and what about the birds and bats!
The ridge that has been slated for construction of the turbines has always been a remote, wild forested area. Wildlife has always thrived here...I wonder what will happen after construction of the turbines are complete. I'm sure the trees will be cut and habitat will be lost. All in the name of electricity. Makes me sick.
Sighs,
Swan
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I'd personally like to see a lot more done with reducing demand. We all have to take responsibility for our contribution to demand.
Reply
There's about 40-50 megawatt-class turbines sitting at Mojave airport waiting for installation. They've been sitting there a year -- not sure what the holdup is.
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