Wind power is not your enemy

Editorial by John Peate Emboldened by some political success and greater efforts by the dinosauric Conservative Parties of Canada and Ontario, there has been a reversal of progress in the creation of renewable energies. It is notable in this region through decisions like that of the Clarington council and, provincially, in the cancellation and delaying of projects to produce wind energy. Ignorance and the redoubled efforts of the fossil fuel industry have caused this setback. What one prominent climate scientist termed the “useful idiots for the fossil fuel industry” have been active in spreading their misinformation. Lately, there has been comment about the “slaughter” caused by wind turbines of birds and bats without any reference to facts or studies on these problems. When, in fact, turbines save many millions of birds. According to a study in the Journal of Environmental Studies, in the year 2009 in the United States, 46,000 were killed by turbines, 458,000 were killed by nuclear plants and fossil fuel plants, most coal, were responsible for the deaths of 23,960,000 birds. Another 72 million died by pesticide use and 110 million at the “hands” of feral cats. Wind power is a significant part of the solution, not the problem, As it is a vital part of the solution to averting climate disaster for humans. Bats are a different story. Large numbers are being killed and that is an economic and environmental trouble. However, research and new technologies are making great progress in dealing with that. It is a combination of lower air pressure and apparent open space as the blades turn that are the problems. But, the great majority of the deaths occur during the migratory seasons and that is being considered in new pre-construction studies. Location is the key there in building away from the seasonal flight paths. Acoustic devices have been tested that have been somewhat effective varying speeds of blades at times when bats are active, and achieved substantial reductions in mortality. The bat situation is not incurable. Many well meaning but gullible and uninformed people are the unwitting agents of the fossil fuel tycoons in this regressive political situation in Ontario and Durham Region. Fed by the industry and the Conservative politicians who are its actual agents in Canada, they are truly the propaganda slaves of the modern merchants of death by climate catastrophe and of the political part of denial.