Wise Woman in Trouble
As I hinted in my previous article about Ruahine Ranges there is trouble coming to beautiful Ruahines. But before going further into details, I will start from another place.
Windmills. They are what is believed to be one of the greenest energy sources. And at first it seems that they are, but here are some facts that show another side of windmills.
1. Windmills are not that safe for the environment: Inappropriately placed and/or constructed wind towers would negatively affect groundwater. Another important thing that their fast spinning huge rotors are a killing machines for birds.
2. Windmills are undependable power generators. It means that we can’t depend on windmills as the sole energy source, since the wind is not constant. As a result additional energy sources will still be needed to ensure dependable electric power.
3. Each windmill takes a lot of space. 3 MegaWatts wind tower takes about one square mile! Considering that such wind towers are never build in separate units but as wind farms, they occupy large areas. And also consider the fact that each wind gives in average only one third of its maximum capacity.
4. Windmills are dangerous to people’s health. One of the dangers is in the winters – in cold temperatures ice can appear on blades, and when rotor starts moving it can throw ice with great force. Another, perhaps more serious threat is as follows: at sunrise and sunset, shadow flicker can turn the huge spinning rotors into giant strobe generators, which can cause seizures in susceptible individuals, and also research shows that the persistent extreme low frequency noise wind towers generate can cause neurological problems.
5. Windmills are very loud when they work – they generate up to 90dB of noise! This is equivalent to a noise made by tractor!
And now, to the Ruahines’ troubles. Power companies intend to build MORE wind farms in Ruahines. Yes, there are already windmills there, but companies want to build more. In order to do that they are bullying local councils into altering environmental heritage policy, creating by laws to open up more and more areas to wind mills.
Now imagine this pristine land covered with forest, with huge wind farms! This is the end to the silence of nature, and a new, constant threat for birds. People living nearby may have health problems as I wrote above in section 4. And all this won’t even eliminate having additional power plants!
But this time you can make a difference! You can help fighting against building of additional wind mills in Ruahines, and here is how. Rob Kloss (I wrote about him in my previous article about Ruahine Ranges) submitted an objection to the Tararua district council against changing of the wording of the environmental heritage policy. If this objection will win, power companies won’t be able to put up windmills in Ruahines.
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