November 1, 2011
England, Ontario

Sisters taking a stand

11/01/11 villagemarketnews.co.uk

German windfarm boss Johannes Busmann is in for a fight now international support is gathering to stop his plans on both sides of the Atlantic. The folk who are backing the battle to halt him at Haunton will come as a surprise to campaigners – but their strength could be the answer to the villagers’ prayers.

Sisters of St. Joseph from around the world have joined the battle to stop a windfarm being built near Haunton.

And if the power of prayer wins through there will be no giant turbines built to wreck the tranquillity of the Mease Valley.

Redoubtable

Campaigners were uplifted when Haunton nun Sister Anne Marie Eden spoke out in support of their efforts to prevent the Osnabruk-based firm, Prowind, putting two 100-metre tall turbines in fields near the village.

It revitalised the crowd packed into Harlaston village hall, who had already been told their chances of stopping the development looked grim.

But Sister Anne was on a mission to protect the landscape for the sake of troubled souls who visit her convent in search of respite and was not about to give in.

She also spoke out for the residents of Haunton’s care home who would suffer from the disturbance the windfarm would bring.

And she aimed to preserve the peace for the many other elderly residents living nearby.

Worthy adversary

Prowind boss Johannes Busmann should not dismiss the softly-spoken nun as unworldly and unaware of the issues surrounding ‘green’ technology.

He is likely to find the retired teacher with 12 years experience as an army chaplain a tough and extremely determined adversary.

The same goes for the other nuns in her order.

And so far she has recruited hundreds of them to the cause, from convents in the U.S., France, India, Switzerland, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, Libya, Egypt and Africa.

Sister Anne, said: “We will be keeping the sisters updated about what is happening here. They will all be praying for our success.”

She said they would also be supporting the people of North Gower, in Ottawa, who were also fighting Busmann’s plans to site colossal turbines near their homes in the rural areas.

The Canadians’ spokesperson was thrilled to hear the sisters were supporting them.

Jane Wilson had earlier told people in the Mease Valley: “We stand with you in your fight to preserve your community from industrialisation for taxpayer subsidised, inefficient and unreliable wind power generation.”

Experiences across the Atlantic might also have a bearing on the future of wind power politics in Britain.

Political fall-out

Canada’s anti-windfarm activists have just claimed the scalps of three pro-turbine cabinet ministers in the Ontario provincial elections.

Huge numbers of people in rural areas are rising up against the technology, despite government assuming they would support it.

A few farmers have been reported laughing all the way to the bank after allowing turbines to be built on their land.

But now their neighbours are condemning them for cashing in on the inflated tax payer subsidies they receive, which go far beyond the value of the electricity they produce.

Low-grade

The Canadian ‘anti-lobby’ also points to the blot turbines create on the landscape, as well as the inefficiency of their sporadic, low-grade power generation.

Ottawan wildlife experts are horrified at the bird deaths now being recorded at turbine sites.


URL to article:  https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2011/11/01/sisters-taking-a-stand/