Living next to a wind farm
The Leader, www.morrisburgleader.ca 18 January 2012
Do you want to live next door to a wind farm? If an expert could “prove” that it is safe for you and your family and if they could “prove” that it won’t affect the value of your property or your quality of life, would that affect your answer?
For me, personally, I don’t want to live next door to a wind farm. The pros and cons are of no importance to me. I just don’t want to. I also don’t want to live in the city or in any type of urban setting. I will, if I have to, but I don’t want to. My preference is to live in a rural setting surrounded by forests, wildlife, and fresh open air… which includes the serenity that comes with the sounds and smells of the natural rural landscape. In this dream of mine, wind turbines do not play a part… not even if they’re ‘only’ 550 metres away.
With that said, you might think I’m opposed to wind farms, but that’s not true. I actually think that wind turbines are quite impressive to see. I like the idea of green energy and of harnessing the wind. But, is Ontario ready for that? More specifically, is rural Ontario ready for that?
Think about it, why do most people choose to live in a rural area? My guess is that it’s not because they want to live next door to an industrial wind turbine. So what happens when your neighbour decides to be part of a wind farm project? Do you protest? Do you sit back and do nothing? Do you uproot your family and move to a different rural setting? I don’t know. I’m not in the situation and I can honestly say that I’m glad it’s not me.
The information available is clearly contradictory: some say wind farms are detrimental to your health, well-being, and property value while others say they’re not. Until more studies are done – unbiased studies – there’s really no way to know, with any real certainty, what’s true and what isn’t.
I think there may be a place and time for wind farms, but it’s not ‘next door’ to people who don’t want it.
Your home is supposed to be your ‘safe haven’; a place you can relax and get away from stress. I would argue that our government has taken that ‘right’ away from its people. With that said, I’m disappointed in our government’s apathetic stance on what is, obviously, a very real and very important issue for those Ontarians affected by the wind energy movement. -SC
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/01/19/living-next-to-a-wind-farm/