Green-washing detriments of wind
Berkshire Eagle, www.berkshireeagle.com 9 March 2012
Green-wash – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.
In her letter of March 4, Sarah Gardner criticizes dissent over wind turbines using green-washing and name-calling. What we know about wind potential in New England indicates Gardner’s arguments are irrelevant. Her letter carefully neglects the hidden costs of wind power. Turbines have significant environmental costs in their manufacture, siting, operation, and disposal.
She makes unsupported promises of CO2 reduction simply upon the logic that electricity produced by wind reduces electricity produced by fossil fuel. However, we are talking about human behavior when we talk about the consumption of resources. Like super-sizing and the buffets, people tend to over-consume. Industry predictions do not constituent proof, but they are self-serving.
Gardner would do well to respectfully acknowledge that wind power comes to us by big industry and the personal ambitions of those in our government under a false label. She should be grateful that citizens, even here, with help from those from Cape Cod, are able to protect their local environment against those formidable entities.
IVAR KRONICK
Pittsfield
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/09/green-washing-detriments-of-wind/