Wind and each other
By Patti Kellar, www.goderichsignalstar.com 10 March 2012
Open letter….
Our prime purpose in life is to help others. If you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them. Dalaii Lama.
Many are still unaware of what is coming down the pipe. Many in this area have focused their energy on the sewer conflict. Some hope this will all go away. Many are unaware because they falsely believe this won’t affect them. Some are living in the wake of their lives being forever changed (and they don’t live too far away). And there are others who know the hazards and for whatever either believe they are doing the right thing by supporting turbines. Some still believe, despite the growing evidence worldwide to the contrary, that the turbines are ‘green’. Some won ‘t even read any further because they have chosen their position and they have too much at stake to be convinced otherwise. And there are some who are waking up. And I am one of those I guess.
You see , I also used to think wind was a good idea. I was ‘green’ thinking, concerned about our environment. I even completed the on line survey years ago, agreeing to pay more for energy if it would help. So in a way, I contributed to this change. And then I slowly started hearing the negative stuff. I began my own journey of change. Which has become one of the harder challenges I have had to face because, like many, I don’t like being wrong. And I was – very wrong.
So people can choose what they pay attention to. Some worry about the migratory routes of the birds, bats and monarch butterflies being disseminated. Some worry about the destruction of the environment in the making and transporting of the turbines. Some worry about shadow flicker and not being able to stand living In their homes. Some worry about getting Wind Turbine Syndrome and again having to abandon their way of life in order to get relief from their symptoms. Some worry about the investments they have made in their retirement fund being the turbines. Some worry about lowered property values. Some worry about the cost of hydro being simply unaffordable to so many people. And some don’t worry at all – yet. Because if people were aware of the number of projects that are waiting hungrily in line for their approvals – they would be a lot more concerned.
And some recognize the hidden costs of this industrial wind revolution. ONE ANOTHER. Since when did one farmer get knots in the pit of his stomach when someone else mentions ‘wind’. Since when were we not be able to tell one other what you were planning on planting in the ground? Since when is the Canadian farmer accused of not care about their neighbors health and well being? And friends turning against one another, families being divided, siblings not speaking to one another. Neighbors running around trying to get up to date property value assessments so the feel they will have some evidence when there property value drops after turbines move in. Or up to date physicals so they have their current health status documented. Farmers suing other farmers – not just the wind developers. The personal costs of the current stress in trying to change the course of this green tide rushing in – no one is even talking about that. And no one wants to.
URL to article: https://www.wind-watch.org/news/2012/03/10/wind-and-each-other/