However they weren´t talking about the benefits but the adverse effects and then had a few locals on objecting to the wind turbines. Professor David Bellamy was also sticking his two penneth worth in, saying “that a wind turbine only produces energy when the wind blows and only saves half the Carbon dioxide a jumbo jet uses”. A jumbo jet doesn´t use Carbon Dioxide!

But the majority of the people who where objecting where the “Not in my back garden” posse. The local people who are more worried about the wind turbines spoiling the view from their back garden or the residual values of their houses.

Now call me fickle but I am sick to the back teeth of environmentalists banging on about “Coal powered this” and “Polluting power stations that” What do these people want? You either want the wind turbines (as long as there not in your back garden) or you want to stick with the traditional methods - Fossil fuel power stations. One non-polluting and the other pumping tonnes of pollutants in to the air every week)

If the local council is trying to make wind power a viable alternative to coal powered power stations then surely there should be a move to support this. What would you rather have, a few hundred wind turbines (the Saddleworth plan is for 7!) which produce nearly zero pollution or a dirty great coal or oil powered power station pumping out tonnes of pollutants night and day? I know that wind turbines aren´t super energy efficient but coal and oil power only converts between 30-50% to electricity.

I´m sure that a few people sat reading this will be saying “You´re so ill informed” I don´t care about all the niggly little facts about the lives of little birds and bats! I´m an average Joe and to me a few hundred wind turbines make more sense than a dirty fossil fuel power station. Or even the ultimate environmental hazard a nuclear power station.

I know that the wind doesn´t blow all the time, but surely this is a start to producing our electricity from a more renewable source than fossil fuels.

In a recent poll most residents where happy with the proposals to go ahead and again its a small minority who are trying to prevent this development which will potentially benefit the greater population.

Also the “Saddleworth moor is a beautiful place” argument doesn´t wear with me either, it´s a bleak desolate, wind swept, a moor land desert. I know I used to live smack bang on the Saddleworth border. I can see the attraction as a wind farm location.

Okay, we should be trying to reduce the amount of energy we absorb in our homes, or perhaps the manufacturers of the products we use should be doing more to make there appliances more energy efficient and some already have. Even making our homes themselves more energy efficient through insulation and better building techniques. However we also need to break our reliance on fossil fuels to produce power and the first step in this process is surely to start with wind power.

When they announced plans a few weeks ago for a wind farm off the cost of Wales, there where a few people jumping through the “there unsightly” hoop! Its 10 miles off the coast, you can´t see it, so stop complaining!

Make your decision. What do you actually want? Or are you not bothered as long as it´s not on your doorstep?

Update: 19/8/2008
I ve just been watching BBC Spotlight South West and it appears the North West is not the only area where there are objectors. The news item on tv has protesters in Davidstow saying that there shouldnt be turbines placed there because of damage to the views and local birds. Article here: http://www.thisiscornwall.co.uk/news/Plan-build-Cornwall-s-biggest-wind-farm-revealed/article-242392-detail/article.html

Why is these news reports are always full of people who are against Wind Turbines and never have views from anyone who is for the wind turbines?

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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed below are strictly those of the individual author/poster. The views and opinions shown below are not necessarily those of Mike Porter, his associates and/or sponsors. We do not endorse any view below or necessarily agree/disagree with these views. Views posted below are entirely those of the poster, not me!

I have just read you article and I dont agree you would be of the same opinion if they where going to build these on your doorstep. The wind turbines which have been proposed in Cornwall will be a blight on the landscape and a serious threat to local wildlife, not to mention the effect it will have on the views from the surrounding area. Sure property prices are on the forefront of our minds, as they would be on anyones who was faced with such an emposing building regime.

mykp says:
1 I quite like the look of the wind turbines, the ones at the side of the A30 near blackwater are beatiful to look at as are the ones near helston on the lizard. 2. I couldnt give a stuff if a few birds are hurt if the energy that is created is free and produces no harmful co2 or other nasties - rather a windfarm then a coal powered station. 3. I still imply your more concerned about house prices as you wouldnt have mentioned it otherwise.

Posted by: i dont agree on 02 October 2008

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