Something I warned about windfarms, now reality

[clarencebunsen]

I like the design of the parking lot lights at Fiberdyne in Frankfort. A vertical axis wind generator and a solar panel charge batteries for the LEDs.

[Deleted]

I like the windfarms. I think they look peaceful. I would rather have several hundred thousand of these on the hill sides and off our coasts that nuclear reactors. And the damn birds will find another route for migration. It is a simple matter of cause and effect that would eventually alter their genetic makeup that controls their route of migration.

[Ralph]

Those “damn birds” consume hoards of insects that carry a lot of diseases that you would rather not become acquainted with….......can we all say ”Eastern equine encephalitis” boys and girls?
That simple matter of cause and effect takes generations before they start altering their migratory patterns. Geese are the fastest to adapt, but not the most beneficial of the avian species for our needs….….and still, we’re talking 5 to 15 years to move a pattern just because they find “something” in their way. And by that time their population has dwindled.

How are those mosquitoes going to be doing this year by the way?


Vertical axis wind generators are a coming thing. A friend of mine has plans and working models for one he designed. It takes very little wind to move it and generates more electricity per revolution that a standard windmill generator.

Mother Earth News…..ahhhh….those were the days!!! As far as conservation goes, many simply cannot afford what it takes to do it, they are busy just trying to live day-by-day .
I could cut our heating costs dramatically if I insulated and put in new windows and doors but cannot afford to even pay attention, let alone do what needs to be done.

And I work for a living!!!

[firstamendment]

I have no problem with birds, or wildlife, for that matter, Ralph. I'm sure, over time, birds and other animals will adjust to the new machinery in Fairfield and Norway. After all, they know enough to head south for the winter, I'm pretty sure they can figure out how to avoid a spinning blade.

[stoney]

Personally, I don't mind the windmills. Hell, they had them ages ago in Holland. They're better than these Marcy-South power lines I can see from my house.

[denise]

I guess it's all fun and games until you are the one that has to put up with the noise, the shadows and the dead bird carcasses.

[stoney]

"Fun & games"??

[denise]

Fun & Games:

"I think they look nice."

"How much noise can they make? I'm sure it's not that bad."

"The windmills aren't killing that many birds."


How would you really know any of this until you had a bunch of windmills sitting 500 feet from one of your windows?

These suckers aren't anything like what they built in Holland. Don't take my word for it. Take a drive to Route 177 in Lowville. You can see them up pretty close.

[dgriffin]

Apr 14, 2011 9:33:34 GMT -5 clarencebunsen said:

I think that pretty much nails it JGR, all methods of generating electricity have some negative impacts. (Actually all human activity has some negative impact; getting burried disturbs several square feet of topsoil, not getting burried releases green houses gasses.)

Yet I can't remember meeting anyone who isn't willing to turn on a light or a computer and use electricity generated in someone else's backyard and complain that National Grid charges to transport that electricity from that backyard to theirs.

Some time ago Dave & I discovered that each of us still had our 1970's era copy of Mother Earth's Handbook of Home Made Power on our bookshelves. JGR, it wouldn't surprise me if you had read it as well. Even if one were to take that book to heart and use your hydro powered ram to pressurize the canisters of methane (generated from the manure from your sheep, goats & chickens) used to power your 1965 Beetle towing the mobile produce stand from which you sell your organic eggs, cheese and sweaters; someone would still complain that your chickens are in invasive species eating insects necessary to pollinate wild flowers.

I even wrote a story about it, of course.

www.windsweptpress.com/mother.pdf

[clarencebunsen]

I still love that story.

[JGRobinson]

Dave, your a man after my own heart. I did read Mother Earth's Handbook of Home Made Power. I love gizmo's, some of them even work. I already have the pipework for my tower and will be building a Vertical mill starting this year. I'm doing it Rogue, no permits, no BS, First it will look like a tall flagpole, then a very large lawn ornament! Ive already got the monsters less than 1/4 Mile form my house so they will have to get used to their baby brother whether they like it or not!

I gotta say Denise, I am right near these things and as god as my witness, they are not a bother to me or my neighbors, I cant hear them at all and they make for a great Weather-vane. Actually 3 of my neighbors own the land that 8 of these sit on and they like the income, I like them to prosper! They can still grow crops below them and none of them are overly wealthy to begin with. Im also right on a major flyway and the geese never come near them from what I see and I have many birds of all types all year round. Never been much for Bats or Bugs around them cause they are bald hilltops, no standing water and few trees.

I have never noticed a difference around here wildlife wise since they were constructed other than too many suicidal deer (I dont think its the windmills fault). Ive been directly below them many times and found zero signs of Winged Collisions with the things.

I do believe 100 years ago many around my house despised the hard pan road, Train Tracks, Telephone, Power poles and nasty stinky Automobiles when they were first introduced to the Bearpath up here near the clouds but that passed quickly as the benefits were reaped.

They aren't going away, we will have many more before were through, each generation will be better than the last. Thats the way it goes!

[denise]

I have to say in all honesty, I didn't think the wind mills looked bad on Rte 177. (I have found that I cannot look at them too long otherwise I get vertigo.) It wasn't until my husband and I were searching for land along Lake Ontario & we were up in Cape Vincent that I realized how terrible they really did look. Maybe it was just because I've always considered the shores of Lake Ontario & The St. Lawrence River so beautiful that the contrast was not lost on me.

[stoney]

I think what looks worse from the shores of Lake Ontario is that nuclear reactor in Oswego. That wasn't there when I went to Selkirk Park as a kid, but you can see it now.

"I guess it's all fun and games until you are the one that has to put up with the noise, the shadows and the dead bird carcasses."

Considering we have an electrical transformer near our house which results in dead birds, squirrels, & whatnot, it would make no difference.

If people want electricity, they must put up with the negative aspects of supplying it. Personally, I rather it be supplied in the 'greenest' way possible.

[JGRobinson]

I so agree Stoney, The Dead Deer, Cat and Dog carcasses, Flying Bowling Ball sized suicidal Turkeys, countless Raccoons, Possums, and other flat little rat like or amphibian critters that line Route 46 tells me that those windmills behind my house are not the biggest threat to wildlife on the Bearpath!

I have them both NE and SE of me less than a 1/4 of a milefrom my front door and they are virtually silent. We only have 8 on this ridge so thats not a huge Wind farm. Ive been up to Fenner and barely heard the swoosh of 20 at once within 500 Meters of the farm so I dont know what the noise is everyone hears (Could be the Rock and Roll in the 70's, 80's and....

[virgilgal]

Here's the latest from Pa. on another option;
centralny.ynn.com/content/all_news/540652/natural-gas-well-spill-leaks-tainted-water/