Comment: Canadian's citizens do like their country ruining their water, air and land either!
Sep 21, 2011 - 11:19 AM
My letter is in response to Mr. Urbanek’s letter in last week’s Examiner, “Better alternative to wind turbines.”
Every method of energy production has risks. Nuclear power plants fuelled by uranium have horrendous accidents for various reasons that put thousands of people at risk from poisoned water, air and soil. Also, there is no absolutely safe way to store the toxic waste from these dangerous plants.
Petroleum and natural gas are produced by fracking, which uses dangerous biocides and great quantities of water. Groundwater and surface water is poisoned in this production of energy.
Environmental groups in the U.S. are trying to stop fracking in many states and France may be the first country to stop fracking. The environmental damage from fracking is finally being discussed by some Canadians.
Our tar sands have destroyed boreal forest the size of some small countries. The cleaning process of this dirty oil uses tremendous amounts of water from the Athabasca River. The river now has only 13 per cent of its average annual flow.
Residents in Fort Chipewyan, who rely on the Athabasca River, are experiencing high rates of cancer. Fish in the river are deformed and migratory birds die in the waste water lagoons left by this oil production.
Mining coal releases methane and CO2. Mercury emissions, sulfur, sulfuric acid and radiation exposure are all results mining coal. Centralia, Pennsylvania has a coal mine that has been burning toxic gas for 40 years. Jharia, India has another mine that burns continuously.
Hydroelectric power seems like a good alternative as long as you don’t let the dam building get out of hand. Hoover Dam has destroyed an ecosystem and many periods of no energy production have occurred because of long periods of drought. The Three Gorges Dam in China (eight times larger than Hoover Dam) has caused landslides, an increase in water-borne diseases, and destroyed the ecosystem of a vast area.
Now back to wind turbines. Yes, there are quiet days when less power is produced. Are they noisy? I have stood in the midst of wind turbines on Tug Hill in Lewis County, New York, near Lowville, and I can say that living near a busy road or highway is much more annoying.
I saw the cattle grazing happily among the turbines where the farmers are paid a monthly rent for the use of their land by the power company.
I can also say that I saw no dead birds, but perhaps there are a few that have given their lives for this energy source.
Yes, these turbines must be constantly checked by professionals because accidents can happen. The mechanisms may need repairs, the 400-foot towers and huge blades must remain strong. Accidents have happened when a blade has fallen to the earth. So far no one has died from a falling blade.
Compare this to the lives lost in a nuclear power plant disaster, a coal mining accident, or through toxic water resulting from oil sand production or fracking for oil and natural gas.
All in all, I will say unequivocally that I see benefits to wind power — especially if it can stop oil drilling in the Beaufort Sea, but I imagine nothing will stop that. And then there’s the sun, its not reliable but...
Elizabeth Hearn Milner
Bracebridge
Read more:
http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/opinion/article/1107622--definite-benefits-to-wind-power
