Not In My Backyard

Tilting at Turbines 

        Not too long ago, while driving through the vast, unpredictable landscape of Northwest Texas, we came upon a swarm of enormous windmills, planted as far as the eye could see, in every direction.  
         Now better known as “wind turbines.” Everywhere. They are apparently beloved by many environmentalists and engineers alike, touted as the wave of the green future. the cure to the so-called global warming. And that’s scary. 

        The novelty and the pervasiveness of these monsters distorting the Texas skyline, grabbed my attention. It was nothing like I had ever seen before. My initial reaction was of amazement.  They must be creating enough power to light the whole city of Ft. Worth, I thought to myself.  Not really, I have been told.  Possibly part of Abilene. Not enough power lines exist in the area to do much more.
        My next thought: what a blight on the natural environment.

        I can remember when the do-gooders I really admired, including some in Georgetown, fought valiantly with some success to keep those ugly billboards and McDonald’s signs away from our highways.  Compared to today’s turbines, those unsightly signs look like postage stamps.
        I was reminded of the erection I had seen earlier in the year on I-90 in Euclid Ohio near my home town up north.  There it was hovering over the freeway. This enormous monster of a windmill, much bigger than a 747 standing on end.  Much taller than any building in the city.  
       This turbine tower, 20 stories high with wing spans like three 747s flapping at the Lake Erie air, is theoretically producing something useful; clean energy. (Barely enough to lights the headquarters building of Lincoln Electric, I am told.) Sure makes Cleveland look like a cool, futuristic place, I thought to myself. But what a blight. Out of curiosity I did a Google search.
         And there is plenty to learn. One European company brags that it has already produced 7000 of these devices for the world’s countryside, with more in the pipeline. Another site tells me there are already 17,000 across America. From sea to shining sea, so to speak. Many thousands are already in California and Texas. One of the largest “wind farms” (I like that phrase) is said to be outside of Palm Springs, east of San Diego.
        According to news reports another “farm”, near Oakland and the East Bay, has halted further construction due to the thrashing death of scores of so called protected Golden Eagles killed by the blades of the hundreds of turbines already there.
       I also learned, with some concern, that wind turbines of a variety of shapes and sizes are being touted by manufacturers to power all of our houses. In their marketing dreams, every neighborhood will have them whirling madly, presumably in or near each of our backyards.
      A study in North Texas reveals that the relentless movement of the huge turbines cause a warming in the immediate area.  It's own brand of global warming, so to speak. Needless to say I have a serious problem with that vision of Turbine tomorrowland in America, and can only cry out before it is too late, to those who will listen: “Not in my back yard.” 
        How about yours?