Do enviromentalists not want windmills for the sake of birds?

Question

So how are we suppose to use the technology to harness renewable energy when the very people that want it are against it?

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20040522/ai_n14576737

Answer 1

Apparently, you do not see flocks of dead birds at the bases of windmills.

But birds do smack into the glass windows at the office all the time.  Even House Sparrows, which are supposed to know better.  They don't seem to take any permanent damage, though.

Answer 2

As an environmentalist I am happy to support windmills. Also, as an environmentalist, I think that the welfare of other animals is important. We need to consider a way of deterring the birds.

Answer 3

No, they just don't want their property values reduced.  If you're a Kennedy you are entitled to an uncluttered view from your private beach, but if you're one of the "little people" you'll just have to grin and bear it.

Answer 4

No.  The story you link is 4 years old, and only about one wind farm which results in some of the highest bird mortality rates of US wind farms because it was using old technology.  Every environmentalist I know strongly supports wind power.  Their threat to birds is grossly overstated.

"In the United States, cars and trucks wipe out millions of birds each year, while 100 million to 1 billion birds collide with windows. According to the 2001 National Wind Coordinating Committee study, “Avian Collisions with Wind Turbines: A Summary of Existing Studies and Comparisons to Other Sources of Avian Collision Mortality in the United States," these non-wind mortalities compare with 2.19 bird deaths per turbine per year. That's a long way from the sum mortality caused by the other sources."

"commercial wind turbines cause the direct deaths of only 0.01% to 0.02% of all of the birds killed by collisions with man-made structures and activities in the U.S."

Answer 5

I'm an environmentalist who doesn't want wind turbines, but the birds are only a part of it.

Most of the reason I don't want the things is because they are useless noise makers that only serve to distract attention (along with money and resources) away from nuclear fission which has much more potential to actually replace fossil fuels (and therefore help prevent global warming from getting worse).

Wind power is usually 80% natural gas (given natural gas backup which is most common and a 20% capacity factor which is probably around average for wind or a bit above) and a fair analysis must take into account the environmental effects of the backup power, on that count wind fails to be an answer.

Answer 6

This article is 4 years old, and they did stop the wind farm for a while.

But the wild turbines were fitted with larger blades and run slower so that the birds no longer fly into them, and they are running again.

There has also been new Wind turbine being developed that are vertical instead of horizonal, and these are much more bird friendly.

they also run with less wind, and can be mounted closer to the ground.

http://peswiki.com/index.php/Directory:V...

Answer 7

There are some stories like that about but they simply aren't true. Environmentalists find natural power to be the best. Sure everything has a downside but the case of windmills causing damage to birds is not true. It is just an attempt to discredit people who want a cleaner environment.

See the article below

http://birds.suite101.com/article.cfm/bi...

Windmills, especially older ones, in the wrong places can cause many bird deaths. Newer technology and thoughtful location of wind farms can minimize the death toll........

Answer 8

I consider myself an environmentalist, and the risk to birds is of concern to me. Does it mean no windmills, no, but it does mean thinking about and that it isn't completely great.

Answer 9

I often wondered about the motives of people who would object to windmills. I know that many people are working on other models of wind turbines that would reduce the risk to birds.

I believe that fewer birds have been killed by wind turbines than from the smoke of coal plants.

Answer 10

Put two environmentalists in a room and there will be an argument.

Green is nothing but a cluster of contradiction.