When a plan for a wind farm entails felling more than 180 acres of forest and destroying large swathes of irreplaceable peat-land, then there is clearly something very wrong, and even sinister, at its core.
Next week, a local council in Donegal, Ireland will meet to make a decision on such a development. The proposal to install 19 enormous wind turbines in pristine countryside is being opposed by locals but, as we know from experience, the local people are often of least concern to the energy companies who are out to make a fast buck at the expense of rural communities, the environment and precious countryside. Each of the 19 turbines would be nearly 160 meters high (that's more than 500 feet from the ground to the tip of the blade) and would be visible for miles in this stunning part of Ireland, famous for its beautiful scenery and vistas. Donegal's Finn Valley and the iconic landscape around the area of Barnesmore Gap are specifically the areas earmarked for development and many local people are furious about the plan. Opposition group Finn Valley Wind Action point out that the project would affect 246,075 cubic meters of valuable peat habitat, a haven for wildlife and an especially delicate ecosystem. Water pollution would be unavoidable, they say, as swathes of trees would be felled and peat damaged and destroyed, making its way into river catchments through heavy rain. “This development carries a huge environmental footprint,” they say, “with significant risks to the public water supply. The application in its entirety is cause for huge concern.” Many readers will know that I am vehemently opposed to wind farms which I view as something of a con. Sold to us as 'green', they are not only a blot on the landscape but are often largely inefficient and hugely destructive to wildlife and the environment both in manufacture and installation. Brave communities are fighting their own battles against 'big wind' developers in Scotland, Wales and Ireland as I write. In England, a temporary halt in planning permission for onshore wind development has been overtaken by plans for massive offshore developments, just as damaging in their own way to bird life (and probably marine life too). When will the truth be exposed? When enough people open their eyes to the horror that these developments really are - that they are potentially catastrophic to the natural world. Which is why I will continue to voice my concerns loudly and widely. For more information about the plans for Donegal and the community's opposition to the industrial development of their natural and precious environment, please visit Finn Valley Wind Action's Facebook page HERE.
5 Comments
11/2/2018 06:53:03 pm
I just wanted to send you a thank you for contributing/sharing to The Collective Planet, it's people like you that make a difference! We all must do our part no matter how small, unfortunately it sometimes feels that no one is listening or they just do not have the time to participate in anything outside their own busy lives. It will take a great catastrophic event to get the masses attention, perhaps not in our life time but it will come, then humankind will have no choice but to listen.
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11/2/2018 07:47:59 pm
Thanks Gerald,
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11/2/2018 09:38:13 pm
A different perspective.
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J Martin
12/2/2018 08:31:57 am
This report shows that under ideal conditions sea and land based windfarms together save only 2.8% of co2.
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31/12/2018 09:49:53 pm
Planned Windfarm in Tullamore bog 5 turbines and support equipment , Tullamore, Listowel, Co,Kerry
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