December 6, 2021
CBC Radio program The Current aired a documentary called “Winds of Change” this morning, that told the story of how the residents of the Shetland Islands in Scotland have been fighting a huge wind power project.
The Viking power project (it’s not a “farm”) is now under construction, and among the environmental concerns residents have is the destruction of fragile peatlands, which play a major role in the environment (and actually serve as a carbon sink). The wind power developer response? It was in bad shape, we’re actually fixing it.
Other preposterous claims made include the fact that the turbines will take up only one square kilometre of land (that’s if you assume 1 acre per turbine–also false–and that they will be bunched together–false), lots of jobs (False) and environmental benefit (also false, on balance).
This is a tragedy. As one resident said about the peatlands, “We’re talking about an entire ecosystem being dug up.”
Another despaired of what the industrial-sale power project will do the the beautiful Shetland Isles: “Once it’s done, there’s no going back.”
Peat landslides have already occurred at the construction site, as a result of “poor management practices” by the developer, according to a news report.
Listen to the CBC Radio documentary here
And view a video of the location of the power project here, provided by citizens’ group Save Our Shetland.
https://fb.watch/9JW57z_Ppi/
Host of The Current, matt Galloway, appears not to have listened to the documentary featured on his own show because after it concluded, he announced that Wednesday’s show would feature more ideas on How we can save our planet. Clearly, wind power is not the answer when environmental destruction is the result.
2 Comments
Stan Thayer
We have our own!
The Alfred bog was a blueberry haven with peat moss meters deep. It is located in a valley rift between Hawksbury and Pendelton Ontario along the north side of Ridge Road, but don’t go to see it, most of it has been taken away to Toronto for ornamental landscaping.
An ugly scene Is left!
All types of wildlife and flora and fauna survived there for millennia.
The water outflow was exceptional after rainwater passed through to the aquifer underneath.
It was sold to pay for Ministry of Natural Resource and other government salaries. Once it is cleared, a plan for wind turbines has been discussed.
CBC, for anyone that just emerged from a cave, is a union driven, taxpayer funded media entity that documents the destruction of all things and supports two faced environmental entities such as The David Suzuki Foundation.
Nufsed.
Stan
Wind Concerns Ontario
The Eastern Fields project was proposed but did not get approved. It was a spectacularly dumb proposal with so many negatives. But, all the paperwork got done—we could see it again if another government were to be elected.