Wind Faarms Still Killing Eagles

[dan_bgblue]

But it is OK as wind farms are saving the world (http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/09/12/study-says-wind-farms-have-killed-alarming-number-eagles/?intcmp=latestnews) Just remember the Tennessee farmer that bulldozed down a bunch of trees and one of them contained an empty eagle nest

[DanISSELisdaman]

Dan, the Eagle, (being the National Bird) is a symbol of everything that Obama hates, so it has to go too. :)

[CitizenBBN]

Maybe the Audubon Society could get Putin to represent them. Seeing how he just pwned Obama and used him to rejuvenate Russian influence in the world, no doubt he could get this done easy.


If they found 67, and per the story didn't count another 60 PER YEAR from Altamont per the story that for some reason weren't included in that 60ish figure, so the total in 5 years is a bare minimum of 400 in the last 5 years, but that no doubt is way low. Reporting is voluntary, they aren't going to call up anyone and tell them they found a dead eagle, and no doubt many are injured but manage to get some distance before dying.

We're looking at 100s if not 1,000s of just bald and golden eagles. There are many more endangered bird species in those habitats not even included in this. They could be killing 1,000+ endangered and federally protected birds every year, ZERO prosecution.

[dethbylt]

I've got mixed emotions. Needlessly killing any animal is a shame in my eyes. But, I am also aware that non-renewable energy sources wil go away in the near future. We have to eventually transition to solar, wind, hydro, etc... in order to power our country.

So, I guess my concern on this is that for renewable sources, wind is one of the worst?

Can someone speak as to the risk/reward factor for investing in wind? How much does it cost per average KWh gain compared to other sources?

[dethbylt]

...and how about the other renewable sources? Do any of them pose threats to wildlife as well?

[dethbylt]

Just read the quota proposal from the WhiteHouse. Are you effing kidding me? There is no way you can explicitly allow the killings, just as much as you can't say a viable renewable resource is explicitly bad. Somebody needs to make a comparison and decide which is more important and then shut the hell up.

[CitizenBBN]

Most any energy source will have environmental consequences. My problem with this is that wind farms get a complete pass for what gets anyone else jail time. If you cut down a tree with an abandoned eagle nest you could go to jail, pay fines, but b/c wind is politically popular right now it gets swept under the rug.

Treat everyone the same before the law. If the fine for killing an eagle is $10,000 then those wind farms need to start writing checks. Really big ones. Force them to pay for their sins enough they may invest in ways to kill fewer of them. Right now they have no incentive to care a bit, they have a get out of jail free card they don't deserve.

[UKHistory]

That is horrible. I really like the idea of wind farms but had no idea that birds were getting killed--especially eagles.

[CitizenBBN]

That is horrible. I really like the idea of wind farms but had no idea that birds were getting killed--especially eagles.

If you think about the tiny percentage of birds in those areas that are eagles, the overall number of bird deaths must be large. Hawks of all kinds, cranes, I assume they're all getting killed too.

[dan_bgblue]

Of all the alternative sources of energy to fossil fuels and nuclear power, wind power generation is by far the most destructive. Not only does it whack birds at an alarming rate, it also changes weather patterns in the local area. To make it a viable 24/7 power source it takes a bajilion batteries that are made from polluting elements and that has to be dealt with as an after thought.

[CitizenBBN]

Of all the alternative sources of energy to fossil fuels and nuclear power, wind power generation is by far the most destructive. Not only does it whack birds at an alarming rate, it also changes weather patterns in the local area. To make it a viable 24/7 power source it takes a bajilion batteries that are made from polluting elements and that has to be dealt with as an after thought.

It sounds good, but there's a reason it isn't more predominant despite the fact that wind power has been harnessed since the beginning of recorded history. It works great if you want to pump a little water b/c you can store enough to account for the downtime and it's a direct drive system. When you start trying to harness it in South Dakota and get it to New Jersey you've got real problems. It becomes horribly inefficient.

The biggest door the green movement doesn't want you to open is the environmental impact of the batteries and other tech that supports it. How much mercury and other things do you think we're putting in the landfills with the fancy light bulbs we toss in the trash?

[dan_bgblue]

Wind farm company fined 1 million for killing eagles (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/11/22/wind-energy-company-pleads-guilty-to-killing-eagles/?intcmp=latestnews)

[Doc]

I love eagles, especially when bbq-ed over a bed of rice...mmmmmmmmm

[DanISSELisdaman]

What color do you want your cell painted Doc? Oh and what size hug-yourself-jacket would fit you best? :4chsmu1: