Short-cut shame

Published on 28/08/2012 00:00

Professor Anthony Trewavas’ letter (25 August), which confirms that this country has rushed headlong into wind turbine construction without any attempt to find out from our best scientists whether or not it actually will be the solution to future energy shortages, is a staggering reminder that politicians appear incapable of taking long-term advice on such important issues.

Aside from their short-term desire to seek re-election, can our elected members offer one good reason for not seeking the best advice from the most qualified people before such fundamental (and crucial) decisions like energy supply are, apparently, so flippantly arrived at?

As the professor says, where is the evidence – and who, exactly, supplied it?

Donald Ford

Tayside Street

Carnoustie, Angus

It never fails to amaze me what a selfish nation we have become. We have two applications for a wind farm near my home where two families are already experiencing serious problems with noise and shadow flicker from an existing wind farm.

The new wind farms will only make life worse for them and surround not only their homes but others too.

Looking at the comments on the council website I am amazed to see how many people have sent in a letter of support for the wind farms, stating that they fully embrace them for the “community benefit” offered, and their chance to get their swimming pool in the local town.

Just because they won’t be looking or listening to the wind farm it seems not to matter if somebody else is.

I understand the importance of a swimming pool in the town. It will benefit a lot of people but there must be better ways of raising the money rather than making these and other families suffer for the next 20 years with noise and visual effects.

If it were their families being affected I don’t suppose they would be so keen to see the wind farms built.

Some people near Glasgow have complained about a small turbine being erected in a graveyard and think it is terrible because the peace and quiet has been spoilt.

This was in the centre of Glasgow, close to a major road. How do they think people who have to live with these enormous structures manage 24/7?

Something is wrong with our morals if we are prepared to accept the fact that families’ lives are going to be hell for the rest of their natural lives.

What many of these people fail to realise is that the recent 9 per cent rise in energy bills is largely down to the renewables policy of which wind farms play a major part.

These people will be the first to moan but there will be many more rises in the future.

Kim Terry

Pinmore

Girvan, Aryshire