WHY WIND?

Ontario is facing an energy crisis and the world is facing a global warming crisis. Our contribution to resolving these two crises is to use the abundant clean resource blowing over our communities in the Ontario Highlands - accessible wind power - to increase the supply of 'green' energy in our province.

We believe that the citizens in these communities, plus all levels of government, should back a planned, but rapid, small and large scale development of wind power generation.

To put the issue of wind energy into perspective, we know that with the growing urgency of climate change, we have to decide what it is we want and what we can live with.

The dangers of climate change vs. the perceived dangers of windmills. As David Suzuki says, "Climate change is one of the greatest challenges humanity will face this century. It cannot be solved through good intentions.

It will take a radical change in the way we produce and consume energy -another industrial revolution, this time for clean energy, conservation and efficiency."

Of course, all forms of energy have their costs - fossil fuels, we know, are limited and create air pollution (green house gases among them). Large-scale hydroelectric power floods valleys and destroys animal habitat and nuclear power is very expensive and creates radioactive waste.

Compared to the alternatives, wind energy is safe, efficient, renewable and non-polluting.


COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM WIND POWER GENERATION

Environmental

(1)    Clean, renewable power
(2)    No change in our land use
(3)    Cleaner Air

Economic

(1)   Royalty payments to landowners
(2)   Permanent jobs
(3)   Municipal taxes
(4)  Construction jobs
(5)  Purchase of materials in Canada
(6)  Tax revenues for education and county services
(7)  Increased tourism
(8)  Local economic development

Energy Generation

(1)  Quick delivery of new electrical capacity
(2)  Reduced risk of fuel price fluctuation and power shortages
(3)  Low cost power

 

Climate demands rapid energy conversion, experts say

Cambridge, Mass.--A panel of energy experts called on industry and government to rapidly embrace technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including renewable energy, energy efficiency and carbon sequestration...

To read the complete article, click here

 

 

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