Wind turbines

Australian
Friday 3/12/2010 Page: 15

PERSONALLY, I find wind turbines quite pleasing to see in certain types of landscape. Unlike Graham Lloyd ("The great wind rush", Inquirer, 27-28/11), I think of daisies, not triffids. They are far more attractive than chimneys belching smoke.

Obviously there are sites to avoid, such as landscapes valued for their wild beauty and bird migration routes, and turbines should not be built close to houses. If there are problems, such as bird kills and health issues, these need to be investigated, but greenhouse warming is likely to be far more devastating to birds and humans than wind turbines, even if such impacts are proven.

We need to develop a mix of renewable energy technologies in Australia, having regard to cost and unforeseen environmental impacts, and to use energy more efficiently.

Margaret Dingle, Norwood, SA