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Most Americans don't live near wind turbines. The small minority that do live near them hate them. They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes, and if

Most Americans don't live near wind turbines. The small minority that do live near them hate them. They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes, and if you're within half a mile of them, the low frequency sounds are disruptive and unwelcome. EDIT: If you are (a) not American, or (b) don't actually live near windmills, or (c) not living in rural areas where all windfarms are placed by elites who don't live there, then why would you downvote this comment? Your privilege is showing.

matkoniecz 3y ago
> They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes One branch of my family lives near group of them, and I would not describe them in such way. Not convinced that USA rural landscape is so different in way that would be uniquely impacted by them. Also, impact on landscape is quite competitive with other power sources. > if you're within half a mile of them, the low frequency sounds are disruptive and unwelcome. not noticed that, maybe it applies to some specific type of them
Arrath 3y ago
Having lived next to large windfarms I can't say they were any more unsightly than other common edifices of industry like pumpjacks, radio/cell towers, smokestacks, cooling towers, skyscrapers, tower cranes, or bridge towers. I kind of appreciated the calm repetitive motion of the blades spinning. Wasn't close enough to note any low frequency noise so I can't say either way.
youngNed 3y ago
I'm not american, but I do live near quite a few. I have no problem with them. In fact as someone who has walked up scafell pike, the highest point in England to be greeted with a view of Windscale, I would say I bloody love them, compared to the alternative. The rural landscapes round these parts bear the scars of man, these are less deep than previous
bbrks 3y ago
I like the look of wind turbines and even large wind farms. The UK has large fields of them offshore which are awesome to see on or even below the horizon. I cannot comment on the auditory impact, as I have not spent a large amount of time in the near vicinity of one. But surely they're less annoying than a generator or the noise from ICE vehicles we live in daily.
- SoftTalker 3y ago
  I don't object to them in principle, but I do find it intensly distracting to drive along a road with many wind turbines.
badcppdev 3y ago
Rural landscape is kind of an oxymoron. It's not a natural landscape but we've been raised to think that it looks lovely. Hopefully people can cope with enough wind turbines that we reduce emissions before the climate storms destroy too much of our modern infrastructure.
- rbanffy 3y ago
  > before the climate storms destroy too much of our modern infrastructure. That AND the rural landscape.
freitzkriesler2 3y ago
You were downvoted for telling the truth. Windmills are ugly. Stick a whole bunch of them off of Martha's vineyard and see how quickly the NIMBY appears. Oh wait... https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2023/06/29/wind-energy-has-momentum-environmental-concerns-remain https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2023/06/29/wind-energy-has-...
- guntherhermann 3y ago
  What are your opinions on pylons? https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/w/images/f/f7/Pylons-503935_640.jpg https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/w/images/f/f7/Pylons-50...
  - freitzkriesler2 3y ago
    I don't care but you can bring that up to the nimbys who do.
- seizethegdgap 3y ago
  Ahhh yes, Martha's Vineyard, definitely reflects the demographics of the rest of America and is not at all a community of extremely rich people.
  - shapenamer 3y ago
    I think that was the point lol
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
poulsbohemian 3y ago
Cite your sources. I live in an area surrounded by them and I don't seem them as a blight on our landscapes - in fact, many are erected on land that was otherwise virtually unusable scrub. More and more we are seeing farmers / ranchers that are finding ways to erect solar and wind plus still make use of the land for productive agriculture. There is a small contingent of vocal types in my area who are opposed to both solar farms and wind turbines, and it's the same group that is opposed to everything that smacks of progress.
- rbanffy 3y ago
  > opposed to everything that smacks of progress. Many people oppose anything that was invented after their childhood. It’s quite normal. Eventually they’ll learn wind farms are a good thing, much like the cars that replaced horses.
I_Am_Nous 3y ago
I am a commenter that ticks A, B, and C. Windmills are great. I've loved them ever since I was a kid. That said they aren't the perfect green energy source for a lot of reasons, and pretending they are totally carbon neutral and don't cause their own landscape issues doesn't help anyone.
blackguardx 3y ago
I live near a windfarm south of Boulder, CO. It's fine. Better than the nuclear weapons plant that used to be there.
hactually 3y ago
I think you're being downvoted because of your comment about the "low frequency sounds". That's myth[0] that's typically shared by anti-renewables/NIMBYs. [0] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-17/wind-farms-david-leyonhjelm-fact-check/6553746 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-17/wind-farms-david-leyo...
xenadu02 3y ago
LOL... farmers love them. They take up a tiny bit of field in exchange for extra revenue. Almost every farmer takes the deal when offered it.
matkoniecz 3y ago
> If you are (a) not American, or (b) don't actually live near windmills, or (c) not living in rural areas where all windfarms are placed by elites who don't live there, then why would you downvote this comment? Your privilege is showing. "They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes, and if you're within half a mile of them, the low frequency sounds are disruptive and unwelcome." can be verified (or having own opinion on their looks) without being American and without living permanently near windmills.
danaris 3y ago
I'm an American, and I live in a rural area near wind turbines. I love seeing them. It always makes me feel a little more hopeful to see the concrete proof of genuine efforts being made to rid us of the fossil fuels that, if left unchecked, will cause (even more) catastrophic climate change. I've never heard of anyone in my area being harmed by the wind turbines, and there are certainly enough far-right coal-rolling drill-and-burn folks around here who would trumpet it to high heaven if there were.
dukeyukey 3y ago
Are American turbines uniquely terrible compared to the rest of the world? I grew up in a rural European region with lots of turbines and they never seemed intrusive to me.

matkoniecz 3y ago

> They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes One branch of my family lives near group of them, and I would not describe them in such way. Not convinced that USA rural landscape is so different in way that would be uniquely impacted by them. Also, impact on landscape is quite competitive with other power sources. > if you're within half a mile of them, the low frequency sounds are disruptive and unwelcome. not noticed that, maybe it applies to some specific type of them

Arrath 3y ago

Having lived next to large windfarms I can't say they were any more unsightly than other common edifices of industry like pumpjacks, radio/cell towers, smokestacks, cooling towers, skyscrapers, tower cranes, or bridge towers. I kind of appreciated the calm repetitive motion of the blades spinning. Wasn't close enough to note any low frequency noise so I can't say either way.

youngNed 3y ago

I'm not american, but I do live near quite a few. I have no problem with them. In fact as someone who has walked up scafell pike, the highest point in England to be greeted with a view of Windscale, I would say I bloody love them, compared to the alternative. The rural landscapes round these parts bear the scars of man, these are less deep than previous

bbrks 3y ago

I like the look of wind turbines and even large wind farms. The UK has large fields of them offshore which are awesome to see on or even below the horizon. I cannot comment on the auditory impact, as I have not spent a large amount of time in the near vicinity of one. But surely they're less annoying than a generator or the noise from ICE vehicles we live in daily.

SoftTalker 3y ago
I don't object to them in principle, but I do find it intensly distracting to drive along a road with many wind turbines.

badcppdev 3y ago

Rural landscape is kind of an oxymoron. It's not a natural landscape but we've been raised to think that it looks lovely. Hopefully people can cope with enough wind turbines that we reduce emissions before the climate storms destroy too much of our modern infrastructure.

rbanffy 3y ago
> before the climate storms destroy too much of our modern infrastructure. That AND the rural landscape.

freitzkriesler2 3y ago

You were downvoted for telling the truth. Windmills are ugly. Stick a whole bunch of them off of Martha's vineyard and see how quickly the NIMBY appears. Oh wait... https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2023/06/29/wind-energy-has-momentum-environmental-concerns-remain https://vineyardgazette.com/news/2023/06/29/wind-energy-has-...

guntherhermann 3y ago
What are your opinions on pylons? https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/w/images/f/f7/Pylons-503935_640.jpg https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/w/images/f/f7/Pylons-50...
- freitzkriesler2 3y ago
  I don't care but you can bring that up to the nimbys who do.
seizethegdgap 3y ago
Ahhh yes, Martha's Vineyard, definitely reflects the demographics of the rest of America and is not at all a community of extremely rich people.
- shapenamer 3y ago
  I think that was the point lol
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

poulsbohemian 3y ago

Cite your sources. I live in an area surrounded by them and I don't seem them as a blight on our landscapes - in fact, many are erected on land that was otherwise virtually unusable scrub. More and more we are seeing farmers / ranchers that are finding ways to erect solar and wind plus still make use of the land for productive agriculture. There is a small contingent of vocal types in my area who are opposed to both solar farms and wind turbines, and it's the same group that is opposed to everything that smacks of progress.

rbanffy 3y ago
> opposed to everything that smacks of progress. Many people oppose anything that was invented after their childhood. It’s quite normal. Eventually they’ll learn wind farms are a good thing, much like the cars that replaced horses.

I_Am_Nous 3y ago

I am a commenter that ticks A, B, and C. Windmills are great. I've loved them ever since I was a kid. That said they aren't the perfect green energy source for a lot of reasons, and pretending they are totally carbon neutral and don't cause their own landscape issues doesn't help anyone.

blackguardx 3y ago

I live near a windfarm south of Boulder, CO. It's fine. Better than the nuclear weapons plant that used to be there.

hactually 3y ago

I think you're being downvoted because of your comment about the "low frequency sounds". That's myth[0] that's typically shared by anti-renewables/NIMBYs. [0] https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-17/wind-farms-david-leyonhjelm-fact-check/6553746 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-17/wind-farms-david-leyo...

xenadu02 3y ago

LOL... farmers love them. They take up a tiny bit of field in exchange for extra revenue. Almost every farmer takes the deal when offered it.

matkoniecz 3y ago

> If you are (a) not American, or (b) don't actually live near windmills, or (c) not living in rural areas where all windfarms are placed by elites who don't live there, then why would you downvote this comment? Your privilege is showing. "They are an unsightly blight upon rural landscapes, and if you're within half a mile of them, the low frequency sounds are disruptive and unwelcome." can be verified (or having own opinion on their looks) without being American and without living permanently near windmills.

danaris 3y ago

I'm an American, and I live in a rural area near wind turbines. I love seeing them. It always makes me feel a little more hopeful to see the concrete proof of genuine efforts being made to rid us of the fossil fuels that, if left unchecked, will cause (even more) catastrophic climate change. I've never heard of anyone in my area being harmed by the wind turbines, and there are certainly enough far-right coal-rolling drill-and-burn folks around here who would trumpet it to high heaven if there were.

dukeyukey 3y ago

Are American turbines uniquely terrible compared to the rest of the world? I grew up in a rural European region with lots of turbines and they never seemed intrusive to me.