Someone in Melancthon loves turbines

Sound of turbines very soothing
Thursday November 19 2009

Dear editor,


I am a resident of Melancthon, one of those many residents who are “surrounded by” wind generators. When I walk almost under a windidmill on a windy day, I can hear them wooshing quietly as they turn — a very constant and, I find, soothing sound. Remember, in this windy part of the province, the wind itself is pretty noisy and, like the windmills, intermittent.


While opposition to the windmills is very vocal, it is hard to gauge the real “mood” of residents in general. Satisfied people just go about their own business and rarely take the time to tell you they are “not bothered” by the windmills — likely they rarely think about them at all. (But politicians have to worry about those vocal few, don't they?)


To balance the generally negative bias of the article, I thought I'd tell you about one person who is very positively impacted by the windmills — me..


First, they add to my daily enjoyment. As I look out my windows or work in my garden, I find the gentle, constant turning of the blades to be restful, giving a feeling of serene movement to this otherwise pretty flat and boring landscape.


Second, the windmills reduce my anxiety. Ever since I was a child and the world was still reeling from the use of the nuclear bomb, I have been anxious about the dangers of nuclear power, including the potential harm from Ontario's (now aging) nuclear generating stations. Coal-fired electrical generating plants are also a danger to my environment, whether I live near them or not.


Since Ontarians continue to use more and more energy each year, the electricity has to come from somewhere. I was thrilled when Ontario began (at last) to invest in wind power as have other, more environmentally conscious countries. And pleased that I could look out my back window and see the evidence of that. Thus, Richard [Vivian], you could record one household where the turbines lower anxiety!


Barbara Herring, Melancthon