GR: Alternative energy may reduce pollution, but it has its own problems. In the desert near me, solar farms are shading and destroying native vegetation, roads and transmission corridors are spreading habitat destruction and giving access to invasive plants. As explained in John Murawski’s article, just the wind-farm survey impacts will be significant. Construction will add more damage. So what? Well, I would like to see our leaders make some proposals for cutting our energy requirements. Otherwise, we are simply creating another major industry that will see growth and profit as far more important than protecting nature.
This map shows that the U. S. east coast is more attractive than the west.
Following article posted by John Murawski on January 22, 2015
Federal environmental officials are seeking public comment on the environmental impacts of offshore wind farm-related activity proposed for an area of some 480 square miles of Atlantic Ocean off North Carolina’s coast.
The results of the environmental assessment could determine if the U.S. Department of Interior further shrinks the ocean areas deemed suitable for offshore wind farms. The currently proposed area was slashed from 1,900 square miles last August in response to concerns about conflicts with shipping routes, marine ecology and local tourism.
The Department of Interior will hold three public meetings next month in North Carolina, and will also start a 30-day public comment period Friday.
GarryRogers Nature Conservation 
Although I’m sympathetic to the potential ecological damage from large solar projects and wind farms, we need to put this in the proper perspective. Climate change poses an exponentially greater ecological threat to the biosphere of the entire planet. We simply must get off of fossil fuels as quickly as possible. Doing so will not be easy, nor will it be without great cost.
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Robert, you are right about the necessity for getting off fossil fuels. Investors could move away from fossil fuels now to prevent global warming, but the recent CEO poll (http://wp.me/p26kDO-buH) shows this is unlikely. Of course, mine is is also a wistful pipe dream; reducing energy requirements is just as unlikely.
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It’s an incredibly bad situation which might not be solvable by our current civilization. Your idea of reducing our energy usage could actually come to fruition; although, not necessarily for the intended reason. Except for a modestly improving U.S., the world economy doesn’t look good right now. If aggregate demand continues to be weak, energy use will drop accordingly. Currently, this is what’s happening – with crude oil prices in near free-fall amid growing fears of recession. It’s a little scary.
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Reblogged this on Coastal Nature NC and commented:
Don’t stand on the sidelines, attend one of the meetings, make comments to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
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Reblogged this on "OUR WORLD".
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