May 2009 - Letter to the Editor, sent to several local publications

Have you visited the wind turbines out near Dealtown (Blenheim, HWY 3)? They are truly amazing, beautiful and futuristic....Green energy is the way of the future, but at what cost? My family and I live close to the existing wind turbines and are suffering because of it. Promised to be quiet and unobtrusive, the wind turbines are in fact, the opposite. Sleep disturbances, headaches, ear ringing, nauseau and fatigue are a handful of the symptoms we are experiencing. We have expressed our concerns to Kruger energy and to the municipality of CK. They say they are working towards investigation and solutions, however, there are other proposed wind farms going ahead in the meantime. There is a large amount of information on the web regarding Wind Turbine Syndrome (WTS), and activists trying to appeal to govt's to stop erecting wind farms until the effects on people and animals are further studied. As I think about the years and years, and the many illnesses and deaths that had to occur before government finally started acting on the effects of tobacco, I can't help but wonder how many people will needlessly suffer in the name of creating 'green' energy and bringing dollars into the community. I am most worried about the unknown effects of these metal giants on our beautiful children's growing, forming minds and bodies. I hope the community and it's representatives will be proactive and slow down the wind farm installations. Let's study what we have now and keep in mind that almost any good thing in excess can become a negative. How many wind turbines are too many? The answer: one - if it is too close to homes and affecting the health of our children, friends and neighbors.