Wind Turbines are Worse than Oil

Since 2011, American wind turbines have killed more than three times the birds that were killed in the BP oil spill. By 2030, wind farms are predicted to end the lives of 1.4 million birds-PER YEAR. In the first year of operation of one solar power plant in California, the plant killed about 3,500 birds.

The point of these numbers is to show that renewable energy is not all sunshine and rainbows. If America and the world can get to a point where renewables can efficiently and safely provide the energy needed to keep families warm and food refrigerated, fantastic. But until that happens the public cannot ignore the clear downsides to pursuing wind and solar with federal and state subsidies.

Wind turbines are especially known for killing eagles. In a 2004 study, it was found that one wind farm in California killed 116 bald eagles, again, PER YEAR. And that’s just one wind farm! Where is the environmentalist outrage? Where are the green activists  and media calling for the protection of America’s symbol? Thankfully, a few have seen the light on this issue and decided to do something about it.

The American Bird Conservancy and 21 Native American tribes brought suit against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service against the reinstating of a rule allowing the killing of bald eagles by renewable energy companies. The Service lost, and has also just dropped an appeal of that decision, ending the reinstatement of the waiver on killing bald eagles.

While liberal environmentalists keep trying to push wind and solar and vilify oil, gas and coal, they ignore the impacts “green” energy has on the environment. And in this instance, wind and solar are worse for the environment than oil.