Editorial: Wind Opponents should denounce violence

This is an editorial from Friends of Wind Ontario

Wind Opponent Supports Criminal Behaviour, Threats To Workers

Friends of Wind Ontario says group has lost all credibility

The anti-wind movement in Ontario has hit an all-time low as a leaked email from a wind opponent says that “no one should be surprised with this sort of reaction”. It would be one thing if she were referring to an open house meeting that got a little loud. But she is referring to a police investigation into a death threat made to a wind energy worker in West Grey. The worker allegedly had a shotgun pointed at him and his life was threatened. And we should ‘expect’ this in Ontario???

The email, which is in reference to the above news article, and was shared with us via a wind opponent who likely feels the issue has gotten out of hand, reads verbatim:

“When the Ontario Provincial Government leaves no legitimate process in place to give people a meaningful say in what happens to their family, no one should be surprised with this sort of reaction.” (name deleted)

This incident is an unfortunate and criminal escalation in the bullying and intimidation tactics that developers have frequently faced for several years now as they lawfully construct wind energy projects that have been contracted by the province.

While wind energy developers have tried to have an engaging and genuine dialogue with citizens, a vocal – and increasingly abusive – minority, has set about to shut down public meetings, drown out speakers, and in some cases physically abuse proponents. I have witnessed this first-hand.

It is a sad day indeed when grown adults can’t express themselves through words and the democratic process. And unlike claims made by the small but loud wind opposition, there is significant opportunity for citizens and local governments to ask questions and offer feedback on projects. But when genuinely interested citizens show up at open house meetings they often find a few loud and aggressive anti-wind representatives doing everything in their power to ensure questions can’t be answered, let alone heard.

Developers have worked diligently to respond to questions with facts, to listen to concerns and ensure they are addressed in a timely fashion. The industry association has developed a series of Best Practices to guide the work of their members in local communities – best practices that were informed by dozens of municipal leaders and stakeholders.

Meanwhile the anti-wind groups have resorted to bullying, distortion of fact, and now this: the condoning of criminal action and threats to bodily harm.

Any credibility this group had is long gone. Let’s hope the police investigation results in charges and conviction.

Friends of Wind Ontario (FoWO) is a network of independent people from a variety of backgrounds who firmly believe in the numerous economic, environmental and social benefits of responsible wind energy for the people of Ontario. We have formed to fill the critical participatory void that exists among community engagement, municipal consultation and achievable wind power development. Through science-based, peer-reviewed research, we are committed to delivering a balanced message to all who would like to learn more on the benefits of wind energy. We are a non-profit volunteer-run organization, not affiliated with any political party, under our own direction and have not received funding from wind developers, landowners, industry/government associations, foundations or environmental groups.

Please follow us on Twitter: @FriendsofWind

From coal to renewable energy

This is a guest post from Jutta Splettstoesser:

I still remember the days when the truck dumped a big load of coal on the

pavement in front of my parents house and the whole family worked together to

shovel it into the basement. When we were finished we had the fine black dust

everywhere and needed a long bath. Nobody on the street where I grew up heats

with coal anymore - those days are over. I'm sure that when you ask my dad, he

will tell you that he now enjoys the comfort of his gas furnace. He has a big shop

where the coal used to be stored and the air is much better in the winter.

Every time I go back to Germany I see a lot of change even in just a short timeframe

of 2 or 4 years. Coming from the airport in Duesseldorf I saw in 2009 a lot

of solar panels installed on residential houses. I admired the large 100kw solar

installation across the road on the dairy farmers new hay and straw storage. 65%

of all the investment from German farmers go into renewable energy. The

renewable energy project have guarantied grid access and are prioritized. This

month my brother in law will install 38 panels on his house in Georgetown. When

we got together for Christmas he thanked me for sharing all my knowledge with

him about the Micro-FIT program and that I pushed him to apply for it. Tom

pointed out that Canadian citizens aren't informed enough about the existing

opportunities. How everybody can make a real difference to help to “turn that

corner” on greenhouse gases, toxic waste and other forms of pollution and be

part of the energy revolution is very positive and powerful. Compared to other

sources, wind-energy is an environmental winner. Wind energy is emission-free,

consumes no water, produces no waste, has no hidden health cost and is 100%

renewable.

As a teenager the odd wind turbine went up in our region but the first larger wind

parks were erected in Northern Germany. My dad keeps me updated on any

new development. He is and always was open-minded toward new technology

and energy options. For him things have to make economic sense and in the case

of renewables it does. More Germans are employed in the renewable sector than

in the auto industry. Dr. Hermann Scheer understood very early that by investing

into renewable energy we help the environment and the whole economy at no

extra cost. Since the German government decided on a new energy strategy

there will be more wind turbines built all over the country. My parents are very

ordinary citizens with a lot of common sense that are welcoming the wind turbines

into their backyard. They know of the study from the University of Kassel that

combined solar, bio gas and wind-energy and proved that it is possible to go

100% with renewable energy in the future.

“Any energy-planning conversations must begin with a commitment to robust

engagement and education, so that all those involved are well equipped to do

so, and so that the final products can be presented to-and ultimately supported

by-an informed Canadian public."  (1)

When I read the CFFO (Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario) commentary this 

week I asked myself when will people stop repeating widely discredited oil 

industry backed reports attacking the value of “Green jobs”?

Who is taking the time and continues the educational process that Friends of

Wind Ontario started in 2011?

When do the Canadian farm organizations start a partnership and dialog with the

farmers who have the experience, knowledge and confidence in developing citizen

owned wind parks?

1. “Built To Last: A Successful Energy-Strategy Design Process” Marlo Raynolds, Senior Advisor, Pembina Institute and Advisor to Tides Canada Energy Initiative March 14, 2011 page 4

Jutta interviewed at Fergus public meeting

Wellington Advertiser
November 11, 2011
David Meyer

Not everyone at the open house was in opposition to the wind turbines.

Jutta Splettstoesser attended the rally and met with people to speak in favour of a civil discourse on the entire issue.

Splettstoesser, from the Kincardine area, visited the offices of The Wellington Advertiser prior to the open house. She is the president of Friends of Wind Ontario, a group she founded after seeing what she called “one sided” talks on wind turbines.

She and five members of the group talk about “social benefits” of turbines, and the group has held a few meetings around Ontario.

“I do not work for anybody,” she said, adding she is a farmer with four children. She does not have turbines on her property, but is working to place solar generators there when Hydro One can accept the power.

“My friends call me the face of wind,” she said. “We need more faces.”

Splettstoesser said people who speak in favour of wind turbines “are getting bullied, attacked in public, and getting legal threats.”

She cited a doctor in Chatham who was threatened, and said, “Anywhere people spoke, they got attacked. I’ve been attacked on the radio. I’ve been called a liar ... my family gets slandered.”

She said such attacks keep people from asking questions or speaking their mind on the issue. “The average person doesn’t want confrontation. How can they? I find developers have been blamed for their positive actions.”

Splettstoesser said the issue of turbines is far from over, but “People need information to make decisions - but it has to be based on facts.”

She feels facts have been distorted when it comes to wind turbines. She talked recently with a man from a small community in Germany who told her his community is in the shadow of turbines it owns jointly, and there are no problems.

The community lives within 300 metres of the turbines and “everybody is healthy and happy. So are the animals.”

When asked about noise, she said, “I have heard the turbines, too. The crickets were louder.”

For the full article, click here