By: Jeffrey Zurita
Wind-Turbines have been sprouting up all over the world in an attempt to become less dependent on methods that contribute to Global Warming and the greenhouse effect. Yet, the adverse health effects that a wind turbine may have on the people located near it greatly outweigh our need to install this renewable resource. Is it really worth placing people at risk when we have yet to fully understand the problems these turbines may bring?
In a recent study done by Loren D Knopper and Christopher A Ollson, they have proven that annoyance is a result of wind-turbines but what it is about the turbines (aesthetics or noise), is not yet conclusive. While seemingly unimportant, the noise annoyance that these turbines bring is something that can in no way be overlooked. In fact, it harms not only physical health (sleep disturbance) but also the psychological health (mood and cognitive functioning) of those unfortunate enough to within earshot of one. If this problem is not addressed today, either the people who have to deal with noise annoyance or the planet whose average temperature is going up yearly will suffer.
While it may not sound detrimental, sleep disturbance is much more dangerous than it sounds to our physical health. Short term problems like decreased alertness and performance may be easy to overlook, but it is the long term ones that are truly worrisome. Heart failure, obesity, and stroke are just a few of the many long term problems that sleep deprivation can bring. Ultimately, the evidence against the problems of sleep disturbance and deprivation is deep and shouldn’t be overlooked.
The psychological problems may be harder to quantify and analyze on the surface but are just as bad. The stress wind turbines place on a person’s mind may dissipate as they get use to the noise, but for many, this will never happen. Forever in a state of irritable condition, some people will find there mood quickly dropping. They describe themselves as feeling “overall worse” even though they may not be able to explain how. If people become subject to this kind of harm, it will bring down the productivity and mood in their lives, something that may lead to depression.
From first-hand accounts, credible news sources such as Fox and The Huffington Post both have articles that follow that same problem. Self-proclaimed environmentalist Darrel Chapelle said he was quick to change his mind about his excitement of the wind-turbines. “Once they started turning, we quickly changed our feelings” he told Fox. He stated that since the turbine’s installation, his wife and kids have suffered from sleep problems, headaches, and muscle spasms. A twenty percent of people in a study done in the northwest agreed with the statement that they “are prisoners of sonic effluence.” Ignoring people who have out-right stated their annoyance of these wind turbines is something that no government should do to its people.
In conclusion, this can best be understood in a comparison to cars. There is no way to directly prove that car emissions are contributing a great amount to global warming, so why bother with hybrid cars? Just because we can’t one hundred percent prove of the health risks that wind turbines bring yet doesn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt to be on the safe side. A few more years of definitive research such as that being done by Health Canada and Statistics Canada may one day bring us to the point where we can make well informed decisions on wind-turbines and their place in our world. Until then, it is in the people’s best interest to keep wind turbines far from any residential areas. As for now, I believe it is safe to say that it is…
Citation/Bibliography:
-R.H. Bakker, E. Pedersen, G.P. van den Berg, R.E. Stewart, W. Lok, J. Bouma. “Impact of wind turbine sound on annoyance, self-reported sleep disturbance and psychological distress.” Science of The Total Environment, Volume 425, 15 May 2012, Pages 42–51
-“Health Effects and Wind Turbines: A Review of the Literature.” Environmental Health. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.ehjournal.net/content/10/1/78>.
– Jeffrey M. Ellenbogen, Sheryl Grace, Wendy J Heiger-Bernays, James F. Manwell, Dora Anne Mills, Kimberly A. Sullivan, Marc G. Weisskopf. “Wind Turbine Health Impact Study: Report of Independent Expert Panel.” Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection & Massachusetts Department of Public Health. January 2012
-Robert W Rand, Stephen E Ambrose and Carmen M. E. Krogh “ Occupational Health and Industrial Wind Turbines: A Case Study”. Bulletin of Science Technology & Society published online 22 August 2011
-Feature, Michael J. Breus, PhDWebMD. “Chronic Sleep Deprivation and Health Effects.”WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/important-sleep-habits>.
-“Wind Turbine Health Effects Stirs up Controversy.” WLUK TV. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/news/local/green_bay/wind-turbine-health-effects-stirs-up-controversy>.
-Zelman, Joanna. “Do Wind Turbines Cause Health Problems? Anti-Wind Power Movement Arises In Ontario (VIDEO).” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 23 Feb. 2011. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/23/wind-power-health-problems_n_826028.html>.
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-News, CBC. “Wind Turbines’ Effects on Health to Be Studied by Ottawa.” CBCnews. CBC/Radio Canada, 10 July 2012. Web. 03 Dec. 2012. <http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/07/10/pol-health-canada-wind-turbine-noise-health-study.html>.