|
Comment on this article |
View comments |
Email this Article
|
|
Greenpeace promotes privatization, blows off birds |
|
by Capt. Crunch
(No verified email address) |
08 Feb 2008
Modified: 07:52:43 AM |
|
Environmental & political activists have struggled against the corporate privatization of the commons for years. It's a sad testament when groups like Greenpeace and others find themselves promoting capitalist moneymaking schemes that reduce the commons to an industrial sacrifice zone |
|
Greenpeace is emailing its membership in the service of Cape Wind, a for-profit company seeking to erect a massive industrial wind plant in the public waters of Nantucket Sound off the Massachusetts coast. The message asks supporters to notify the Bush regime-headed Minerals Management Service of their support for Cape Wind during the present <a href="http://www.mms.gov/offshore/RenewableEnergy/CapeWind.htm";>public comment period</a>. This comment period leads up to <a href="http://www.saveoursound.org/site/Survey?SURVEY_ID=1321&ACTION_REQUIRED=U;>public hearings</a> to be held in Boston and the Cape & Islands. <p>
Cape Wind intends to erect an industrial scale wind power plant on Horseshoe Shoals in the public waters of Nantucket Sound. According to the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound, a diverse group of Cape Wind opponents: "Covering 25 square miles, an area the size of Manhattan, the plant would consist of 130 wind turbines, each standing 440' tall - significantly larger than the Statue of Liberty (305’) and the Cape Cod Canal bridges (275'). The plant also includes a 10-story electrical service platform holding 40,000 gallons of transformer oil and 1000 gallons of diesel fuel, with a helicopter pad on top." <p>
It's more than a bit ironic that a group like Greenpeace, among others, is promoting this privatization scheme given the projects <a href="http://www.saveoursound.org/site/PageServer?pagename=CapeWind_Threats_En;>potential threat to wildlife and the marine environment</a>. It seems Greenpeace is ready to trade-off untold numbers of dead birds (the site is on the Great Eastern Flyway) and other marine life just so their Big Enviro resume can include the nations largest "clean" wind plant. On the other hand, the radical environmental group Sea Shepherd <a href="http://www.climateimc.org/?q=node/400";>opposes Cape Wind</a>. <p>
Wind power can be an important part of our energy needs, however where it is sited is also important. Cape Wind has not seriously considered less harmful sites for their project, nor have they really considered using private property, rather than the commons, to install their windmills. In addition, there are <a href="http://www.saveoursound.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Alternatives_Better;>other options</a> that residents of Massachusetts and New England need to consider, including on-site residential and commercial power production such as solar panels and geothermal heat pumps. <p>
Remember "turtles & teamsters"? Indymedia readers and environmental & political activists have struggled against the corporate privatization of the commons for years. It's a sad testament when groups like Greenpeace and others find themselves promoting capitalist moneymaking schemes that reduce the commons to an industrial sacrifice zone. |
This work is in the public domain |
Please Don't Feed the Trolls
Wikipedia defines an Internet Troll as: "An Internet troll is either a person who sends messages on the Internet hoping to entice other users into angry or fruitless responses, or a message sent by such a person." Boston IMC strives to provide both a grassroots media resource as well as a forum for people to contribute to a meaningful discussion about local issues. Please, when posting comments, be respectful of others and ignore those trying to interrupt or discourage meaningful discourse. Thank you.
-- Boston Indymedia volunteers
Due to on going anti spam work quick comments are currently broken please use the full comment form. We do hope to have quick comments back on line soon.
|
Re: Greenpeace promotes privatization, blows off birds |
by Zippo
(No verified email address) |
09 Feb 2008
|
My you’re a busy guy, Captain. Maine, Hudson Mohawk, NYC, New Hampshire, Boston ...
Uh, Captain ?
Wind turbines have whistles attached to the rotor blades, which quite effectively warn birds to stay clear. The whistles, much like the type you can get in your local auto parts store for about 3.99 for half a dozen, have been a standard part of the construction of commercial scale wind turbines for four or five years now.
You might want try to keep up with the technology like Greenpeace and other intelligent people do before going off on a rant at them again. |
|
If your so smart |
by cap
(No verified email address) |
09 Feb 2008
|
|
Well Zippo, i'll look into yur' little dime store whistles. But, if you're so smart like "Greenpeace and other intelligent people" how come yur' so willing to give away public space to private capital? Why are you even reading on Indymedia??? |
|
The answer, my friends, is ... |
by Zippo
(No verified email address) |
09 Feb 2008
|
Oooo, if that isn’t a diss of all Indimedia readers...
Little detail you forgot there, Cap. Greenpeace operates on volunteer private capital. Ya ya, I know, $$$ makes everyone crazy, but let’s not let $$$ crazy be our common denominator bottom line. Ya might want to check out the difference between volunteer private capital and plain old ($^$&*$@$^) private capital, too.
So there’s two somethings; enough to think about for now, I think. |
|
Are birds really that dumb? |
by Ga Jennings
mr.frazzlebottom (nospam) gmail.com (verified) |
18 Feb 2008
Modified: 10:13:27 PM |
How many bids fly into buildings each day?
It boggles the mind how "enviromentalists" would be against Cape Wind for moving away from burning fossil fuels -- and drilling, digging, refining, transporting flammable, toxic liquids, etc. -- IS THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR THE ENVIRONMENT!
Who cares if it's a "private, for-profit company"? Who else can do this?
The argument against Cape Wind really is that it will "ruin people's nostalgic feel for Cape Cod." Which is a good argument. Most other arguments against it are over-sold or just plain fabricated.
Sea birds will not be so in danger as Cape Wind foes are saying.
Wasn't there an OIL SPILL in Buzzards Bay not too long ago? Didn't an LNG tanker lose power and go adrift off Cape Cod recently? Wasn't there a large gas explosion outside Boston recently? Don't people freeze during Boston winters because heating oil is so expensive!
You people are insane to NOT SUPPORT CAPE WIND because we need to have ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AVAILABLE!
Just like we need ALTERNATIVE MEDIA!
What Cape Wnd foes are saying is let us remain in the clutches of BIG OIL -- for-profit, private companies that exploit public lands!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
