Some thoughts for those who live in Fairhaven 

I worry for my friends in Fairhaven. Last week I had a visit from some nice gentlemen in fear. The wind turbines seem to be coming, in spite of all that continues to be learned about these things. The green sales pitches and grant money are once again overruling common sense. Oh politics, what a shaky basis on which to live.

When this project began, health impacts were not as well known. The residential turbines studied then were easily one-third the size of what is being proposed in Fairhaven and what is already up in Falmouth. Size matters. The bigger they are, the more energy they collect and spin off into your neighborhood.

Hearing about the new school so close to this project makes my skin crawl. I can bet you that at least 25 percent of those children will have difficulty learning. The school will fail to educate well and make some children sick simply because of the environmental stressors created by the turbines. Google “infrasound” for the effects.

You will hear talk of sound levels and ambient noise. This is not about noise, but air pressure. Turbines effect the human vestibular and inner ear system. How the environment is perceived is not entirely through the senses but also through the skin, ears and body. The unnatural and widely variable vibrations produced when the wind changes are magnified many times when thrown off by these big turbines.

The body perceives this as a danger and reacts with a fight or flight response, among others. Being in that state, even on a minor level, creates ongoing and cumulative stress to the system that degrades concentration, focus, spacial perception, and many other elements of basic physical well being.

No sales pitches, pre-construction models, studies or assurances can protect you: too many variables. This happened to me, and my life here in Falmouth is over as I once knew it. I will not be holding my son’s wedding in my beautiful yard, bringing grandchildren here to visit (if so blessed), be enjoying the stars from my back deck, lounging in my hot tub or working in my garden. I cannot even sleep upstairs in my bedroom.

I am in the basement hiding from the Webb Turbine. My home-based business is now closed. Cannot work here, sleep here, relax here or count on having a nice day in my home. It’s all about the turbine and it respects no set schedule.

What about the element of cost effectiveness and emissions benefits? Truth? Wind can’t be stored. It has to be used immediately. We want constant electricity available so back up plant needs to be ready and able to go at any minute. No coal, hydro or nuclear facilities have ever been replaced by wind turbines. Not anywhere.

Global warming? Fully half the world-class physicists in the world would argue the case as not being a man-made consequence of actions but as being a natural process. Yet there is a lot of political rhetoric on the subject. What do ya think, Al Gore or Einstein?

Turbines are subsidized (our tax money). Billions will be spent in Massachusetts on these turbines in the next few years. So we save money? No, we will see a marked increase because the utilities will have significant added expenses to meet state goals.

Clean Green also means clear-cutting huge areas, transporting the beasts from China, Denmark and beyond. Roads big enough to handle the construction and enormous cranes involved. Tons of cement, steel and carcinogenic hydraulic fluids inside the housings.

It’s basically building something the size of a 747 jet spinning around in your back yard on a 300-foot pole. Do you believe it will save the planet?

I could go on, but all I need to do is spark a seed of doubt here. Take control of your town and just say no. If you don’t, you will forever regret it.

Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I had known then what I know now. Nobody told us anything but the happy green sales pitch and we fell for it. Nothing could be further from the truth. Now you have a bit of the truth to ponder. Failing to do so will cost you dearly.

Act now, act strong and defend your town from this political profiteering scam because it is a bad idea.

Sue Hobart lives in Falmouth