Polar Star - March - May 2024
Tuesday 19 March 2024
 7.5°C   S Fresh Breeze
Ocean Kinetics - The Engineering Experts

Letters / It’s all about making money

Recently in Shetland Times reader’s comments Susan Bowie seemed to imply that any opposition to the wind farm was detrimental to Shetland in terms of jobs, money and uncertainty.

Being on the naive side I still have difficulty in believing that supporters of the wind farm are genuinely quite happy to go along with the destruction of wildlife habitat, carbon sinks, landscape and people’s health.

Anything to do with green energy has long gone out the window and all we ever hear about now is how much money the wind farm will bring to the Shetland community.

I can’t believe that supporters of the Viking Energy wind farm have no concern for their fellow human being’s welfare therefore I am left to conclude that they are either not informed on this subject or ill advised about the enormity of the impact that this development will have on people with particular regards to their health.

People in Wisconsin, Maine, New York, Nova Scotia, Ontario, UK, Australia and New Zealand are all using almost identical language in describing the health problems turbines close to homes are causing.

Carl V. Phillips PhD states in his paper on wind turbines that: “There is overwhelming evidence that turbines cause serious health problems in nearby residents, usually stress related disease at a non-trivial rate.”

If supporters are aware of this and still think it is the right thing to do, do not tell me your support for Viking Energy is for any altruistic reasons.  This is all about making money.

People affected by this development have every right to defend themselves and their property against a project which is irresponsibly oversized and in the wrong place.

The Caithness wind farm was recently refused permission by the Scottish Ministers partly because of its proximity to dwellings.  Viking Energy was given permission regardless of this, so does this mean that Shetlanders’ lives and quality of life are somehow inferior to the folk in Caithness?

Evelyn Morrison
Setter
Weisdale

Become a supporter of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider start paying for their dose of the latest local news delivered straight to their PC, tablet or mobile phone.

Journalism comes at a price and because that price is not being paid in today’s rapidly changing media world, most publishers - national and local - struggle financially despite very healthy audience figures.

Most online publishers have started charging for access to their websites, others have chosen a different route. Shetland News currently has  over 600 supporters  who are all making small voluntary financial contributions. All funds go towards covering our cost and improving the service further.

Your contribution will ensure Shetland News can: -

  • Bring you the headlines as they happen;
  • Stay editorially independent;
  • Give a voice to the community;
  • Grow site traffic further;
  • Research and publish more in-depth news, including more Shetland Lives features.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a supporter of Shetland News by either making a single payment or monthly subscription.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.

 
Categories

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Become a supporter of Shetland News

We're committed to ensuring everyone has equitable access to impartial, open and quality local journalism that benefits all residents.

By supporting Shetland News, you play a vital role in ensuring we remain a pivotal resource in supporting the community.

Support us from as little as £3 per month – it only takes a minute to sign up. Thank you.