Gaia founder North Devon-based Professor James Lovelock objects to wind turbine plan
One of country's leading environmentalists has described wind turbines as "monuments of a failed civilisation".
Professor James Lovelock has written a letter of objection to Torridge District Council against a planning application for an 84-metre wind turbine at Witherdon Wood, Broadwoodwidger.
The professor, who is now in his 90s, has become known in recent years as an advocate of nuclear power and a staunch opponent of wind energy.
In his letter he says: "We need to take care that the spinning windmills do not become like the statues on Easter Island, monuments of a failed civilisation."
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Professor Lovelock, based in North Devon, invented the Gaia theory, which explains the Earth as a self-regulating entity that ensures the surface environment is always fit for life.
In his letter he states: "I am an environmentalist and founder member of the Greens but I bow my head in shame at the thought that our original good intentions should have been so misunderstood.
"We never intended a fundamentalist Green movement that rejected all energy sources other than renewable, nor did we expect the Greens to cast aside our priceless ecological heritage because of their failure to understand that the needs of the Earth are not separable from human needs."
Ricky Knight, a spokesman for the North Devon branch of the Green Party, has defended the party's role in promoting wind energy.
Mr Knight said: "Professor Lovelock remains one of the most respected ecologists of our time.
"It would be preposterous for grass-roots activists to query his assertions, when they are clearly motivated by his concern for the survival of the planet. However, it is defensible to query his focus."
5 Comments
by Bobpp
Sunday, February 03 2013, 2:11PM
“null”
by Bobpp
Sunday, February 03 2013, 2:10PM
“I hope the likes of Ed Davey, (turbine lover extraordinaire), read this article. It was penned last Sept but published today.
null”
by 2TheBeehive
Sunday, February 03 2013, 1:06PM
“Whoops....... it appears an alien life force has written gobbledegook on the end of the word "live", either that or my computer mode was still on "enigma" type coding.”
by 2TheBeehive
Sunday, February 03 2013, 1:03PM
“Quote from an energy consumer in Denmark where they are overrun with wind turbines.
I live in Denmark with some of the highest energy prices in the world due to tax.
So not only are wind turbines useless, ugly, and now is seems liable to fall over or disintegrate , monstrosities, they also appear to be extremely expensive for the consumers.”
by IanMacKinlay
Sunday, February 03 2013, 1:40AM
“Look at these folks.
A wind turbine actually disintegrating before your eyes, as it was filmed in Denmark.
http://tinyurl.com/387dnp
http://tinyurl.com/3xt5t5”