This really just seems like more evidence that we should outlaw domestic cats ; )

While the environmental movement has been boosted by folks following the NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) principle it seems this phenomenon has found its opposite. Now we've got people preventing environmental improvements with the Not In My Back Yard approach. They're fine with cleaning up our world as long as it doesn't infringe on their lives in sometimes uncomfortable ways. Until we learn to become a bit less selfish the battle to right our environmental wrongs will continue to be long and slow.

But hey, at least your neighbor to the west (Minnesota) is taking large strides to welcome wind energy to our landscapes.

My friend Donal sent me this message two weeks ago:

"As part of my new job, I have become aware that the general public--and indeed, most biologists--know very little about bat collisions with wind turbines, let alone how worrisome the situation is for a number of species.

Much of this 'ignorance' is due to the fact that this is a fairly recent problem...or at least scientists themselves have only become aware of it in recent years. Bird collisions at wind turbines have been known about for years, and steps have been taken to reduce kills, but apparently few folks thought to consider bats until recently.

Other obstacles have been due to a surprising lack of cooperation by the wind industry and regulating agencies. Florida Power & Light, America's wind industry leader, has prohibited research on bats at their facilities, and nothing is known about bat mortality from wind facilities in Texas--the state with the most wind turbines (and bats).

What has been reported from a handful of facilities across N. America is alarming, and raises many questions. Some examples: several thousand bats (a conservative estimate) were picked up from 2 facilities in the east over a 6-week period; 1200 have been picked up at a single facility in southern Alberta over the past 2 summers.

Most mortalities are occurring among 3 species of long-distance migrants--the hoary, the eastern red, and the silver-haired bats--and appear to occur mainly in the fall. At present, nobody knows why this is happening, although several ideas are out there. Perhaps migrating bats don't echolocate, and can't perceive the turbine blades in time. Or maybe their echolocation is not able to convey the danger (ie, they may not be able to 'see' that a giant blade is spinning).

One of the most interesting (and worrisome) hypotheses is that bats perceive turbines as 'tall trees' and are attracted to these structures as mating meccas. This particular theory comes from Paul Cryan--a fellow Greener grad and bat biologist who just happens to be the leading authority on migrating bats.

Recently, Paul gave a talk in Oregon that can now be viewed online.

I strongly encourage you to take a half hour or so to watch this talk, as he gives an excellent overview of the problem and current knowledge/efforts. Paul is a very good speaker, and his presentation is straight-forward and directed to a general audience. Some of his slides can't be viewed due to copyright issues (mainly photos of bats), and there is a bit concerning his own research that is hard to follow, since his time-lapse sequence can't be viewed, but be patient and you'll be amply rewarded.

Anyhow, just wanted to raise awareness on an issue that is important to me. Who knows how many kills have gone unnoticed or unreported to date, and how the cumulative effects of kills along a migratory route are affecting bat populations (about which we know very little to begin with)?

At the end of the day, wind power is far preferable to coal/oil/gas as an energy source, but there's no good reason we can't find ways to minimize the impacts of wind turbines on bats and other wildlife. Wind farms are going up left and right across the country, and it would be best to find compatible, 'green', solutions sooner than later.

Step one is raising awareness. So spread the word, and ask questions of your local energy provider!

Cheers,
Donal"

It's true that wind turbines kill bats. And that we don't know why. What I like about this message, though, is that Donal doesn't say, "So let's all stop building wind farms." The message is, "Let's ask a lot of questions, and when we find solutions, let's build them in from the ground up."

The fight over the Nantucket Sound wind farm has been brewing for years and years.

It kind of cracks me up, actually. I mean, I love Cape Cod--I've spent many, many summer vacations there--but let's face it: the view from places like South Yarmouth might actually be improved by the wind farm. :)

It's also perplexing to me that people who build these crazy beach houses--which usually feature every possibly luxury, from hot tubs and jacuzzis to Tivo and wi-fi--are also against building the infrastructure (reverse osmosis water treatment plants, electrical generating plants, etc.) that makes those luxuries possible...

what about bats