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A green paradox: Deforesting the Amazon for wind energy in the Global No
Open Democracy ^ | December 2021 | Francesc Badia

Posted on 12/20/2021 11:47:38 AM PST by MattMusson

What has the destruction of balsa trees in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest got to do with the wind power industry in Europe?

As the international commitment to renewable energy has grown in recent years, the increase in wind farms has triggered a huge demand for balsa wood, leaving a trail of deforestation in its wake.


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: amazon; clearcutting; windturbine
Wind Turbine blades have inner Balsa wood cores and that is leading to clearcutting the Amazon Rainforest.

You can't make this stuff up!

1 posted on 12/20/2021 11:47:39 AM PST by MattMusson
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To: MattMusson

happens in my area all the time - some company buys up 50 acres of uncut forest, cuts down all the trees, strips away most of the topsoil and undergrowth, fences it in so no wildlife bigger than a rabbit can get in - and puts up solar panels ‘to save the environment’


2 posted on 12/20/2021 11:53:23 AM PST by qwerty1234
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That is a good thing. After all, trees are the leading cause of forest fires


3 posted on 12/20/2021 11:59:37 AM PST by dsrtsage ( Complexity is just simple lacking imagination)
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To: qwerty1234

Your homepage doesn’t tell us what your area is.


4 posted on 12/20/2021 12:10:31 PM PST by BipolarBob (WHY are there no Democrats on Mt. Rushmore?)
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To: qwerty1234

I was scrolling through YouTube recently when I came across a video about mining for Cobalt in Africa. In the Congo there are huge open pit mines run by China. They remove the oar but the surrounding villages are inundated with the dust from the mine. It coats everything. The ground around the area is covered in it.

The children in these villages have a much higher incident of birth defects. Cleft pallets is one of the main defects. However, there are a wide range including children with enlarged heads, missing limbs, fingers, thumbs and feet.

All in the name of GREEN ENERGY. The Cobalt primarily goes to making batteries for Electric cars.


5 posted on 12/20/2021 12:11:03 PM PST by woodbutcher1963
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To: BipolarBob

New England


6 posted on 12/20/2021 12:17:15 PM PST by qwerty1234
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To: MattMusson

They can’t use foam instead of balsa wood?


7 posted on 12/20/2021 12:22:11 PM PST by Freedom_Is_Not_Free (America -- July 4, 1776 to November 3, 2020 -- R.I.P.)
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To: Freedom_Is_Not_Free

Foam is not environmentally friendly


8 posted on 12/20/2021 12:29:39 PM PST by P-Marlowe (I got the <ΙΧΘΥΣ>< variant. Catch it. John 3:16)
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To: BipolarBob

does it matter? It happens everywhere where are trees!
Also where the trees are not!
Solar cells are becoming the biggest polluter of the Earth!
Competing with the windmills.


9 posted on 12/20/2021 1:16:21 PM PST by AZJeep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0AHQkryIIs)
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To: AZJeep

BTW, solar cells are decreasing the Earth Albedo (reflectivity) thus contributing to global warming directly!


10 posted on 12/20/2021 1:23:23 PM PST by AZJeep (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0AHQkryIIs)
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To: MattMusson

I passed one of those blades being transported last week (Ohio I-71 northbound) and was amazed how HUGE they are.


11 posted on 12/20/2021 1:25:20 PM PST by nascarnation (Let's Go Brandon!)
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To: AZJeep

The Lorax told us this a long time ago.


12 posted on 12/20/2021 2:20:37 PM PST by BipolarBob (WHY are there no Democrats on Mt. Rushmore?)
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To: woodbutcher1963

Tesla’s moving away from Cobalt in their shorter range cars... they’re going to a lithium-iron-phosphate LFP based chemistry ...


13 posted on 12/22/2021 6:39:25 AM PST by GOPJ (Biden and his commie thugs don’t want us vaccinated they want us hated...)
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