this post was submitted on 25 Dec 2023
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Unfounded claims about offshore wind threatening whales have surfaced as a flashpoint in the fight over the future of renewable energy.

In recent months, conservatives including former President Donald Trump have claimed construction of offshore wind turbines is killing the giant animals.

Scientists say there is no credible evidence linking offshore wind farms to whale deaths. But that hasn’t stopped conservative groups and ad hoc “not in my back yard”-style anti-development groups from making the connection.

The Associated Press sorts fact from fiction when it comes to whales and wind power as the rare North Atlantic right whale’s migration season gets underway.

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[–] [email protected] 69 points 11 months ago (1 children)

If a conservative is against it:

  • their claims are likely untrue
  • the thing they’re against will cost them money
  • the thing probably helps you or others like you
  • the thing isn’t something they’re invested in, otherwise they’d be for it
  • taken out of the context of politics, a normal, well adjusted person would probably be in favor of the thing
[–] CH3DD4R_G0BL1N 29 points 11 months ago

And they don’t actually care about the criticism they levee at it. Who honestly believes they gave a fuck about the whales?

[–] [email protected] 53 points 11 months ago (2 children)

And how many animals have oil spills killed?

[–] [email protected] 17 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Also, military sonar pings.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Asteroids still #1.

Even ahead of domesticated cats.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 11 months ago (3 children)

There are valid concerns about building these in sensitive coastal ecosystems (such as kelp forests), but this is the first time I've heard someone suggest that whales could be endangered.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

I don't really follow Donald Trump, but that doesn't surprise me.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm concerned, too, but I guess relying on fossil fuels will devastate the ecosystems even further eventually.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago

There are probably plenty of areas to use that aren't as sensitive.

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 11 months ago

Sure they kill whales. All whales that jump several hundred feet up in the air right into the blades.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Kill whales? What the fuck???

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Can whales jump 100 feet out of the water?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Well how else would they get chopped up by a wind turbine?

[–] [email protected] 21 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Since when did conservatives care about whales?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

When they could weaponise it against people trying to make the world better.

[–] Philo 21 points 11 months ago

But it use up the wind 🤪

[–] [email protected] 19 points 11 months ago

Contrary to politicians claims

Eh? What politician would clai...

Oh, right, as you were, it's them again 😂

[–] [email protected] 11 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (31 children)

Like Republicans are anti-whaling anyways... 🙄

The selective outrage over animal rights is such manufactured bullshit. But if I am being honest, democrats, progressives and leftists are all equally culpable in these do nothing virtue signal outrages. If you are wearing leather, eating meat and financing animal factory farming, I don't wanna hear about your crocodile tears when an imaginary whale or a fictional dog is hurt.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago

Only during whalenados

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago (13 children)

Last night someone was telling me that the resin they use to make the blades deteriorates over time and covers the area in microplastics. Oh and each turbine needs 40 tonnes of cement which is not carbon neutral.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 11 months ago (2 children)

They main contributors for micro plastics are polyester clothing and car tires. Those people likely use both.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I just want to jump and say that that’s not a good argument. It’s next to impossible to get away from that kinda stuff, same as how saying that a person using an iPhone to write about capitalism being bad is just silly.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

The absolute majority of my clothes is 100% cotton. I get jackets and stuff being synthetic, but how often if at all do you even wash them unless you're going hiking a lot of whatever? And yes, it's absolutely possible to get away from a lot of this stuff. Just like it is also complete bullshit to claim that wind turbines are major contributors for microplastics. That's literally flat Earth levels of stupid.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Sure ok. This guy drives Australian road trains. Typically 15 axles, 58 tyres.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago

we gonna get you on board the fuck cars movement if microplastics are a big enough concern to not build renewable energy? Cus boy let me tell you about tire wear and microplastics.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

The old “silver bullet” argument, eh? “X is not a perfect one size fits all solution with no downsides, so must be equally as bad as not doing anything”

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

What?!? Astro turfed NIMBYism lied to me?

I'm shocked.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Do they only kill flying whales or are the others at risk of accidently jumping into the blades, too?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I think a great way to offset a windmill's presence in the ocean bed is to integrate it as an artificial reef. I wonder what other ways it could be a benefit.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

NOW I CAN SEE THE WHALES

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