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 1 year 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 1 year 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 1 year ago (2 children)

And how many animals have oil spills killed?

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

Also, military sonar pings.

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

Asteroids still #1.

Even ahead of domesticated cats.

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[–] [email protected] 36 points 1 year 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 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

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

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year 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 1 year ago

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

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[–] [email protected] 32 points 1 year ago

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

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

Kill whales? What the fuck???

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

Can whales jump 100 feet out of the water?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

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

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

Since when did conservatives care about whales?

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[–] Philo 21 points 1 year ago

But it use up the wind 🤪

[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 year ago

Contrary to politicians claims

Eh? What politician would clai...

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

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year 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 1 year ago
[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago

Only during whalenados

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year 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] 5 points 1 year 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 1 year 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”

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I mean thats not really wrong but it reminds me of one of the dipshit oilfield guys I worked with in the wind industry.

"*hyuk hyuk* whats that greasing the gearbox? is that oil? in a so called green energy turbine?"

yeah dude a 2MW tower going through a few dozen gallons of lubricant a year is the same an oil fired plant burning 10,000 barrels in a year for a similar power output(napkin math explained here). You've exposed the big secret man, these things are equivalent because there are oil products in both. Numbers are a scam made up to trick god-fearing texans.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

What?!? Astro turfed NIMBYism lied to me?

I'm shocked.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

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

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year 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.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Fund whale concussion research, CTE effects on whales, etc.

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