When we went on our family holiday to Cornwall last summer Master C was absolutely obsessed with all the wind turbines that we saw whilst there. Every time we drove past one there would be a shout of “windmill” from the back seat and in a way it became the saying of the holiday. Back home there aren’t as many wind turbines around Hertfordshire, but trips north always seem to find a few and once again the familiar shout goes up from the back seat.
The thing is – I’m actually rather fond of wind turbines. Not only do they do a wonderful job at producing green energy, but I actually think they’re rather beautiful too. There’s a certain elegance to them that I can’t quite put my finger on.
When I was about 10 years old I went on a family holiday to Denmark with my parents and sister. I have some really fond memories of that trip – especially going to Legoland and taking a day trip to Copenhagen to see the Little Mermaid. Another day trip that I also remember is one that my Dad was keen to do to go and see a huge number of wind turbines somewhere on the Danish Coast. Being a typical ten year old girl I’m not sure I fully appreciated them in the way that my Dad (a mechanical engineer) did, but I do still recall being in awe at the size of them all and the number that we saw all in one place.
I realise there’s a lot of controversy about some of the planed locations for wind turbines here in the UK and whilst I am against putting them in areas of outstanding natural beauty and the like, but overall I’d actually welcome more of them in this country and in the seas around our island. There are probably people reading this saying “well it’s alright for you, but how would you feel if it was right where you live?” and I agree that there are some places here in St Albans that would be spoilt with a wind turbine on the landscape, but then there are also plenty of other places around where it would actually be completely fine.
What I do like though is how seeing wind turbines is just becoming a common sight to my kids. Little Miss C sat down to draw a picture this weekend, as she often does, and I was actually quite pleased to see that she’d decided to draw a wind turbine, and I’m completely in love with the quirky angle at which she’s drawn it. It somehow captures the height and elegance of them and the way that you see them when you drive past from a car.
In my mind we need to embrace renewable energy and increase our usage of it, and the first step of that has to be making our children see it as completely normal. I delighted to say that I think we’re on the way to doing that.
i love wind turbines and I am so happy to find someone else who does as I think people think that I am a bit crazy. They are so elegant looking and I suppose you might feel differently if you lived near one as they can be quite noisy, but they look so majestic on the horizon and yes I completely agree that our children should see them as normal as they will play a vital part in our environmental future.
I also think that they have a certain elegance, though not in my back yard thank you! The drawing is brilliant and I love the colours . Well done LMC. XX
I think wind turbines are always beautiful- they point out human’s ability to generate much needed power in a way that respects and values our precious earth’s resources. FRIGGING AWESOME!!!!!! I think Little Miss C’s pic is the most lovely one I’ve ever seen though 😀 xx
There are loads in California too. We always saw them on the way to Tahoe to go skiing. Never thought they may be loud if you lived next to one!
I agree, I love seeing them and would have no problem with having them here in my town.
That said, like you I agree there are certain areas where they shouldn’t be put – I’d hate to see them in our national parks for example.
I LOVE wind turbines and we spot them on the motorway too!
(am also LOVING the new look blog too!)
I would welcome wind turbines in my town.We have recently had a local village install a solar farm, so a wind turbine would be a welcome addition.I don;t see the problem myself, there are many power lines and phone masts around her .I think as our need for renewable energy grows, it won’t be long before every town has at least one.In fact my son’s secondary school has one on campus, so there’s the first one.
I love them, there is something ethereal about them against a blue sky!
They’re a rare sight on the south coast tbh but I hear rumours there are plans for them in our area out to sea! I’m quite fascinated by them and you’re the first person I know to love them like this! #Interesting
Totally with you on turbines! I think they’re beautiful! I’d happily have a view of them from my window!
I love them and would be overjoyed to live somewhere where I could see them every day. Someone told me that there’s one on the east coast you can visit and climb up – must look back into that again!
you are so right! we have a few around where we live and my eldest is always amazed watching them
Oh I love wind turbines and always enjoy seeing them. I’ve seen a couple in Herts when visiting my mum and more recently a whole field when we were travelling somewhere (plus several fields of solar panels!). I love the drawing, it’s a great perspective and really does look like it resembles the view from the car. Lovely 🙂
Thank you for your comment about our school place (or lack of!). Apparently we’re in the midst of a baby boom and there aren’t enough places for UK’s kids. Would be so much simpler if it were purely based on catchment!
I love wind turbines and it is lovely to see lots of them when we drive to Europe. That is a very good picture too – you must be very proud.
Oh that picture is so cute!
I like the idea of wind turbines but they just built 27 of them in the sea near me and they do ruin the lovely coastal landscape a little 😉