Bishop Hill Glyndebourne's turbine
Jan 21, 2012 Education Energy: wind Greens Media Wind turbines The opera house at Glyndebourne has installed a new wind turbine, a story covered in gratuitous detail by the Guardian.
"That is just so beautiful," sighed Brenda Sherrard, as Sir David Attenborough and Verity Cannings, deputy head girl at Ringmer community college, wrestled with the green ribbon wrapped around the 44-metre mast of the first wind turbine to power a major UK arts institution.
I was struck by this quote from the aforementioned deputy head girl at the local college.
I don't get how anyone can object to it. In a few years' time they won't even notice it. In another few years, if we don't do something about climate change, this view won't be here anyway because we'll all be under water.
It would be inappropriate, I think, to criticise Ms Cannings, who is, after all, rather young. But what do her extraordinary ideas tell us about the education system in this country? And should we be concerned that the Guardian reports this nonsense?
Reader Comments (75)
I would suggest that it won't be noticed in a few years time because it will be either A: inoperative or B: no longer there. Gear boxes on those turbines rarely last longer than 5 years and a significant gale might take it out altogether.
The Bishop said "I was struck by this quote...." - how many birds will be struck by the turbine's blades?
Careful when the BBC opera guy starts eulogizing the open-air special effects, including a constant rain of avian and bat body bits
What do you call someone who enjoys climate porn a climate w...ker LOL LOL LOL
That is good
Perhaps it's time to compose a new opera on the subject of King Knut.
<I>"They are cagey about saying where it is on the site"</I>
I just hope that it's a LOT further away than the small picture on their website implies. A tall building topped with a lattice framework will generate considerable turbulence when the wind blows. If it is upwind of the turbine this will greatly reduce the efficiency, and give rise to shock loads and vibration.
On the other hand, GOOD, as this should signal its demise sooner, rather than later...
They will be able to work it into the plot of Don Quixote - he used to beat up on windmills, didn't he?
And if Verity made those comments with a wicked grin and very stuffed tongue in cheek - would anyone in this blasted article have had the wit to notice?
She was just regurgitating 'the line'....................... a penny for her real thoughts?
From the article:-
"But there were also a few jeers from a small knot of protesters who fought the proposal through years of planning debates and a six-day public hearing, insisting it would blight the rolling beauty and tranquility of the South Downs."
This really doesn't reflect the actual opposition, as Mr Bratby says:-
It was opposed by the Campaign to Protect Rural England, the Council for National Parks, the Open Spaces Society, the Ramblers Association and the South Downs Society.
That's quite a lot of opposition. Maybe the Guardian journo didn't actually know what the real background was.
That Gus Christie chap pictured with David Attenborough in the Guardian article looks like a big Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes fan.
There is something about wind turbines that turns seemingly sane adults into dizzy little girls, much like 12 year olds at a Justin Bieber concert.
Quite an unedifying spectacle.
Verity.
Given her comment, a rather ironic name.
That said, perhaps she really is a far-sighted observer. The term "under water" also applies to financial status, and that looks more likely than not for the UK if the money-burning 'battle against climate change' continues.
The one that had me rolling in the aisles was the quote from the website:
"the 67 metre turbine was welcomed by its supporters"
No shit, Sherlock?
Still no comments at all on the Glyndebourne 'our wind turbine' thread. Seems the 'Please note that Glyndebourne reserves the right to remove comments which are deemed inappropriate' has had a whole lotta removin' goin' on.
Interesting summary:
Obstacles Facing US Wind Energy
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/8806
Problem is that they failed to consider the impacts of all the imminent flooding.
So if this snooty schoolgirl wants to do her bit for to combat Climate Change
Go into your bedroom little girl and under your poster of JLS and Justin Beiber
Unplug your mobile phonecargher your laptop your electric curling tongs your lapshade for doing your make up your mini hifi your Nintendo zumba wii fit your brothers ps3 and xbox your flatscreen telly your ipod dock your digital radio your bedroom heater your tabletop fan your footspa your skyplus box and your lady remmington leg shaver
and anything i havent mentioned
Lets see how ecofriendly you are after losing that little LOT
ps dont forget your Epsom printer
pps get sented candles instead of lowenergy lightbulbs permanentley
Really be popular get your boyfriend your mates on facebook and your real mates and every member of your family to do the same
Time to grow up little girl and welcome to the real adult world
Given the iconic importance of a place such a Glyndebourne for the upper echelons of such as the BBC and the chatterati in general, I think this 'monument to madness' is going to be of great importance for several reasons. First, it was erected in the teeth of local opposition, including opposition by the local planning officer, and imposed by the central government. Second, that imposition was by a Labour government in the throes of a disgraceful propaganda push around climate change, the same as has infected the BBC and other media. Third, the site is not very high, the exploratory wind data gathered there for it was disappointing, and there is every chance that it will, as so many others have, fail to come anywhere near the promised outputs. Fourth, it is on the skyline of a beautiful but quite highly visited area, and that will raise revulsion weekly. Fifth, it is close to some houses, and may even impair the famous picnics of the opera house - more reason for anticipating more antipathy towards it. As the scam unwinds, this will be one very visible symbol of the madness that led to it. I have gathered a few links and other details here: http://climatelessons.blogspot.com/2012/01/climate-credulity-of-operatic.html
"pps get sented candles instead of low energy lightbulbs"
They should increase CARBON emissions substantially!!
Let's hope the 'whumph, whumph' is ever-so-slightly out of time with whatever operas are to be performed this season...
(Actually, summer evenings are notorious for calm conditions - so it'll be sitting there doing nothing while. presumably, backstage staff are rushing around connecting up standby generators because, of COURSE they won't need the national grid any more....)
Cynic..? Moi..?
Actually the Grauniad headline does mention cheering and jeering, so there is [surprisingly] some balance there.
I have to say I'm deeply disappointed in Attenborough though, especially this idiotic statement:
"For most of my lifetime most power came from burning coal, which killed many hundreds underground and thousands overground from breathing in fumes, and in my memory caused smogs where you could not see your hand in front of your face. It is almost unbelievable to me that we now have the ability to draw the power we need from every gust of wind."
What he missed is that it *is* unbelievable, because it just isn't true!
Verity Cannings' comment about being 'under water' any time soon is repeated at the rather splendid Bodiam Castle in Sussex - there's an informative plaque alongside the small river which runs along the foot of the site, explaining the importance of said river to the iron industry a couple of centuries ago. All very interesting - until the author 'loses it' completely at the end - stating that you'd better enjoy this spot while you can, as due to global warming it will be under water soon...
Perhaps Sussex is uniquely vulnerable....
Jan 23, 2012 at 2:26 PM | David
I was thinking that it would be the perfect background sound for the last scene of Poulenc's "Dialogues of the Carmelites". It might even provide some random active stage props under the right circumstances (from flying critters ;-).
David, I live a couple of miles from Bodiam (and about 100m higher!) and it is on a flood plain surrounded by hills, with the River Rother running through it. A week of sustained rain sees the banks bursting and the road flooded. Has even lapped at the steps to the Castle pub, horror of horrors.
Maybe it's the seemingly compulsory politicisation of organisations such as the National Trust.
John Shade
I thank you for the interesting article pointed to in your post --
http://climatelessons.blogspot.com/2012/01/climate-credulity-of-operatic.html
What I appreciated most was the last line :
I can just see Verity singing her famous aria "How anyone can object to it?"
as she dances around the stage in her pinafore throwing rose petals in the air around the base of the machine.
stun - thanks for that - not being a 'native', I didn't realise the River Rother could flood like that - presumably when that occurs whoever wrote the sign would jump up and down shouting: 'See - I told you so..!'....