Hi everyone
Steve makes some very good points here.
I do think that the wind-farm debate fits our manifest: to discuss
Australian birds, their conservation, and their behaviour. This
issue is an important one for at least two reasons:
(1) wind farms might help reduce carbon emissions, and so in the long
run protect birds.
(2) wind farms have been proven to have an negative impact on some
types of birds, especially large raptors such as eagles and vultures,
even more so migratory ones.
These opposing views are the reason why these discussions can go
downhill quickly and degenerate into personal attacks, mudslinging,
abuse, and so on - which are NOT part of what birding-aus is about.
I think it is good for us to discuss such issues as long as:
(1) Once anyone has had their say, they let other people express an
opinion
(2) Contributors do not need to make the same point more than once -
the archive makes it possible for people to re-read those views even
after deleting the message.
(3) Readers are best to approach such issues with an open mind. We
are lucky to have a lot of experts who contribute to this forum - you
may even change your mind after reading everything about an issue
like windfarms, particularly if the contributions come from experts
or others involved in this industry
(4) Contributors do not make personal attacks, either through birding-
aus or private email. Argue about the MESSAGE, not the MESSENGER.
I really don't think that someone who has some involvement in the
windfarm industry is using the list for "commercial purposes" just by
expressing an opinion - but I do think it is good to be open about
any potential conflict of interest.
So - please don't go over and over old ground, and please continue to
"keep it nice". Anything I find offensive or out of place will be
removed from the archive - and if necessary that contributor might be
blocked from the list.
For the record, I can't make up my mind about wind farms one way or
the other - so I am reading this thread with interest. I see a lot
of value in producing energy from the wind, but it's costly energy in
dollar per output terms, and I wouldn't want to live close to a wind
farm. The appearance doesn't bother me at all, but the threat of
bird strike does - I just don't know how much impact this might have
in this country.
Thanks to everyone who contributes to birding-aus in such a positive,
constructive way - this is the ONLY thing that makes it such a
worthwhile forum.
Russell
Russell Woodford
Birding-Aus List Owner
Geelong Victoria Australia
http://www.birding-aus.org
On 06/09/2006, at 11:02 AM, wrote:
G'day all
I've been a subscriber to BA since 1995 and have also subscribed to
similiar services from Ireland and South Africa. Issues like wind-
farms,
banding, sustainability, twitching, use of tapes, cats etc have been
debated many times over the years and they always start off nice and
friendly and end in tears or worse. After a certain point these
debates
can get very personal and must be taken off line. Some of the
posts on
creationism V evolution on the SA forum recently were vicious and
possibly
slanderous.
Note that I am not expressing any opinions on any issue and please
don't
presume to think you know my opinions on any issue.
The vast majority of posts on birding-aus can be searched and it is
quick
and easy to find the past debates (and see how nasty the posts can
occasionally be). The fact that they are archived also means that
they
are there for all to see for many years - so post in haste, repent at
leisure.
So, my two cents worth, use common sense and think before you
post. Let's
have discussions on a whole range of issues but think carefully
about how
these things can escalate. The best option may be to continue a
discussion off line.
Cheers
Steve Clark
Hamilton, Vic
http://members.datafast.net.au/clarkja/sw_birds.htm
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