One of the correspondents on the issue of wind farms on the Somerset Levels has stated that the majority of locals are not in favour of siting the turbines here. Damn, I must have missed that referendum. How many people voted? What were the actual results? Oh, I see it was just a guesstimation and based entirely on listening and talking to the other Nimby Numpties and the Stop it, Ban it, Censor it brigade.

So much (hot) air has been expelled on this subject locally that it would keep a turbine turning for a week.

In perhaps 20 or 30 years time when the lights start going out who is going to explain to my grand-daughter's children that the present generation refused to tentatively invest in carbon-free technology? Nuclear energy may be 'clean' but its still storing up millions of tons of problems until future generations can provide a solution to the safe re-processing of all that radioactive waste festering under the sea.

Yes, the best locations for wind farms are undoubtedly in the sea and along the UK's blustery coastline, but I see no objection to land-based installations such as those encountered in Cornwall. Objections to such schemes are usually born out of self-interest (perhaps with a financial dimension) or, in some cases, vacant minds.

As for the eyesore argument, this does not pass muster; in fact if such argument had been applied to electricity pylons (and yes, I know, they're still arguing about these in Somerset!) we'd all be still using snail mail, cooking on an open hearth and worried about running out of gas mantles.

As a Puriton villager, I look out across to Brent Knoll hill in the distance. I would not be averse to seeing turbines turning - nor would I object if they were to be sited in the fields at the back of my house (an excellent choice for wind harnessing).

One major facet which is seldom observed in the wind farm debate is this: unlike nuclear or coal-fired power stations, if wind farms should ever prove to be useless, ineffective or dangerous to migrating Great Auks - they can all be quickly, safely and discreetly taken down and removed and the land (or sea) returned within weeks without ever a trace.

So, take note: we're not all against wind farms. Some of us actually welcome their development as a sign that at least we are seeking alternatives no matter how small their contribution may be. However, with the very vocal minority (my turn at guesstimation!) sounding off, I may be on the losing side of the argument. As Donovan once trilled, many yeras ago - ' I may as well try and catch the wind'. To end on a lighter note, please see the link below.

http://www.chrismadden.co.uk/eco/wind-turbine.html