ENGR 131 Fall 2013 Answer Sheet Homework 2 Answer Sheet 3 Name Purdue Login Section Number 020 Problem 3 Information Literacy Conducting Research Step 2 Statement you selected Wind turbines cause health problems Step 3 Write your paragraphs and citations in the space below Health Risks Associated with Wind Turbines As alternatives to fossil fuels used for generating electricity many solutions have been brought forward including solar panels wave energy systems and wind turbines Wind turbines are among the cheapest and easiest to use and maintain but more must be assessed of them in order to know if they can be compatible with the human race Most importantly do wind turbines pose health and safety risks It has been assumed that wind turbines do cause health problems but this could not be more wrong Wind energy is a clean renewable energy resource that has no impact on water it has no impact on air emissions and it has very little impact on the land around it explains Eric Silagy of FPL Energy Layton 2012 This is in direct contrast to the poisonous fumes released from the burning of fossil fuels coal and even some biofuels which pollute the air we breathe and can destroy essential habitats and water supplies Wind turbines have no emissions and supply quite a bit of power with barely any maintenance With minimal maintenance there are also no health risks for works on wind harvesting farms The benefits of wind energy seem to be obvious and straightforward Recently however there have been some skeptics who believe in a wind turbine syndrome due to the sound and vibrations produced by the fast spinning blades Layton 2012 Dr Roy Jeffery reports that people who live or work in close proximity to industrial wind turbines IWTs have experienced symptoms that include decreased quality of life annoyance stress sleep disturbance headache anxiety depression and cognitive dysfunction 2013 However though these claims are recently becoming concerns there has not been overwhelming evidence that it is more than coincidence Layton reports that the studies were only on small groups of people and by a limited number of scientists Wind turbines are more proven to be health risks for small birds and bats flying nearby Wind turbines are an excellent choice for green energy because of the minimal to no effect it has on the environment and the free wind that is always available They therefore cause no health problems Page of ENGR 131 Fall 2013 Answer Sheet other than the rumored wind turbine syndrome that isn t yet accepted in the scientific realm In order to be better safe than sorry though wind turbines need only be located at some distance from a town or city to protect the people Overall they should indeed be taken as a very green and wise choice for renewable energy that can be well integrated into society Jeffery Roy and Krogh Carmen 2013 Adverse health effects of industrial wind turbines Canadian Family Physician vol 59 no 5 Pp 473 475 Retrieved from http www cfp ca content 59 5 473 Layton Julia 2012 Do wind turbines cause health problems Science HowStuffWorks com Retrieved from http science howstuffworks com environmental green science wind turbineshealth htm Page of