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Autism used in a protest campaign

longman

At a public inquiry about a wind farm recently, one of the objections raised was that it could have an impact on the health of people with autism and asperger's syndrome.

This is not without relevance. Flicker viewing from some angles and the noise produced by the turbines could affect people on the spectrum.

At the same time I wonder whether autism is being put up as spurious evidence against wind-farms whereby the major needs of people on the spectrum are not being adequately addressed. We are important when it suits some-one else.

This could apply in other contexts: new airport runways, high speed railways, large transpotrtantion centres working through the night, high voltage pylon routes, entertainment complexes using laser shows in the open, etc.

Therefore there is a real question here. What kinds of development could make life difficult for people on the spectrum?

But equally are there contexts where using people on the spectrum to prove arguments against development is an abuse of pepople with autism.

Any strong views or opinions?

Parents

  • Shall I tell you what makes me angry?

     

    The fact that wind farm companies say you stand next to a wind turbine and have a conversation and therefore conclude that they are not noisy.

     

    After 25 years experience in noise and vibration control I find it astonishing that the government, rather the DECC, still claim that ETSU guidelines are adequate for large scale turbines.

     

    They are not. Turbines are over three times the height and size of the ones used for the guidelines.

    The guidelines were never adopted as a standard owing to the fact that it was drawn up by vested interest in the industry.

     

    It supposes certain incorrect interpretations from WHO such as having a louder night time noise level than daytime. So at night a wind farm can be as loud as 43dB but during the day has to be less than 40dB? Weird. Yes but because the government want loads of wind farms they won’t change it.

     

     

    It uses a flawed propagation model based on point sources.

     

    It uses average background noise levels and not absolute.

     

    When asked to change it they said they would look at the methodology but not the levels because if the levels had to change then….. You guessed it.

     

     

    What else? Oh yes the DECC say that wind farms don’t cause health problems but this is based on a study written by an acoustic consultant who has NO health qualifications.

Reply

  • Shall I tell you what makes me angry?

     

    The fact that wind farm companies say you stand next to a wind turbine and have a conversation and therefore conclude that they are not noisy.

     

    After 25 years experience in noise and vibration control I find it astonishing that the government, rather the DECC, still claim that ETSU guidelines are adequate for large scale turbines.

     

    They are not. Turbines are over three times the height and size of the ones used for the guidelines.

    The guidelines were never adopted as a standard owing to the fact that it was drawn up by vested interest in the industry.

     

    It supposes certain incorrect interpretations from WHO such as having a louder night time noise level than daytime. So at night a wind farm can be as loud as 43dB but during the day has to be less than 40dB? Weird. Yes but because the government want loads of wind farms they won’t change it.

     

     

    It uses a flawed propagation model based on point sources.

     

    It uses average background noise levels and not absolute.

     

    When asked to change it they said they would look at the methodology but not the levels because if the levels had to change then….. You guessed it.

     

     

    What else? Oh yes the DECC say that wind farms don’t cause health problems but this is based on a study written by an acoustic consultant who has NO health qualifications.

Children
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