Windfall

We have wind farms about 20 miles north of us....every time I drive by them on the freeway and think that they are really spectacular looking...and think to myself..."self, why not harness the wind?" But this documentary really brings up some great issues with the not-so-obvious- drawbacks of locating these massive turbines in residential areas. I certainly wouldn't want them on my immediate property after hearing about some of the consequences. But more importantly...I always wondered what the carbon footprint was of manufacturing, assembling, and maintaining these things. Well, it is pretty apparent that more environmental damage is probably done, or is a wash, compared to the benefit of the "free" wind. I think there will be fields of these abandoned in the next decades...then what? A more viable option may be to have property owners use the smaller ones that service one residence, with extras being sold to the power companies. Might be much more efficient, and wouldn't bother those around you.