Wind power, like solar, is often commended as a green alternative. While wind may be a carbon-neutral source of energy, that doesn’t mean it is harmless. The batteries needed to store the energy harvested by the turbines require rare earth minerals that are often harvested using toxic methods. Wind turbines are massive and take up space. One study revealed that a transition to wind power from fossil fuels would require 20 times more land that could, in turn, raise the average surface temperature by more than 0.24 degrees celsius.  

Many wind farms have also contributed to deforestation on land and marine life disruptions in water. The spinning blades have also been known to kill birds.

This post is part of a weekly series on environmental myths. You can find more myths here.