Altamont Pass Wind Turbine

While taking a weekend drive out to Brentwood to pick some fresh cherries, we drove through the Altamount Pass, home to the Altamount Pass Wind Farm. With nearly 5,000 wind turbines, this wind farm is one of the largest in the US. Most of those wind turbines are on the smaller side, like the one on the right side of the photo, easily dwarfed by the much larger wind turbine.

The larger turbines are supposed to be much safer for local wildlife - namely, various types of birds. The larger size causes the turbine to turn more slowly, and being at a higher elevation off the ground supposedly makes them less hazardous than the smaller turbines.

As I've traveled to areas that are more prone to global warming and climate change, I've become far more conscious of the impacts our energy choices have on the world. Seeing the wind turbines throughout the rolling hills is quite beautiful I think. There's a quiet peacefulness seeing the turbines slowly rotate.