According to the prevailing narrative pushed by many experts, green energy from windmills and solar panels is heralded as the safest option for the environment. In contrast, they claim that traditional fossil fuels, like coal and natural gas, are detrimental. This idea has taken hold of public discourse, largely driven by monetary incentives for those advocating the so-called “green transition.” However, scrutiny reveals a different story.
Notably, the documentary “Planet of the Humans,” co-produced by Michael Moore in 2019, challenges the belief that renewables are a truly green solution. Jason Hayes from the Mackinac Center for Public Policy asserted that the film “handily debunks the misguided notion that renewable energy is a morally and environmentally superior, low-cost and reliable means of greening our electricity supply.” The documentary highlights crucial points: wind and solar energy come with short life cycles, require substantial land, and utilize an extensive amount of metals, ultimately making them less green than many believe.
In the years following the film’s release, the number of large-scale green energy projects across the United States has risen significantly. Yet, for every windmill and solar panel introduced, reliable coal-fired power plants are being shut down prematurely. As these plants are taken offline, many are unaware of the real costs associated with the shift to wind and solar energy. Unlike conventional plants, wind and solar facilities are often situated far from the population centers they aim to serve. This geographical disconnect necessitates thousands of miles of new transmission lines to transport the generated power, leading to increased environmental destruction.
Clear-cutting of pristine habitats is often required to make way for these transmission lines. James Taylor, president of The Heartland Institute, pointed out in a 2025 policy brief that “the enormous amount of power transmission lines necessary for transporting wind and solar power to far-away population centers create additional direct harms on otherwise undeveloped or minimally developed lands.” Furthermore, he noted that faulty or disrupted power lines have been implicated in numerous wildfires, citing examples in California, the Texas Panhandle, and even the Hawaiian island of Maui.
The impact of wind energy on wildlife is also significant. Wind turbines are estimated to kill over a million birds and bats each year. The situation worsens with offshore wind projects, where increased marine mammal deaths have been recorded, affecting both whales and dolphins along the East Coast.
Moreover, the extraction for materials needed in these green technologies leads to environmental degradation. As Taylor emphasized, the processes of “mining, refining, and utilizing substantial amounts of toxic metals and rare-earth minerals” result in severe soil and water pollution. It’s an inconvenient truth that the very technologies marketed as environmentally friendly impose toxic costs on our planet.
Some media outlets are gradually beginning to reflect this reality, acknowledging the environmental risks posed by wind and solar farms. Amidst this, figures like President Donald Trump have often been at the forefront of criticism of the current energy trajectory. He has labeled the green transition as the “Green New Scam,” illustrating a growing awareness of the underlying motives behind the aggressive push for renewable energy.
What once seemed like an unstoppable force—Big Green, fueled by government funding and taxpayer money—now appears increasingly open to skepticism. Observers note this shift in public sentiment as a positive sign for those genuinely concerned about environmental preservation. The discussion surrounding energy sources is more critical than ever, highlighting the need for an honest assessment of the benefits and harms associated with all forms of energy generation.
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