purple wind turbines?

Wind power is growing significantly as a source of energy in our country and throughout the world. Although conservation organizations such as the National Audubon Society support wind energy as a greener alternative to fossil fuels (http://policy.audubon.org/wind-power-overview-0), there is definitely a need to make it even greener by reducing the bird and bat kills that occur when these animal fly near the turbines.  (The Audubon Society supports wind energy because despite the fatal collisions involving turbines, the pollution and habitat loss from fossil fuel drilling and burning kills many times more.) 

A recent study out of Britain's Loughborough University has shed some light on how to reduce wildlife mortality at wind turbines (http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9067000/9067721.stm).  Insects have long been known to be attracted to the turbines, and birds and bats are, in turn, attracted to those insects.  The Loughborough study found that the white and gray colors of wind turbines are part of the problem.  (Anyone in mosquito territory already knew this -- wear light-colored clothing and mosquitoes will find you much more quickly than if you wear dark clothing.) They tested different colors, including blue, red and purple, on wind turbines and found those with darker colors attracted far fewer insects.  The least attractive color was purple, so perhaps there will be a bit more color on the landscape one day? 

The researchers are quick to point out that it is too early to just rush out and paint wind turbines purple to "save the day," but this could be an important step in determining how to reduce wildlife collisions with wind turbines.