With an increasing need for reliable and affordable energy, many continue to tout the idea of wind power. But a recent study reported in Environment and Climate News concludes one major wind farm proposal in Kansas would actually harm the state’s economy and provide little environmental benefit. According to the report, Kansas consumers would be saddled with higher taxes and higher electric bills, and would still have to pay for conventional plants to protect against blackout when the wind doesn’t blow. Since wind turbines also despoil landscapes and kill hundreds of thousands of bats and birds each year, the authors conclude that other actions, like using more efficient light bulbs, are much more cost-effective and environmentally meaningful.