Wind turbines are a powerful alternative to fossil fuels, with wind power now accounting for about 10.5% of all utility-scale electricity generated in the United States. In Germany, the combination of wind and solar power has passed fossil fuels as the nation’s top electric generators. But the environmental impact of wind turbines and their massive blades cuts both ways. The blades are generally made of reinforced fiberglass, a material that is strong, light, and durable. They can last 20 to 30 years. But they’re so difficult to recycle that Europe came up with an unexpected new job for old wind turbines: Pedestrian bridge girders. A company in Germany has a solution that could make the recycling process easier. Voodin Blade Technology made 63-foot wind turbine blades from laminated veneer lumber (LVL). It’s not a completely new idea. In the 1980s, NASA approached Michigan boatbuilders Gougeon Brothers about applying their wood-composite techniques to wind turbines.