The wind is a natural energy resource that has been used by humans on a modest scale for hundreds of years. Recently, however, concerns about climate change and diminishing reserves of fossil fuels have resulted in an increasing interest in wind as a major contributor to future energy needs. This renewed interest has not been without controversy, and major obstacles remain to realizing the full potential of wind as a modern energy resource. Doing so will require significant modifications to our energy infrastructure. It may also require some unpleasant compromises and difficult decisions about how we value Earth's resources.