I know it's bad form to just offer an unexplained video link, but your phrase "the wind's sole protector" reminded me of this delightfully understated French commercial that illustrates why the wind has so few people looking out for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mTLO2F_ERY
Although that would be a cool job description.
If we increase our energy consumption 100-fold this estimation of net loss in wind would approach 1% which sounds bad. I guess we might need wind protector after all.
That's a pretty big "if".
Is it? Given current energy consumption growth it's just 100-150 years away
Edit: From covering the entire surface of the earth, which is the bigger if. (Should have read the context)
I'd really hope wind has a bus factor of more than one though.