I'm Greener than You!!!!

*DISCLAIMER* I have nothing against solar panels. When I build my house some day I have seriously considered installing them to cut down on electric bills, or even get checks back from the power company. But this is just asinine. *DISCLAIMER*


I heard this story while listening to the Dennis Miller Radio Show this morning. Or read it here.

So, basically, one neighbor says "I am GREENER than you, so CUT DOWN YOUR TREES."

Am I the only one who see this as really freaking stupid.

The Mr Treanor and Ms. Bissett planted 8 Redwood trees in THEIR YARD between 1997 and 1999. And as they are want to do, the trees GREW.

Then, in 2001 the neighbor, Vargas, installs solar panels on his house.

As the Redwoods grew, they began to shadow the solar panels. So Vargas contacts the district attorney and has charges filed against Treanor and Bissett under the "Solar Shade Control Act" which won't allow a TREE to shadow more than 10% of a solar panel between 10:00am and 2:00pm. And since the Redwoods that Treanor and Bissett planted GREW AFTER the solar panels were installed, they are in violation of the Act and have been ordered to cut down 2 of THEIR trees.

I understand that the shadow reduces the efficiency of the panel, and I could maybe handle it if the trees were planted AFTER the solar panels were installed. But in this case, the trees were planted 2-4 YEARS prior to the installation of the panels.

Treanor and Bissett are the first known people to actually have a conviction against them under this act in its 30 YEAR history.



So basically, if I want you to cut down YOUR tree in California, all I have to do is install some solar panels that will be shaded by your tree.

Evidently math in California works like this:
Solar panels to run Air Conditioner and cool house while blowing heat out of the condenser>Tree to shade house and keep it cooler in the first place, a habitat for birds, oxygen generation.



No wonder I could never live in California.