A solar energy company will soon begin clearing thousands of protected Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert, including many thought to be a century old.
  • apfelwoiSchoppen@lemmy.worldEnglish
    37·
    6 months ago

    Put solar panels in parking lots and on buildings, where the humans live, not in fragile ecosystems. Deserts aren’t bereft of life, they are filled with some of the most resilient and charismatic flora and fauna known. Joshua trees and the Mojave have it bad enough already.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      292·
      6 months ago

      Honestly, solar panels above parking lots would rock. Shade for people in the parking lots, and power generation. Yet we don’t do it…

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          6 months ago

          Cool. I’m in Utah and i’ve never seen parking lot solar panels, it’s all either roof mount or on the ground in a big field somewhere.

      • MintyFresh@lemmy.worldEnglish
        112·
        6 months ago

        I want the term “parking desert” to take hold in place of parking lot. I hate most aspects of automobiles. The amount land we pave over for storage is just tragic and rude.

        We should build solar farms over our parking deserts to reduce human footprint.

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          2·
          6 months ago

          I largely agree. I think we should have car-free city centers (delivery truck and transit only) with parking garages at the edges near transit hubs. But instead of that, we subsidize driving and encourage a car-centric society.

      • dirthawker0@lemmy.worldEnglish
        6·
        6 months ago

        Kaiser, which is a major hmo here in California, has been putting solar panel parking shade in their lots. The community college in my town has it too. I can’t think of any downsides to them other than the installation cost. Everyone likes shade from sun and rain, and free electricity.