r/UpliftingNews • u/ArgentineBeauty • 4h ago

Two Minnesota solar farms planted native grasses and wildflowers beneath their panels. Five years later, flowering plant species had increased sevenfold, native bee numbers more than 20 fold and total insect numbers had tripled, while more bees were also visiting nearby soybean fields.

https://www.ecoticias.com/en/two-minnesota-solar-farms-turned-the-ground-beneath-their-panels-into-habitat-and-native-bee-abundance-rose-more-than-20-fold/36680/
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u/MyCoffeeIsCold 3h ago

Solar is great and has a place in our energy portfolio in the right locations.

We have had proposals to clear cut 60-70 acres of FOREST for solar projects here in New York. One of the dumbest things I have ever heard.

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u/ContinuingAnyway 3h ago

"the right locations" just away from you, out of sight and out of mind right? lol

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u/Gladiateher 3h ago

He’s not wrong though, if the purpose of renewables is to help fight climate change then clear cutting forests to make room for solar is obviously dumb and counter productive.

The panels can be installed in the desert or grasslands for instance without cutting down trees and where they are drastically more productive. Colorado for instance has massive solar opportunities that Northern Michigan does not.

If we care about climate change, we should focus our efforts where they make sense, and not move backwards while doing so, that’s just logical imo.

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u/MyCoffeeIsCold 3h ago

Wasn’t close by, but thanks for you value added comment

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u/SirGalahadTheChaste 3h ago

If their backyard is a forest that needs clear cutting then yeah?

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u/ContinuingAnyway 3h ago

They clear cut forest to make your backyard and property exist anyway, what's a few more acres?

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u/MyCoffeeIsCold 2h ago

Let’s just raze the whole earth. NBD, right?

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u/SirGalahadTheChaste 2h ago

Do you not understand the point of the article?