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/Churchbushonk 3h ago

You make money on the timber, offsetting your cost. Then you plant trees somewhere else. No biggie.

43

u/MyCoffeeIsCold 2h ago

Yeah no. You must be a solar sales rep.

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u/Dry_Instruction8254 2h ago

I'm ok with them cutting down forests... After every parking lot, abandoned industrial complex, and reservoir is covered first.

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u/ChuckaChuckaLooLoo3 2h ago

Yes. Walmart should lead the way on this and cover their lots with solar. There are zero trees and those lots are giant heat producers on a warming planet.

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u/berfthegryphon 2h ago

At least start with Walmart having to put solar or green roofs on every single one of their buildings.

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u/evermorecoffee 2h ago

Why not both? 😊

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u/berfthegryphon 2h ago

Absolutely. But panels on a roof could be done much quicker and cheaper than in a parking lot. Scaffold the improvement. Start small and work your way up