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Opening Arguments

Clash of the eco-warriors

Cut down those damn trees -- they're thwarting my efforts to use Earth-friendly energy!

SUNNYVALE, Calif. - In an environmental dispute seemingly scripted for eco-friendly California, a man asked prosecutors to file charges against his neighbors because their towering redwoods blocked sunlight to his backyard solar panels.

But the couple next door insisted they should not have to chop down the trees to accommodate Mark Vargas' energy demands because they planted the redwoods before he installed the solar panels in 2001.

Experts say such clashes could become more common as California promotes renewable energy and solar systems become more popular.

I was about to write, "Only in California . . ." But that's not true anymore.

Comments

tim zank
Thu, 02/21/2008 - 5:54pm

If the yutz installed his solar panels facing existing redwoods (even small ones) not realizing the trees would uh, grow taller he deserves to have his Algore Pledge Pin ripped from his chest and suffer banishment from Sierra Club activities for 1 full year!

Oh, the humanity!

gadfly
Thu, 02/21/2008 - 11:35pm

All of this legal wrangling is expensive. The Redwood neighbors can sign up with CarbonCreditKillers.com for only $5 per tree. Heck, they can even buy an "I increased my carbon footprint" teeshirt.

http://www.carboncreditkillers.com/

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