In my first post, I talked about how important is it to find the right balance in the path for sustainability. It is the need of the hour, no doubt, but sometimes it comes at a higher cost, like life.
http://news.msn.com/in-depth/emerging-solar-plants-scorch-birds-in-mid-air
I came across this a few weeks back and was astonished.It is about a solar plant in California,US.
The plant consists of 300,000 mirrors reflecting sun rays onto boiler towers which produces enough electricity to power 140,000 homes. WOW! Can't beat that.
The catch ? The bright reflected light attracts insects, which in turn attracts birds. These birds are charred to death due to the high intensity rays.Wildlife officials have witnessed group of birds flying into the path of the rays and getting scorched to death.Sun rays or death ray ?
The question remains...is sustainability worth loss of life ? Birds constitute an important part of our ecosystem and environment. If this was an isolated incident, it could be ignored as part of collateral damage. But the deaths are in thousands and beyond negligible quantity.
Another incident of Solar plants threatening wildlife- probable extinction of desert turtles.
http://www.kcet.org/news/redefine/rewild/reptiles/solar-plants-may-make-deserts-too-hot-for-tortoises.html
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/20/solar-energy-plants-in-tortoises-desert-habitat-pit-green-against-green/
According to research, solar plants cause the urban heat island, causing the surroundings to heat up and become inhabitable for the desert turtles, which have been listed as an endangered species.Also they take up the space, leaving thousands of turtles without a home in their natural habitat.
What to do now ? Logic suggests we do the best we can to salvage the loss, but in the end continue with the plants. Why ? Because the gain over exceeds the loss. Power for 140,000 homes isn't a small thing. Isn't that the sustainable future ?
NO
Sustainability isn't just harnessing free solar energy. Yes its a major part, but sustainability means to exist. And not just human existence, of all living being including wildlife. Sustainable is to save the Earth, not just provide renewable energy at the cost of wildlife.We are trying to conserve our energy resources, but what about conserving the birds and turtles ?? They are as much part of the Earth as we are and we can't dismiss them as collateral damage
Balance is the key to sustainability. We need to find some way to have the solar plants and save the birds. Maybe have some ways to distract them from the area....just a thought...but we can't just let the murder continue in the name of sustainability.
http://news.msn.com/in-depth/emerging-solar-plants-scorch-birds-in-mid-air
I came across this a few weeks back and was astonished.It is about a solar plant in California,US.
The plant consists of 300,000 mirrors reflecting sun rays onto boiler towers which produces enough electricity to power 140,000 homes. WOW! Can't beat that.
The catch ? The bright reflected light attracts insects, which in turn attracts birds. These birds are charred to death due to the high intensity rays.Wildlife officials have witnessed group of birds flying into the path of the rays and getting scorched to death.Sun rays or death ray ?
The question remains...is sustainability worth loss of life ? Birds constitute an important part of our ecosystem and environment. If this was an isolated incident, it could be ignored as part of collateral damage. But the deaths are in thousands and beyond negligible quantity.
Another incident of Solar plants threatening wildlife- probable extinction of desert turtles.
http://www.kcet.org/news/redefine/rewild/reptiles/solar-plants-may-make-deserts-too-hot-for-tortoises.html
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/02/20/solar-energy-plants-in-tortoises-desert-habitat-pit-green-against-green/
According to research, solar plants cause the urban heat island, causing the surroundings to heat up and become inhabitable for the desert turtles, which have been listed as an endangered species.Also they take up the space, leaving thousands of turtles without a home in their natural habitat.
What to do now ? Logic suggests we do the best we can to salvage the loss, but in the end continue with the plants. Why ? Because the gain over exceeds the loss. Power for 140,000 homes isn't a small thing. Isn't that the sustainable future ?
NO
Sustainability isn't just harnessing free solar energy. Yes its a major part, but sustainability means to exist. And not just human existence, of all living being including wildlife. Sustainable is to save the Earth, not just provide renewable energy at the cost of wildlife.We are trying to conserve our energy resources, but what about conserving the birds and turtles ?? They are as much part of the Earth as we are and we can't dismiss them as collateral damage
Balance is the key to sustainability. We need to find some way to have the solar plants and save the birds. Maybe have some ways to distract them from the area....just a thought...but we can't just let the murder continue in the name of sustainability.
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