A US town has rejected a proposal to build a solar farm following concerns from locals that it would ‘suck up all the energy from the sun’… it’s stupid enough to be something out of Parks and Rec.
Frightened townsfolk, presumably carrying torches and pitchforks, rejected a proposal to allow Strata Solar Company to build a solar farm in Woodland, North Carolina
The Roanoke-Chowan News Herald reports that during a meeting of the town council one local, Bobby Mann, who’s presumably not a scientist, expressed his concerns that solar farms would suck up all the energy from the sun and this would put off businesses coming to the town.
Meanwhile Jane Mann, a retired ‘science’ teacher, was concerned that the panels would prevent plants in the area from photosynthesizing, stopping them from growing. Ms Mann claimed to have seen areas near solar panels where plants are brown and dead because they did not get enough sunlight.
She also bizarrely blamed the high number of cancer deaths in the area on solar panels saying no one could tell her solar panels didn’t cause cancer, despite there being fuck all evidence of this being true. Honestly this level of stupidity gives me a headache.
The area around Woodland is a popular choice to build a solar farm because it has an electrical substation allowing the panels to be hooked up to the national grid.
A spokesperson, who must have had the patience of a saint, for Strata told the meeting: “There are no negative impacts. A solar farm is a wonderful use for a property like this.” Adding, presumably with a sigh, “The panels don’t draw additional sunlight.”
The council voted three to one against rezoning the land and later voted for a moratorium on future solar farms.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.