Apparently a law was passed in California 30 years ago making it a criminal offence for a tree to block solar panels.
Let that thought percolate in your brain for a second…
Why would someone pass such a law? Trees clean the air we breathe, and provide habitat for birds and animals. Solar power is a clean, renewable source of energy. These are both good things, so why would solar panels be considered more important? So important, that blocking one with a tree in California could earn you a fine and a criminal record.
This ridiculous ricockulous legislation has recently resulted in a rare case in which the law came into play. Coles Notes version: the poor guy with the trees has to cut them down because his neighbour decided to put up solar panels. It didn’t seem to matter that the trees were planted first.
Although this law is only in California, I believe such a legislation could be passed anywhere with a similar legal system. The only explanation I can come up with for this tragedy is that the people who are elected to represent us are somehow deficient.
Laws should only be passed out of necessity. Is it necessary to force your neighbour to chop down their trees if you feel like putting up solar panels? I don’t think so.
Another Talking Head 
Two possible explanations:
1) Intelligent people are already in politics. Their interests are to maximize their own gain at the expense of others; or
2) Intelligent people are NOT in politics. The general public is not sufficiently educated or of sound rational mind to elect the politician who would best hold long-term interests in priority.