Satellite image analysis shows 329 hectares of forest cleared during development of factory in Germany

The development of a Tesla gigafactory near Berlin has resulted in about 500,000 trees being felled, according to satellite analysis.

The building of the German factory has been highly controversial and attracted significant protests, as well as prompting a debate about the trade-offs involved in developing a green economy.

Elon Musk, Tesla’s owner, has criticised local police for letting off “leftwing protesters”.

Satellite images show 329 hectares (813 acres) of forest were cut down at the site between March 2020 and May 2023, according to the environmental intelligence company Kayrros. That is equivalent to approximately 500,000 trees.

  • ravhall
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    43
    arrow-down
    9
    ·
    3 months ago

    The fault is on Germany, not Tesla. We all know what Tesla wants to do: make money. The government has a responsibility to say “no, you cannot destroy 500,000 trees”

      • Mouselemming@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        3
        arrow-down
        10
        ·
        edit-2
        3 months ago

        If it was a tree farm, were the trees for wood, and harvested as usual, or did they go to waste? Couldn’t they have been relocated, since their root balls were probably all separate? It’s not the catastrophe of an ancient forest, but it’s still a negative.

        • pearsaltchocolatebar
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          12
          ·
          3 months ago

          Those trees were grown for the specific purpose of being cut down. I highly doubt they were just thrown away.

          My assumption is that they identified an area ready for harvest, harvested them then started construction. It would be throwing away serval million euros to do otherwise.

            • general_kitten@sopuli.xyz
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              arrow-down
              2
              ·
              3 months ago

              My guess is that Mr. Elongated Muskrat didn’t own the land before so I would imagine the previous landowner harvested the trees before the construction/land purchase

          • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            5
            ·
            3 months ago

            My assumption is that they identified an area ready for harvest

            I admire your ability to just believe. I really do.

            • Crashumbc@lemmy.world
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              arrow-down
              1
              ·
              3 months ago

              It’s believable, because of greed, no rich guy is throwing free money away…

              • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                1
                ·
                3 months ago

                Tell me how much did he spend on Xitter again? Are you sure you know who we‘re dealing with?

                • Crashumbc@lemmy.world
                  link
                  fedilink
                  English
                  arrow-up
                  1
                  ·
                  3 months ago

                  He didn’t mean to actually buy Twitter, he fucked up because of his ego and couldn’t get out of it without getting sued to oblivion.

                  • CosmoNova@lemmy.world
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    ·
                    3 months ago

                    And that sounds like a guy who carefully plans his gigafactory around every tree to get the most buck for his bark to you?

    • logicbomb@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      22
      arrow-down
      2
      ·
      3 months ago

      It is Germany, yes, but it’s not “not Tesla.”

      Many companies manage to make money without destroying significant numbers of trees.

      Just because something unethical is legal doesn’t mean that the person doing that thing escapes all criticism.

      • ravhall
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        2
        arrow-down
        4
        ·
        3 months ago

        Criticize all of them.

    • where_am_i@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      3 months ago

      Which is why tesla was legally obligated to plant as many trees somewhere else. And instead of a monoculture commercial forrest they planted a proper one that also will stay.

      But only “musk bad” content sells on lemmy, so you’ll never learn that actually this gigafactory is totally fine. And yeah, it’s Europe, so shit is regulated and your regular USA corporate fascism simply doesn’t happen.

      • ravhall
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        2
        ·
        3 months ago

        Show me Something that proves your claim that Tesla had to plant trees.

        • where_am_i@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          edit-2
          3 months ago

          It never somehow made it to your shitty American media. So use some google translate or something: https://taz.de/Neuer-Tesla-Wald-in-Brandenburg/!5876234/

          You can see they planted trees, they planted as a proper reforestation project, not as a monoculture that will be cut for paper forest that they destroyed, you can see that the quality of their new forest is being monitored.

          This factory from a deforestation standpoint alone is a massive win. They get a shitty monoculture forest and they have to use their money to plant a proper one.

          Because there are regulations in Europe.

          But you’ll never hear anything about it cuz you live in your stupid American lemmy bubble with daily circle jerk wining about trump and musk.

          • ravhall
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            1
            arrow-down
            1
            ·
            3 months ago

            Remind me to check it out in 15 years lol