On Friday, November 8th, ER Tree Service removed two trees and trimmed two others on the north side of the WES grounds. The purpose was to improve the functioning of the photovoltaic panels on the WES roof. The trees were shading the panels and depositing a mixture of pollen and sap that interfered with their operation. In addition to curbing emissions of greenhouse gases, the panels have the potential to account for well over $15,000 per year of financial benefit to WES consisting of savings from reduced electric bills and income from sale of Solar Renewable Energy Credits. The trees were reducing this benefit by several thousand dollars per year. 

The $3,500 cost of tree removal and trimming was covered by an ad hoc alliance of members and friends of WES consisting mainly of people who paid for the initial installation of the panels a little over ten years ago. Our panels are estimated to have a useful life of 25 years, so there continues to be significant value in them.

The trees that were removed were a Norway maple and a black locust. Norway maples are an invasive species with less ecological value than native trees. The black locust was ruled by a DC arborist to be a hazard to the WES building. The DC government granted WES permission to remove the trees.

The Earth Ethics Action Team has contacted Casey Trees to request a free consultation to determine which trees might replace those we have removed. We anticipate selecting native trees that would grow well in the shade of the building and whose full height would not exceed the height of the building. 

If you have already contributed to this project, thank you so much! To do so now, please identify your contribution as for the “Solar Panel Fund.” Checks can be sent to the Washington Ethical Society, attention Robyn Kravitz, 7750 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20012