This one’s via Treehugger: Many Amish are installing solar panels. I expect this will surprise a few readers since the Amish are better known by their disdain for most modern conveniences (or what we think of as conveniences anyway).
Here’s a quote, from the Baltimore Sun article, that explains why most Amish find solar power a-ok:
Not all Amish people approve, but many do — particularly if solar energy is used for business and home use is kept to a minimum. Solar electricity fits into the Amish self-sufficiency model. It is convenient, safe and, unlike some Amish-sanctioned alternatives, there are no noxious fumes or noise and no fuel costs.
“There’s so much free sun and free air, and if we could harness it, we wouldn’t need any more power plants,” said Andrew Hertzler, an Amish farmer selling flowers and plants outside the local library here on a recent afternoon.