Elon Musk in the crosshairs of environmentalists: 500,000 trees cut down for Tesla factory

Elon Musk, who has been a target of climate activists and environmentalists for some time, is once again at the center of criticism over the trees destroyed during the construction of his factory in Germany.

According to satellite analysis, approximately 500,000 trees were cut down during the construction of the Tesla factory near Berlin. Satellite imagery shows that 329 hectares (813 acres) of forest were cleared at the site between March 2020 and May 2023. This is equivalent to approximately 500,000 trees.

The construction of the factory in Germany had sparked controversy and significant protests. Tesla owner Elon Musk had even criticized the police for releasing left-wing protesters.

THEY HALTED FACTORY PRODUCTION

Since May, climate activists have been organizing protests against the factory's planned expansion. In March, a group even set fire to an electricity pylon, halting the factory's production for several days.

Protester Karolina Drzewo criticized the company for appearing environmentally friendly through its electric vehicle production, stating: "In one of Germany's driest regions, a huge part of the environment has already been destroyed. The expansion of the forests, and therefore further destruction and the endangering of protected drinking water areas, must be prevented."

APPROVED BY THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT

In July, the expansion of the Tesla factory to increase annual production to 1 million cars was approved by the Brandenburg Ministry of Environment.

Dozens of environmental accidents, including leaks of diesel fuel, paint, and aluminum, have been reported at the facility. While Tesla has not made any statement regarding these accidents, it stated that several incidents have occurred during construction and since the start of operations. 

News Source: 12punto