Hannah Chin

Okay, so really the question should be to solar or not to solar.

So today on the show, when to make way for solar.

We get into the nitty-gritty of how solar works and how to choose a solar system that's right for you.

I'm Hannah Shin.

And I'm Emily Kwong.

And you're listening to Shortwave, the science podcast from NPR.

Okay, Emily.

So today we are focusing on a solar crisis.

This is Nature Quest, our series answering environmental questions from listeners like you.

And I guess we got to start with solar panels themselves.

I got to be honest, because I'm a renter, I'm like not totally sure how these work.

I do know I think they're kind of ugly.

Like when I pass them, they look like giant flat screen TVs that are like stuck to the roof.

Wait, so solar doesn't work during a power outage?

Oh.

Okay, so now I understand how solar panels work.

Maybe I appreciate them a little bit more than I did before.

But Emily, I still want to know the answer to Darcy's question.

Like, should she cut down the tree to make way for solar panels?

Wait, okay, this does surprise me that all of them are so pro-tree.