I was deeply saddened to hear about the fire that engulfed one of the historic blimp hangars in Orange County earlier this week. These majestic structures have always held a special place of awe in my heart, and the destruction of one is a significant loss for the City of Tustin.

    As an aviation enthusiast who obtained a pilot's license at the age of 18, I have always been captivated by the world of flight. The blimp hangars, with their towering height and iconic design, stood as enduring symbols of human ingenuity and our aspiration to soar above the clouds.

    News reports have raised questions about the future of the land where the blimp hangar stood. Having recently received the Web link to a fascinating national map of solar site locations, given to me through the courtesy of Pat Flanagan, I couldn't help but notice the scarcity of solar installations in urban areas, especially Orange County.

    The picture below of the hangars was snipped from that solar map.

    The map can be reached by clicking here. It was produced by the U.S. Geological Survey and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratories. The map does fail to list some of the solar sites in San Bernardino County despite their aerial image being shown.

    With Orange County having ample land suitable for solar panels at the hangar site, why should Orange County resort to burdening and destroying environmentally fragile desert ecosystems for its share of renewable solar energy production? Where is social and environmental justice?

    Harnessing solar power within urban areas offers a multitude of benefits. It minimizes the need for distant land acquisition and infrastructure development, reducing environmental impact and preserving precious natural spaces. Moreover, urban solar installations can directly offset energy consumption in the areas they serve, minimizing transmission losses and contributing to a more resilient and localized energy grid.

    The destruction of the blimp hangar is a tragedy, but it also presents an opportunity to rethink our approach to solar energy. Instead of expanding into sensitive desert landscapes, let's focus on utilizing rooftops, parking lots, and other underutilized urban spaces to generate clean, renewable energy. This shift not only protects our environment but also fosters a more sustainable and interconnected energy system.