We usually applaud experimentation and looking to the future. Four decades ago, David Hoffman began trying out different ways to be less wasteful. He built a well with a solar powered pump. He dug caves to dry tea leaves. He has worms that clean out used water and food scraps. All in all, over the last forty years, he's built around 30 structures to help him live more efficiently and less dependent on non-renewable energy. So why is he getting fined 200K and being told to tear down his creations? Take a look...
Visionary fined $200,000 for home 'improvements'
This is kind of one of those "I feel bad, but I don't feel bad" stories. If you keep reading, you see that he's being fined for repeatedly ignoring a number of permit violations. He never sought permission to build what he did, and ignored those that were warning him of the violations and assessing penalties. The story is a little tough to swallow because he was actually trying to do something positive...
Think about a different situation though. Let's say it's a millionaire who simply was adding room after room after room to a sprawling estate. There, I think most people would say "He should have heeded the warnings and abided by the law. Too bad for him" But here, he's doing something to improve the world, so it's a little harder to say that.
It's too bad someone who put forth so much effort to do something good is getting punished, but he did knowingly break the law when he could have just gotten the permits and avoided the thing altogether.
Not to mention, he DID build a make-shift sewage treatment plant...not exactly the thing any random person should be playing around with when you're tapping into an underground water source.
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