Local outraged after noticing neighbor's brazen act: 'The residents are furious'

Imagine you're taking a constitutional walk along a shady lakeside path only to find a swath of the trail exposed to the sun because a rich neighbor had the tops of nearly 100 handsome pine trees lopped off to create a better view of the water.

An upset member of a Canadian community posted on Reddit to express frustration over just that situation, unfortunately, sharing pictures of a long string of cropped trees not just in front of the estate but stretching well down the path, presumably for maximum unfettered viewing. 

The poster pointed out that "those trees are on town property and are part of the public walking path" and bemoaned the fact that people "who are wealthy enough to pay some eventual penalties do whatever they want," pointing out that in a previous incident, the town took no action because the trees were merely "trimmed" and not cut down.

"This time the residents are furious," they wrote.

Lack of consideration for others is always a problem and can range from annoying to environmentally harmful or even, in worse cases, downright toxic. 

It could be seemingly benign, like a factory leaving floodlights on as Tesla has received complaints over, adding to light pollution (especially problematic if it's amid an event like the Perseid meteor showers and you're trying to catch some falling stars). 

Or it could be inconsideration, like moving out and leaving the yard overflowing with rodent-attracting trash and detritus from the apartment. 

Or it could be the seeming disregard of a tycoon undertaking a yearslong renovation at his McMansion that could be causing structural damage and sewage issues for neighbors.

In short, neighbors can be hell, for residents and the environment. But you don't have to be. Small measures like turning off unnecessary lights, keeping noise down, and being mindful of the impacts of home projects you undertake all help, not to mention planting some trees.

That isn't to say that trees should never be trimmed or removed, but generally, that shouldn't be done just to get something out of a view — and even less so when the trees are not on your own property, as that's against the law and can lead to major legal trouble in many cases, with an entire r/treelaw Reddit community dedicated to it, which is where this Redditor shared their misery. 

Do you think your city has good air quality? Definitely 🥰 Somewhat 😮‍💨 Depends on the time of year 😷 Not at all 🤢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

In the case of the 97 "cropped" lakeside pines, the damage was done, and many commenters had choice words for the owner of the lakeside mansion and lamented the situation. "Unless criminal charges are brought this is just a privilege of wealth," one said. 

Others pointed to deterrents and solutions. "Municipal laws in some countries block the illegally cut trees with view blocking barricades," one commenter pointed out. Others pointed to similar measures in Australia and New England and the required replanting of trees.

Whatever it takes, the world will be a cooler, more eco-friendly place with less destruction of valuable trees for convenience.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.