By Chom Greacen
Special to the Weekly
Attention all Lopez residents and property owners!
URGENTLY WANTED: 1) Money stashed away in your freezer; 2) Medium/long-term savings sitting in bank accounts earning practically zero interest; 3) Stock-holdings wishing for a moral upgrade from the current portfolio of questionable companies you’d rather no one knows about; and 4) Watershed of generosity inspired by vision of green energy and quality education for Lopez children.
If you detect any sign of the above in your household, notify the Community Solar for Our Schools program. Call 378-6621 or email energy@sjislandscd.org or visit www.sanjuanislandscd.org.
Why?
In addition to such commonly known benefits as local energy resiliency, lower power bills for schools, and educational benefits, putting your money or investment in the Community Solar program is likely be a catharsis, especially if you answer yes to any of the following self-psycho-analysis questions.
Is your pride hurt when you see Lopez lagging way behind Orcas and San Juan in our contributions towards the $35,000 goal for a 10 kilowatt community solar system for the school (see graph)? Have you been plagued by doubts that you may not have done the most you can for your children, grandchildren and other Lopez youth? Do you ever feel overwhelmed by climate change because you don’t know what concrete positive steps you could take? Have you felt a tinge of guilt because your money is not where your conscience is?
The therapeutic value of parting with your money temporarily to enable a solar system to be installed on the Lopez School roofs cannot be overestimated.
“By investing in Community Solar for Lopez School, I save on my therapy expenses and feel so much better as a human being,” said Kay Keeler, a Lopez supporter of the program. “Plus I get my money back within ten years.”
Once the solar system is stalled and generating electricity, Kay Keeler and others supporters will reunite with their money in 10 annual installments from state incentives. Full payback is anticipated.
The program plans to install 10 kilowatt solar systems on Orcas and San Juan starting in May 2015. Installation at Lopez School is happening later and may have to be down-sized depending on how much Lopez can raise to close the $25,000 gap between the goal and the sum raised thus far.
In an attempt to save Lopez pride, all Lopez (full/part-time) residents and businesses are called to rise and re-direct part of savings or investment portfolio into the Community Solar program. Sign up today (contact info listed above).
There will be a Solar de Mayo Dinner and Benefits Concert on May 2, 5 p.m. at the Lopez Community Center. Come celebrate, feast on delicious home-made tamales and give support to the program.
