Archive for April, 2010
Kids Lead the Green Energy Movement
Recently at EmPower we’ve been seeing kids more and more on the “green” scene. Last week, a grade school class dropped in on one of our residential installations. As you can see in the photo above, EmPower’s Brad Morrison gave an impromptu lesson on how solar panels work. Also last week, I went with Robin Broder to the Long Beach Catholic Regional School’s Earth Day celebration where we got to see some of the awesome stewardship projects the kids were working on (pictured below) and spoke to them about their school’s 30 kW solar system. Their understanding of environmental problems was amazing – and their excitement about the solutions even more amazing. They believed in their own power to make positive changes in their homes and communities.
Last Wednesday, Allison Arieff wrote for the NYTimes about the power of kids to lead the green movement. Specifically, she spoke about GreenMyParents, a non-profit led by young people which educates other kids on how to talk to their parents and peers about adopting energy-saving habits. GreenMyParents has a pretty stellar cast of prominent young green leaders at it’s front, including 12-year-old Adora Svitak, whose impressive TED Speech on the power of children’s perspectives can be seen below.
GreenMyParents (GMP) is remarkable for a couple reasons:
1. It places kids at the forefront of the movement.
While Arieff’s articles drew some critical (politically charged) comments from people who felt GMP was indoctrination or would undermine adults’ authority, actually having children speak about green energy issues is an underutilized powerful tool. The youngest of our communities are going to be the ones hardest hit with the economic and environmental consequences of the decisions we are making today – if kids are smart enough to understand what their future may be like (which they are) and if they have opinions about what their future should be like (which they do), then we should take the time to listen. Moreover, knowledge wealth is different when it comes to sustainability issues. Kids growing up today are already using sustainable behaviors – they don’t need to be taught them AND they do have the potential to educate their parents and grandparents about these issues.
2. It leverages economics as a powerful marketing tool.
If you check out GMP’s About Us page, you see that their goal is to help parents save money ($100 million over the next year to be specific) through conservation measures. GMP acknowledges the important environmental benefits of sustainability, but their stated focus is to help people conserve resources and save money. This is messaging that people relate to: how can I save money? People are not receptive to being criticized for damaging the environment, but everyone wants to know how they can spend a little less. The green movement in general should be emphasizing the economic savings AND the potential for job growth which come with sustainability projects. Green jobs – energy auditing, weatherization, solar system installation – are jobs which can’t be outsourced. This is another issue which young people also care about: being able to get work when they enter the job market.
Enjoy this video of Adora Svitak wowing the TED Crowd:
EmPower CEO Welcomes All to New Website
EmPower recently launched a new website. Our improved site has more content, more galleries (with more photos of our installations), more information about our projects, and all-around has more to help you learn about solar energy for homes and businesses. From our site you’ll be able to tell that our entire team is committed to developing a clean energy economy and helping consumers take control of their energy costs. Listen to a quick word from our CEO David Schieren:
Also, if you want to learn more about solar power, we are hosting a series of solar seminars in different Long Island towns. Check out where we are going to be and register to attend one!
Celebrate Earth Day!
Thursday is Earth Day, and Long Island is bustling with Earth-related activities and events. At EmPower, we believe that taking care of the Earth is vital to our future, a belief that empowers us to work every day. We hope you will go out and support some of the many great organizations who have put together fun events throughout the week.
Long Beach Residents – Remember to take advantage of free bus service on April 22nd in honor of Earth Day
Events
These great websites have compiled lists of the events going on this week. Click Learn More to see some event highlights.
Stony Brook University’s Earth Stock: A Celebration of Earth Day
An Excerpt from Senator Gaylord Nelson, Founder of Earth Day
“At a conference in Seattle in September 1969, I announced that in the spring of 1970 there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration on behalf of the environment and invited everyone to participate… The response waselectric. It took off like gangbusters… The American people finally had a forum to express its concern about what was happening to the land, rivers, lakes, and air – and they did so with spectacular exuberance.
Earth Day worked because of the spontaneous response at the grassroots level. We had neither the time nor resources to organize 20 million demonstrators and the thousands of schools and local communities that participated. That was the remarkable thing about Earth Day. It organized itself.”
EmPower’s Commercial Solar Webinar
On Wednesday, April 14, David Schieren (EmPower’s CEO) hosted a webinar on commercial solar systems. EmPower will be hosting more free webinars and free community seminars. Check back to our website regularly to find out when and where our next events will be held.
Some of the topics covered in the commercial solar webinar were:
1. Benefits to Business
2. Pricing & Financing
3. Rebates & Incentives
4. Ideal Solar & Roof Conditions
5. Plenty of Sample Solar System Pictures
You can view a recording of the webinar below.
http://www.vimeo.com/10981686How to Install a 16-kW Ground Mount Solar System
How to install a 16-kW ground mount solar system:
Last week EmPower installed a 16-kW ground mount solar system in Woodbury, NY. The enthusiastic residential owners of this system have another roof mount system in the pipes, but the ground mount was the first to be installed.
Step 1: Pour concrete footings.
Step 2: After cement is cured, construct racking system. Bolt racking to concrete footings.
