Are you interested in powering your home with solar energy, but are daunted by all the logistics of installing solar panels? If so, community solar may be a great option for you. With community solar, anyone who pays their own electric bill is able to go solar without installing panels on their own home. Community solar is even an option for residents of apartments and condos.
A bonus of community solar is that there are no upfront costs, as you do not need to pay for installation of any panels. This will also help you save money each month on your electric bill, as you will be using renewable energy. On top of saving money, you will also be lowering your carbon footprint and supporting green, renewable energy businesses in your own community. There is no need to fear commitment, as community solar has long term, short term, and even pay-as-you-go payment plans. Additionally, you can either cancel your contract or take it with you should you decide to move.
One CCAA volunteer already signed up for community solar in 2020, and is now saving ten percent each month on his electric bill. If you’re interested in hearing more about his story, you can click here for a video.
Community solar is growing in popularity, with a ribbon cutting of the first community solar farm in the Adirondack region at Saranac Lake taking place in February, 2021. This is a huge step for the residents near the Adirondack region as they too now have access to affordable solar energy. If you would like to see the ribbon cutting ceremony for this event, please click here to be directed to a recorded livestream!
Climate Change Awareness and Action is working in conjunction with solar companies to help them find individuals who want to sign up for community solar. You can be a renter or homeowner.
If you receive a National Grid bill, have interest in reducing your carbon footprint, want to be part of the movement to build out solar infrastructure in upstate NY, want to help CCAA with its climate change education and advocacy work, and in the process reduce your electric bill, contact CCAA at cc.awareness.action@gmail.com Put in the subject line “I’m interested in community solar.”
(Individuals who have rooftop solar already installed are ineligible for community solar)
In honor of March being Women’s History Month, CCAA wants to recognize the women whose hard work and dedication have helped us become what we are today. One such woman is Yvonne Chu. She was one of the founding members of CCAA, having helped organize our showing of the film “A Sea Change” at the Palace Theatre in downtown Syracuse back when we were beginning our environmental activism journey in 2015. Chu has been active in the environmental community since 2013 when she went to Washington D.C. with a SUNY Plattsburgh student organization to protest the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline.
“At the start of my activism I do not think that I knew the entirety of everything that was going on, but I understood that it was a pressing matter and that injustices were occurring… I answered the call to be a part of the [climate change] movement and continue to contribute to the call for action now,” Chu said.
Being an outspoken woman always presents challenges and Chu’s experience in climate activism has been affected both by her status as a woman and as a person of color. In her experience, the movement and other climate activists have been welcoming and friendly, but she has had to adjust to being the only woman or person of color in meetings and discussions.
“In the first few years of being an activist, I found it extremely intimidating to speak to groups where the majority of people looked a lot like each other but not like me. [sic] I pushed ahead of my discomfort because I knew that the climate crisis was not going to wait… I relied heavily on other women for support in order to push past my discomfort and frustrations,” Chu said.
Chu believes the largest obstacle facing women in environmental activism is that their accomplishments are often downplayed and their voices stifled.
“Women’s contribution to the environmental movement needs to be amplified, taken seriously, and written in the history books to continue inspiring all people,” Chu said.
She cites Kitty Burns, Lindsay Speer, Jessica Azulay, Renee Volglesang, and Katelyn Kriesel as some of the women working in environmental activism who inspire her with their supportiveness and passion about fighting for our planet.
“There are so many women here in Syracuse that have done amazing things to push the environmental movement forward through their ability to light a fire inside the hearts of others,” Chu said.
Chu remains active in the central New York environmental activism community and is the current publisher of CCAA’s monthly newsletter.
CCAA holds its monthly meetings on the second Tuesday of every month. If you’d like to learn more feel free to email cc.awareness.action@gmail.com.
For an even more comprehensive list of events pertaining to sustainability and climate change, contact Diane Brandli with GreeningUSA to subscribe to the GreeningUSA listserve or to publicize an event you are organizing. dbdesigninteriors@verizon.net
Pass the CCIA – Climate and Community Investment Act
The Climate and Community Investment Act is a bill that was recently introduced in the New York State Senate. Over the next ten years, the Climate and Community Investment Act (CCIA) would raise $10-$15 billion per year towards transitioning New York State away from fossil fuels and towards a green energy economy.
The funds from the CCIA will be distributed in a way to allow a successful transition to renewable energy in New York State. A third of the funds will be directed towards local community organizations focused on serving communities most affected by environmental justice issues. These funds will contribute to the creation of community-led renewable infrastructure projects and programs that are aimed at achieving cleaner air, water, and better public health.
Roughly seven percent of funds will be directed towards workers and communities within the fossil fuel industry, providing new job training, helping with retirement plans, introducing new economic development, and replacing potential lost tax revenue.
Thirty percent of the funding will contribute to a Climate Jobs and Infrastructure Fund focused on large-scale investments. Some examples of these investments are the expansion of solar energy, offshore wind, and electric vehicle infrastructure across the state.
The remaining third of the CCIA funding will be allocated to energy rebates to the lowest-earning 60% of New York residents in an attempt to lower utility costs.
This bill is expected to create over 150,000 sustainable jobs within the first decade of its passing. Frontline communities, women in non-traditional trades, unemployed individuals, and formerly incarcerated New York residents would be prioritized for hiring for these new jobs. Additionally, schools, child care, and public transportation would be prioritized investments. In addition, the CCIA would enforce a Polluter Penalty, by charging fees on companies who import fossil fuels into New York state.
If you are in favor of the Climate and Community Investment Act, please consider calling to let your Assembly and Senate representatives know. The Senate Energy Committee and the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee are holding hearings on the CCIA on April 13th beginning at 10 am.
If you wish to contact your representatives to let them know you are in favor of the CCIA then make sure to call and inform them before April 13th.
CCAA Member Highlight: Justin Mitchell
Justin is a liaison with the Town of Manlius working on sustainability issues.
“My name is Justin Mitchell and I’m a junior in the Maxwell School, Syracuse University. I’m majoring in International Relations and Russian Language, Literature, and Culture, and double minoring in History and Political Science. I’ve been fascinated by and concerned with anthropogenic climate change for years, particularly when it comes to Russia and the Arctic.”-Justin Mitchell
If you are interested in working with CCAA, please contact us at cc.awareness.action@gmail.com or call 315-308-0846. Don’t worry about your skill level. We are all learning.
We need people who can:
Post to our Facebook Page
Update our website using WordPress
Help with our newsletter
Organize events
Work on legislative campaigns
Create Mailchimp campaigns
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Editor: Jacob Stewart Publisher: Yvonne Chu Chair: Peter Wirth
We encourage you to look at and follow our social media accounts to support CCAA and stay up-to-date on other environmental news. CCAA has recently partnered with Hill Communications to create social media content for environmentalists like you!
