[Green] Matching funds for solar expansion

[Dawn Hewitt]

Dear green friends,

It is April, Earth Month, and the month we designated to begin tracking down funding for our solar expansion to take advantage of the matching funds offer. Ideas?

Sure, we can solicit donations at our Earth Day booth. What else? A guest editorial in the newspaper? Social media?

I propose this approach: Lots of people, like me, would love to have solar panels on our roofs—not because it will lower our electric bill, but because we wish to reduce our dependence upon climate-changing fossil fuels. But I can’t afford it, and my roof line faces a less than desirable direction, and my yard has too many trees that I don’t want to cut down. My house and property are not likely candidates for solar power, and my wallet is another limiting factor. So what can I do? I can help fund solar power in the Mid-Ohio Valley by contributing to the expansion of the solar array at the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Marietta. My house might still be powered by fossil fuels, but donating to the FUUSM More Solar Fund, I’ll be reducing dependence on fossil fuels right here in Marietta. As an added bonus, every dollar I contribute will be matched by a grant from an anonymous benefactor. 

Something like that. I wonder if there are businesses who would chip in to help us. It would be tax deductible, right?

Other ideas, please! This snuck into my dreams last night! 


—dawn