Solar United Neighbors in the time of COVID-19

By Tech Support on March 19, 2020

If you’re anything like me, you’ve received dozens of COVID-19 emails from all sorts of organizations over the past few days.

So let me get right to an update FROM us… and updates FOR you.

The basics:

  • everyone on our team is working remotely,
  • all in-person solar co-op info sessions have been moved online,
  • Solar Congresses scheduled for April and May are being rescheduled, and…
  • we’re continuing to help people go solar and fight for their energy rights.

Our work continues. Here’s how you can take part…

Join us for a movie… from home

On Tuesday, March 31 (7:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time), we’re hosting a free online screening of the film Current Revolution — with live chat during the movie and a Q&A session with Solar United Neighbors staff after the movie.

Current Revolution examines how a combination of distributed energy (like rooftop solar) and a robust electric vehicle infrastructure can massively improve our electrical grid.

I’ve watched it twice! It’s a fascinating look at how we can grow the economy, improve environmental justice, and support our national security interests.

RSVP now, and we’ll send you the details on how to watch online with us.

Tell your state officials to keep the lights on

Solar United Neighbors and nearly 600 other utility justice, labor, faith, consumer, and environmental groups are demanding that state governors, mayors, and utility regulators halt electricity and water-utility shutoffs in response to the COVID-19 crisis and resulting job losses.

We need your help to get the word out about this. Share our Twitter post about this, tag the following groups, and demand that people not lose power and water during this public health emergency:

National Governors Association: @NatlGovsAssoc
U.S. Conference of Mayors: @usmayors
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners: @NARUC
National Rural Electric Co-op Association: @NRECANews
American Public Power Association: @publicpowerorg
Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies: @AMWA_water

Tell us a story (or send us a video!)

We want to hear — and share — stories about what you and other people in your community are doing to help each other through this period of upheaval.

Solar United Neighbors is built on the idea that local power is resilient power. And that individuals and communities can self-organize to take concrete actions to improve the world. We’d love to hear about what you’re seeing and what you’re doing to make things better.

And… if you have solar installed, we’d love to get a video of you showing off your system. If we get enough, we’ll be able to share a video tour of solar homes across the country.

Send your stories and videos to stories@solarunitedneighbors.org.

In the meantime…

We’re working on some other cool things to share with you (and your kids, if they’re staying home) over the next couple of weeks.

For now, take a few minutes to enjoy these two short videos about some Solar United Dogs and Solar United Cats: