Don’t Mess with Them Seniors!

The Solar Nation Action Alert on Pennsylvania’s HB80 produced a reaction from a solar citizen in Pennsylvania that can serve as validation for the concept of grass roots advocacy.  At a town meeting recently, Thomasville resident Annalisa Gojmerac demanded to know why HB80 had not been wholeheartedly embraced by the state legislature.  The reaction of her own state representative notwithstanding, what’s noteworthy is the positive response that her enthusiasm produced from other attendees.  This is how movements get started!

We’ve reproduced Annalisa’s commentary on the meeting below to show how individuals can create momentum at town level for worthwhile clean energy initiatives.  And where can this momentum lead?  Annalisa comments: “I don’t really know what I can do besides going to political meetings and speaking my mind about it, quoting facts about the progress of solar and wind for our communities, large or small.”

We’d have to respond: that’s a very good start, Annalisa!  And there are more things you can do to channel your enthusiasm:  make a note to check out the Get Started page in the March 2010 edition of Solar Today, the magazine of the American Solar Energy Society.  You’ll find a how-to story and a link to a slide presentation you can use to whip your town government into line!

Here are Annalisa’s unedited comments:

“Hello there- My name is Annalisa Gojmerac and I have been getting your emails for some time. I have read over the House Bill 80 and believe it is a fine idea.

“I just went to a town meeting this morning with a bunch of my neighbors at a local senior citizens meeting hall, and spoke about this bill in front of everyone.  My Representative of my district of York County is Seth Grove, who is a Republican, and he is NOT for it. But I brought up enough reasons to push for it, and before you know it, we had quite an assortment of people of all ages who want it, and spoke up for it in the meeting. He told all of us that the bill is too expensive and that there is no money for it (Now whose fault is THAT I wonder?) and basically the turn of the conversation happened… when the citizens were tired complaining about paying school taxes and sewage and water bills, and I spoke about how we could actually turn our own school building that we were standing in, into a money-generating structure. People sure perked up at that! I don’t know how Mr Grove can claim to represent the citizenry, when he is going against what we want. Perhaps he will have a limited term in his job.

“This Bill is an important one, and I keep pushing to have it passed. This Representative Mr Grove kept saying how democrats are disorganized and can’t get anything done. I feel sorry for him, since he is a young man, and is already closed-minded to things that could be helping the citizens of our state. Please do what you can to help get this bill passed. People can argue all they want how this is bad since it “costs money”. Well, I have news for you:  when the economy was strong and gas was $4 a gallon and the switch to solar power made PLENTY of sense, the government wasn’t trying too hard to switch over to solar and wind power now, was it? It’s all about who is in office, I realize this.

“Everything costs money when it first goes in now, doesn’t it — a new car, a new house, etc?  Yet a car gets devalued over time, and solar panels on a house increase its value, as well as generate an income! That is Fabulous!

“I’m tired of waiting for this to happen. I want this bill to be passed. We had solar 40 years ago on our civil war farmhouse, and it was awesome. The solar system has since fallen apart, and we could not find anyone to fix it. Over a full generation has gone by and I’m tired of waiting for it to become commonplace. I met a 75-year-old lady this morning at the meeting who is paying $70,000 to have her place completely switched over to solar and wind (that is really a lot of money for ANYONE), and she told me she expects to be able to have it all paid off in 8 years, and will be able to either sell the house for more money, or give it to her kids.

“Our Representative then touted how Pennsylvania has more gas reserves and coal than nearly any other state. I told him I want to live in the 21st century and that means Solar and Wind. More jobs and training for everyone. He honestly wasn’t that interested. He declared himself a capitalist;  well, I want to be able to power my house and future business, save money and sell power to make money as well. I guess that makes me a capitalist as well!

“People came up to me after I spoke at this meeting, seemed quite happy to have someone else interested in it as well as themselves, and figured I was going to go on and pursue this issue till it happens. I don’t really know what I can do besides going to political meetings and speaking my mind about it, quoting facts about the progress of solar and wind for our communities, large or small. I also keep trying to win the lottery so I can put solar and wind on my place, as well as in my community, but my doggone numbers never seem to win!  I really don’t know how to pursue this any farther than I have. I wish I could have it on my place, than I would tout it near and far about how great it is.

“I feel strongly we should have alternative energy implementation and production tied to the fixing of infrastructures that are tied to our stimulus bill. That would be marvelous.  If we could have solar put on top of improved and existing school roofs, bridges, hospitals, prisons, department stores and private homes that would be awesome.  Why hasn’t this happened?  We should do this; it’s a no-brainer.

“Solar and wind power fits our lifestyle.  The lack of it has created a hole in our lives. We need this like a dry throat needs water.  My senior citizen neighbors are worried about how they will be able to pay certain and specific bills, like school tax, septic and water, and property tax. The option of having solar on their houses and properties that generates money was of BIG interest to them ALL.  I inadvertently became a solar spokesperson without even knowing it. Has anyone at your organization thought about exploring our support with the senior citizens of the USA? The support is definitely here now!

“Solar and wind have been around long enough to qualify as a recognized power source, so it’s not viewed any longer as some “feel good hippy idea”, to quote my late father.  I mentioned to Mr Grove how, as an agricultural area, we can grow our own food, crops, animals… and we can definitely grow our own energy sources. He just kept quoting to me how we need to rely upon coal and gas to power our homes. Frankly, I don’t know if a man as young as that thinks I have some endless supply of money to keep paying these companies to keep me hostage.

“I’d better not be the only person who gets mad at this injustice, because that is what it is.  Solar and wind are an opportunity, and it is frankly MORALLY WRONG not to have it included in our nation’s widespread energy policy.  Feel free to forward this e-mail on to whomever you feel would be enlightened by reading it.  Thank you for your time.”

Sincerely, Annalisa Gojmerac

And thank you, Annalisa!