Help Us to Help Solar

Two steps forward, one step back.

Yes, sometimes it feels like competing in a three-legged race with someone who’s been placing bets on the opposition.  But this is not a race we can afford to give up - not if we truly want clean energy and a stabilized climate to characterize our age and future ages.

So even at a time when the BP oil disaster is turning the Gulf of Mexico into the world’s biggest deep-frying pan, and even as the country begins to wake up to the fact that the natural gas industry is poisoning the air and water in 34 states to extract natural gas from the ground*, we still find ourselves fighting entrenched interests for whom energy and climate considerations come a very distant second to quarterly profits and re-election.

Solar Nation monitors activities and developments both in Congress and at state level to find suitable openings for advocacy actions on energy and climate bills. It’s at the state level where many renewable portfolio standards and emissions limits first become law, and also where some of the fiercest fights to advance clean energy occur.

We know that timely, focused action at this level can reap great rewards.  In California recently, we helped build awareness for Proposition 16, a measure heavily funded by the local Utility that would have reduced the ability of citizens to choose between private and public utility companies.  Despite being outspent at a rate of some 460:1, opponents of Prop. 16 celebrated a victory earlier this month as the tendentious measure went down to defeat.  Ring another one up for the good guys.

But the good guys still need some help to keep going and keep the bad guys off-balance. Can you make a donation to help us help America to become a solar nation? It’s tax-deductible, and easy to do. When you click on the DONATE button, you’ll be directed to our secure giving site hosted by GivingFirst.org, and your donation will keep us working for America’s future.

*As dramatically shown in the recent HBO documentary Gasland