Consultant Dan
29 September 2010
Helping President Nasheed Put Solar On It
Next week I will be in the Maldives to tell the story of the Put Solar On It campaign, who are offering to install free solar (PV) panels on the official residences of world leaders.
President Mohamed Nasheed is the first world leader to take up the solar offer because sea level rise will destroy his nation. He is committed to stopping dangerous climate change.
The installation is being donated by Sungevity, a solar installation company that my old friend Danny Kennedy founded, LG USA (modules) and Ironridge (mounts).
The event is timed to launch a new campaign from 350.org, the grassroots global movement that was so effective before the Copenhagen climate conference last year. 350.org has called for an international working bee to fix the climate, on Sunday 10/10/10. People are asked to get together in their locality to do the little things that will make a difference.
Importantly, the approach here is not to use local activity to generate lobbying or fundraising but to build community resilience. This is the ‘relocalisation’ approach to global warming and peak oil, championed by the Post Carbon Institute and others.
Put Solar On It is a great example of the new model (or ‘paradigm’ as some in Australia might call it) where new, green alliances bring together community, corporate and government players, to break through the climate stalemate.
Are you inspired by President Nasheed?
Will you sign up to do something fun and worthwhile with your neighbours, friends or family on 10/10/10?
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