Advertisements
Friday, March 29, 2024

From Jocelyn Tager, Aug. 30, 2015: Local nonprofit Green Cambridge partnered over the summer with Neighborhood Solar, a local solar group-buy program, to make buying solar panels easier and more transparent. The program used local Arlington-based SunBug Solar as the installer. By bringing together customers from Cambridge and surrounding communities, Neighborhood Solar II was able to offer participating residents and businesses a 20 percent discount through July. Now that the program has drawn to a close, I wish to thank all who made this program a success.

LetterFirst, thanks go to Quinton Zondervan of Green Cambridge, who asked that Neighborhood Solar be reopened so the residents of Cambridge, as well as Watertown, could have the opportunity to take advantage of the program. A special thanks to Ben Mayer of SunBug Solar for his willingness to reopen the program and again be Neighborhood Solar’s installer. Danny Labbe of SunBug did a spectacular job of coordinating its response to inquiries from those wishing to participate. A solar program is only as good as its installer, and Neighborhood Solar was lucky enough to have the very, very best.

Next, Neighborhood Solar is truly a neighborhood endeavor. In addition to Quinton, thanks go to Katherine Codega and Deb Hopper, who with open laptops, iPad and good munchies made the website a possibility. Katherine designed and maintained Neighborhood Solar’s website. She also designed the layout of the postcards for Neighborhood Solar and Green Cambridge. And her niece, Kathy Codega, created the wonderful logo. The enthusiasm and help of these neighbors helped make this project successful.

A special thank you goes to Neighborhood Solar’s and Green Cambridge’s volunteers: Sue Donaldson, Paul Dworkin, Dana Demetrio, John Pitkin and Susan Ringler, and Green Cambridge’s assistants, Carolyn Heaps and Nolan Kitts. They walked the streets of their communities tirelessly, talked with residents and handed out literature and cards.

To Cambridge’s elected officials who supported the program, another big thank you. City councillors Marc McGovern and Dennis Carlone publicized the program in their email newsletters and state Rep. Jon Hecht on his website. State Rep. Marjorie Decker and former mayor Henrietta Davis lent support in hosting the informational meetings.

Thank you to the many, many residents of Watertown and Cambridge and neighboring communities who are truly interested, attended meetings or called us – only to discover that their roofs were not solar compatible because of incompatible roofing material such as slate, were on the wrong axis or were in too much shade.

Finally, a very, very special thanks to all who took a leap of faith, brought your time and money to the table, signed up and committed yourselves to making our environment more sustainable and safe.

Thank you all and may you have a good summer.