Earth Day Solar Energy Forum

Want to see Fairfax become Solar Powered? Can we come together as a community and take control of our energy? Come to the Earth Day Solar Energy Forum, Sunday, April 22, 2001 from 12-4 p.m. at the Fairfax Women’s Club, 46 Park Road.

In these times of rolling blackouts, escalating PG&E bills and increasing environmental degradation, an exciting alternative is gaining momentum here in Fairfax. This alternative is not only good for the environment and your pocketbook, but it promises to highlight your home, building or business as a model for alternative energy solutions throughout the Bay Area and beyond.

The Earth Day Solar Energy Forum is free to the public. Our focus will be to educate the community about an opportunity for Fairfax to “go solar”. If 30-60 potential businesses and homeowners are interested, we have the potential to secure wholesale prices for the purchase and installation of solar technology.

Our hope is to work with businesses such as Millennial Goods of Sausalito, Real Goods in Hopland, California, and Sierra Solar Systems of Nevada City, California who may be motivated to help establish Fairfax as a demonstration site for their products. With the ability to buy en masse, and with a goal to train local electricians in installation and maintenance, now is the time to consider an affordable investment in safe, renewable power for your property!

Our forum will address the issues of energy conservation and the solar alternative. Speakers will include:

• Peter Asmus - who has been writing about energy issues for over a decade and is the author of Reinventing Electric Utilities: Competition, Citizen Action and Clean Power and Reaping the Wind, both Island Press books. Peter is also the lead guitarist for the band Space Debris, who have been involved in energy issues since the late 80's. Among their performances, Space Debris put on a solar powered concert on the steps of the State Capital and they have played several benefit concerts to support efforts to close the Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. Peter will address the energy crisis from a broad perspective.
• Paul Fenn - author of Community Choice and state legislation and solar energy consultant to Tom Ammiano, San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
• Dan Thompson - owner of Sun Power and Geothermal Energy of San Rafael. Dan has 20 years of experience in commercial and residential installation and application of solar technology.
• Ben Macri - a local teacher, artist, and solar design consultant. Ben will discuss the design, preparation, and building process of a solar home system as well as energy efficiency requirements to make it practical.

Energy conservation strategies and planning will be discussed followed by a question and answer period. There will be solar demonstrations, and information about energy efficient appliances in an area outside of the facility.

Good Earth Natural Foods owners have already taken steps to drastically reduce energy consumption by installing a sophisticated computer controlled refrigeration system in their new store. Co-owner Mark Squire has also researched retrofitting the store’s 8000 sq. ft. space with solar panels. There are tremendous benefits in joining forces with other Fairfax property owners to make this conversion a reality.

Sustainable Fairfax holds in its mission statement the goal of bringing together community members to create self-reliant solutions to our energy problems. We invite you to be part of this exciting process, and welcome your ideas, resources, questions and concerns. We look forward to your participation on April 22.