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S1 BLOG

by Dinaon 04/15/2021 in Cleantech, Community Solar, Education, environment, environmental justice, Green Building, Green Collar Jobs, New York City, Photovoltaics, Renewables, Solar Power, Sustainability, Technology

NYC Schools Going Solar “From the Outside In”

Want an in-depth look at how Solar One is working with the NYC Department of Education’s Office of Sustainability to solarize our public schools? Check out this article from Solstice.us that includes a great interview with Amy Colorado, the Green Design Lab’s Program manager fro K-12 Curriculum & Instruction.

“Learning about buildings and how buildings use energy – that’s what sustainability looks like in the city of New York,” Amy said. “I’m incredibly thankful to have entered Solar One to be able to teach environmentalism that is relevant to NYC and its residents.”

Read more +

 
by Dinaon 04/08/2021 in Uncategorized

Ancient Societies May Have Been More Climate Resilient than Once Believed

Nothing is more certain than change, and over the past 2,000 years, civilizations that once dominated their regions have all but disappeared. But how much did climate change have to do with some of those collapses, as with Mayan civilization in Central America, or the Polynesians of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) in the South Pacific?

Stories of collapse are often told as parables of what happens when humans wreck things (think Noah’s Ark). The public’s interest in environment-driven collapse picked up in 2005 with the publication of Jared Diamond’s book Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Some took issue with the interpretations in the book. Take Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, the South Pacific island settled by Polynesians known for its monoliths of heads (actually, the rest of their bodies are underground). The book popularized the idea that the population crashed because the islanders slashed and burned all the trees — a cautionary tale on the perils of destroying the environment. 

Read more +

 

Solar One Joins in Condemning the Recent Rise in Anti-Asian Violence in the U.S.

by Michael Barryon 03/18/2021 in Uncategorized tagged
End Violence Against Asian Americans
 

End Violence Against Asian AmericansEven before Tuesday’s mass shooting in Atlanta that took the lives of six Asian American women, hate crimes against Asian Americans have risen significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic. The majority of attacks have been directed at women and elders.

New data from reporting forum Stop AAPI Hate on Tuesday revealed nearly 3,800 incidents were reported over the course of roughly a year during the pandemic. It’s a significantly higher number than last year’s count of about 2,800 hate incidents nationwide over the span of five months. Women made up a far higher share of the reports, at 68 percent, compared to men, who made up 29 percent of respondents. The nonprofit does not report incidents to police.

Solar One is horrified and dismayed by this terrifying trend, and we join with all others who condemn this senseless and discriminatory violence, whether in word or deed, as well. In NYC alone, hate crimes and aggression against people of Asian descent increased ninefold over 2019. We must all add our voices and work together to end this scourge in our community.

If you have some cash to spare and would like to donate in support of the Asian community locally and across the country, New York Magazine has compiled this handy guide of organizations. The HOPE Program has put together this list of of resources that support people of Asian descent:

In addition, they have also shared these resources for anyone facing discrimination, or feeling anxious, frightened or alone in light of these events:

Please stay vigilant, be safe and support each other through these difficult times, regardless of who yo are or how you identify. Our collective humanity depends on it.

 

A New Approach to Infrastructure, Climate Change & Nature

by Michael Barryon 03/16/2021 in Uncategorized tagged
Climate Change and Nature
 

Climate Change and NatureThe recent horrors in Texas, as millions went without electricity and water during a historic winter storm and cold snap, remind us of the ticking time bomb that is our nation’s aging infrastructure. In the early 20th century, we made bold investments in our infrastructure that powered our success, and our continued prosperity depends upon our ability to innovate and adapt. Yet we have failed to invest for decades, leading to the American Society of Civil Engineers consistently giving America’s infrastructure C-minus to D-plus marks.

As climate change brings more frequent and intense weather events, our infrastructure will continue to face challenges it was not built to withstand. The most vulnerable among us will suffer disproportionately. If this is to be a time of equitable renewal amid a global pandemic, then we must meet this once-in-a-generation opportunity to address our crumbling infrastructure, climate change and social equity with a natural solution.

A 21st-century infrastructure system should incorporate conventional approaches using rock, concrete and steel that are strategically designed to work with natural infrastructure. Imagine a concrete flood wall with an expansive reef and marsh in front of it. The wall provides flood protection benefits during storms but does little on a sunny day. In contrast, the reef and marsh system not only reduces the power of waves but also self-adjusts to rising seas, captures carbon, improves water quality, and provides places for us to hunt, fish and recreate.

Further inland, river floodplains, parks and greenspaces can serve as pressure relief valves to help protect downstream communities from flooding and pollution. When conventional engineering and Mother Nature join forces, our communities are protected by multiple lines of defense that generate a wide range of economic, environmental and social benefits.

You can read more on the Washington Post website here.

 

Introducing Sara Radelet, Solar One’s New Director of Development

by Michael Barryon 03/04/2021 in Uncategorized tagged
 

Sara Radelet Solar One is excited and pleased to welcome Sara Radelet to the Leadership Team as Director of Development.

Sara Radelet will be taking the lead on fundraising and partnership development in support of the organization’s operations and programs. Sara has over 25 years experience in fundraising and organizational management, with prior work in sectors of climate change and environment, higher education, and the arts.

Prior to joining Solar One, Sara served as Head of Fundraising for C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (in London and New York), and was previously Advancement Coordinator at the American University of Paris. Prior posts include serving as the founding Executive Director of the New Hazlett Center for the Performing Arts in Pittsburgh; and serving as Assistant Director of the Mattress Factory, a cutting-edge artist residency space and arts museum. Sara serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Artists Image Resource printmaking studio. Sara holds a BA in the Liberal Arts from The George Washington University.

Please get in touch with Sara at development@solar1.org to learn more about Solar One’s fundraising strategy and how to become a partner.

 
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