Go Solar!

If you are like most people, you have never seriously considered whether your home is a candidate for solar panels. Most people assume that they know the answer to questions like:

- Isn’t New England too far north to get enough sunlight for solar power?

- Aren’t there too many trees?

- Isn’t it expensive to install solar photovoltaic (PV) panels? 

- Don’t I have to buy a whole system, install it, and maintain it myself? Do I need to be some sort of an engineer or DIY handyman?

The thing is, in general Weston Climate Group members aren’t usually satisfied being like “most people,” especially when it comes to environmentally (and financially) responsible behavior. Don’t you think it’s time you checked some of your assumptions? Luckily, it’s easy!

To begin with, check out Carolyn Ellis’s article in the summer issue of the Wellesley Weston Magazine profiling several local folks who have installed solar panels (online at 

http://wellesleywestonmagazine.epubxp.com/i/65046/115). 

Then, when you are ready to see (for free) whether your house might be a good site for solar, you can take advantage of the Sierra Club’s collaboration with Sungevity, one of the nation's leading home solar leasing specialists. Click on this link to get to the Massachusetts Sierra Club web site and scroll down to the Go Solar article. 

If the Sierra Club isn't of interest to you, check out other organizations partnering with Sungevity (http://sungevity.org/non-profit-organizations-and-partners). If you'd like some alternatives to Sungevity, other solar leasing organizations you might want to look into include:

- Sun Run/Next Step Living

- Solar City

- Brightstar Solar

Solar installations may not work for everybody, but don’t assume one won’t work for you. Why not find out if you can reduce your electrical bill while also decreasing your environmental footprint? A couple clicks of your mouse could make a world of difference!