Installing solar power on the rooftop of a building may be financially daunting for many people. But if you get together with your neighbors, perhaps the dream of going solar may become attainable.
This is what the Mount Pleasant community in Washington D.C. did. Back in 2006 Anya Schoolman and Jeff Morley chose solar power as their path to a sustainable way of life. They realized that the cooperative model was the best route to take.
When people get together on solar power, they can get cheaper systems through bulk purchase. Besides, they can share expertise and learn together in the process. And so the Mt. Pleasant solar co-op was born and its goal is to develop a model that can be tested in their community and then rolled out across any community in Washington DC.
So far, the project has spawned eight solar co-ops across the city. This is the main point of the project: to provide support and inspire other communities to embrace sustainable energy.
Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.
