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How to Celebrate the Holidays Sustainably in the time of COVID-19

Lifestyle
February 15, 2021
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3
 min
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by 
Shelah Ott
Image of a garbage patch

If you’re scrambling for last-minute holiday gifts (like some of us), it can be tempting to give in to Amazon Prime delivery and the holiday deals at big businesses, throw the likely unethically and unsustainably made items in a gift bag, and call it a day. But with economic losses resulting from the pandemic, and continued impacts of climate injustices,it is even more important to shop ethically and sustainably this year.


With transportation accounting for 28 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by economic sector in 2018, and an increase in package deliveries around the holidays, shopping at local, small-owned businesses with sustainably made or second hand gifts is one of the best ways to resist climate change and stimulate the local economy. If you choose to leave your house for holiday shopping, walking or biking to a small owned business is encouraged. In particular, we’re considering how we can best support small businesses owned by Black folks, Indigenous friends and People of Color. If there’s one thing we took from 2020, it’s that our actions are needed to continue showing up for racial and environmental justice.


With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, shopping in person is not considered the safest option for folks. Many small businesses have gotten creative with local delivery and if you have friends or family who will be shopping in person this year, consider reaching out to them to arrange no-contact drop offs from your favorite local shops. If neither of those options are working out, consider getting gifts delivered to your loved ones from small businesses local to them, so you can save on emissions from shipping presents to them from where you are. In these uncertain times, we’re reminded that the health of our communities and the health of the planet are interdependent. Regardless of whether or not you’re leaving your house to get gifts, there are so many other ways to celebrate sustainably this holiday season--and for good reason. The EPA estimates that the American household waste increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day for an estimated additional one million tons of wasted food, shopping bags and gift wrap per week! Along with buying items that are ethically and sustainably made, here are additional tips for a more conscious holiday celebration this year:


1) Say no to plastic and paper bags when buying presents

  • This one may be a little harder while reusable bags are not allowed in some stores, but many stores will allow you to bring them in as long as you bag your items yourself.

2) Rethink gift wrapping

  • If you don’t have gift wrap or bags leftover from previous years, instead of buying new ones, you can opt to use newspaper, reusable bags, reusable gift wrap (for a gift that really keeps on giving!), any leftover shopping bags or just skip the wrapping altogether! If you’re sending packages yourself, consider looking on websites like OfferUp, Buy Nothing or Nextdoor for free shipping boxes.

3) Aim for little to no food waste

  • In San Diego, we typically throw away 40 percent of food, which is higher than the national average. Instead of contributing to that already staggering number, we can be proactive about food waste this year and prevent an increase in methane emissions from adding to over overflowing landfills. We can do this by preparing “just enough” rather than way too much, distributing leftovers to friends, family and houseless folks, freezing leftovers we’re likely to eat and composting the scraps we don’t use while cooking.

4) Get creative for gift giving

  • Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts are even more popular this year as we’re spending most of our time at home. Think outside the box for a meaningful, hand-made gift that uses household items. Need inspiration? Pinterest always has great DIY ideas!

5) Gift intentional quality time to your quarantine partners

  • If you’re quarantining with someone you want to spend quality time with, like a friend or significant other, consider planning a thoughtful hangout or date at a COVID-safe place like your home or a park that isn’t crowded. Make it special with energy efficient LED string lights, games, plant-based and locally sourced food (if accessible) and holiday-themed sweaters and music!

6) Gift a donation on behalf of a loved one

  • A great alternative to buying people more things they likely don’t need is donating to a nonprofit organization on behalf of the person receiving the gift. You can even symbolically adopt an animal through the World Wildlife Fund, and the funds go towards programs to help conserve and protect that species.

7) And for last minute gift ideas…


Thanks for caring and reading this post. Individual actions add up and can make an impact reducing carbon emissions contributing to the climate crisis. Happy holidays! 

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Image of a ground-mounted solar system at a farm that was funded by the Solar Moonshot Program
Solar Moonshot Program - 2021 Highlights
Foundation
December 28, 2021
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3
 min

Solar Moonshot Program - 2021 Highlights

Over the last year, our team had the privilege of managing the Solar Moonshot Program for the second year in a row. In 2021, 42 nonprofit organizations were able to afford the switch to solar thanks to the $1,000,000 budget from Left Coast Fund, collectively installing 42 clean energy projects in 13 states. The Solar Moonshot Program helped energize 1,115.4kW of rooftop and ground-mounted solar and three solar thermal units, which collectively offset 27,800.5 metric tons of carbon, equivalent to over three million gallons of gasoline consumed or the energy usage of over 3,000 homes. These solar projects are creating healthier communities that have cleaner air, a greater quality of life, more green jobs and workforce training opportunities and reduced likelihood of developing health problems such as asthma that occur as a result of pollution.

Over the last year, our team had the privilege of managing the Solar Moonshot Program for the second year in a row.  In 2021, 42 nonprofit organizations were able to afford the switch to solar thanks to the $1,000,000 budget from Left Coast Fund, collectively installing 42 clean energy projects in 13 states.  The Solar Moonshot Program helped energize 1,115.4kW of rooftop and ground-mounted solar and three solar thermal units, which collectively offset 27,800.5 metric tons of carbon, equivalent to over three million gallons of gasoline consumed or the energy usage of over 3,000 homes.  These solar projects are creating healthier communities that have cleaner air, a greater quality of life, more green jobs and workforce training opportunities and reduced likelihood of developing health problems such as asthma that occur as a result of pollution.


Through the generous funding from Left Coast Fund and the partnerships that made these projects possible, communities are reducing their reliance on dirty fossil fuels, supporting the green economy, saving money that is being reinvested in the nonprofits’ missions and creating educational opportunities for community members.  The solar photovoltaic and solar thermal projects simultaneously demonstrate the feasibility of clean energy for community members, many who do not have equitable access to these key climate solutions.


While the Solar Moonshot Program is intended to help nonprofit organizations go solar, tribal nations and communities as a whole can benefit from the funds available through partnerships with 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.  Funding from the 2021 budget year assisted a wide range of recipients, from community resilience hubs and community land trusts, to Indigenous communities, school districts and nonprofit organizations providing long-term solutions for houseless folx.


As noted in our Solar Moonshot Program - 2020 Highlights blog post, in early 2020, Hammond Climate Solutions was brought on to manage the “50 Solar States Project” by a San Diego-based philanthropist who provides funding through Left Coast Fund.  This project was the original initiative behind the Solar Moonshot Program and intended to fund one solar project in each state in the U.S.  The urgency of the climate crisis encouraged a pivot to focus on deploying solar as quickly as possible, rather than location, and the Solar Moonshot Program came to fruition as a result.


Along with last year’s $1,000,000 budget commitment, our team’s goal for 2021 was to fund 40 projects, with up to $25,000 being awarded to each participant.  We reached this goal and assisted three solar thermal and 41 rooftop solar projects this year, for an average grant amount of $23,637. Since the program began in 2020, we have been able to help a total of 87 nonprofit organizations go solar!


Projects supported climate justice efforts throughout the U.S., spearheaded by 2021 grant recipients like Community Treehouse Center Detroit, a nonprofit organization that assisted 11 homeowners in the neighborhood of Jefferson Chalmers to go solar.  The community of concern is located on the southeast side of Detroit and is already experiencing disproportionate effects of the climate crisis - efforts led by the organization’s founder and president, Tammy Black, are investing in the community’s future through programs that support persons with disabilities and mental wellness, entrepreneurship, green spaces, clean energy, financial wellbeing and more.  The solar project will help reduce local climate injustices, create climate resiliency and reinvest in the organization’s mission of creating a safe and sustainable community where all folx can succeed.


The following organizations have received grants this past year and are collectively helping combat the climate crisis:



We are excited to announce that we’ll be managing the Solar Moonshot Program in 2022 thanks to generous support from Left Coast Fund and the BQuest Foundation!  Project funding levels and prioritization will be based on the projects' financial need and installation timeline. Nonprofits interested in applying for a Solar Moonshot Program grant can visit the website, www.solarmoonshot.org.  We invite you to follow us on social media to see our #SolarSaturday posts, which highlight the amazing nonprofit organizations going solar and helping create a more just and livable future.  We can be found on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter.


If you know of a foundation or philanthropist interested in supporting the Solar Moonshot Program in 2022, further expanding our impact, please reach out to Tara at tara@hammondclimatesolutions.com. 


Photo caption: Solar panel system located at Solidarity Farm in Pauma Valley, Calif., Apr. 8, 2021. (Photo/Aloha Solar Power)

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Hammond Climate Solutions representative speaking at a Green New Deal press event
Climate Policy Action - 2021 Highlights
Policy
December 28, 2021
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3
 min

Climate Policy Action - 2021 Highlights

This year’s clean energy and climate justice policy advocacy was filled with ups, downs, wins and loses but the Hammond Climate Solutions team is grateful for the strides we were able to help with to ensure a just and livable future for all. Here is a look back on our policy work in 2021, much of which was done with various partners that we’re grateful to be working with.

This year’s clean energy and climate justice policy advocacy was filled with ups, downs, wins and loses but the Hammond Climate Solutions team is grateful for the strides we were able to help with to ensure a just and livable future for all.  Here is a look back on our policy work in 2021, much of which was done with various partners that we’re grateful to be working with.


Our policy advocacy kicked off with the introduction of California Assembly Bill 1139 (AB 1139), introduced by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez in February 2021.  The bill is the most aggressive solar attack to date, and it would have made drastic changes to the rules for California’s net energy metering (NEM), the solar agreement, which would have resulted in payback periods for rooftop solar investments of over 45 years.  In addition to changes for new solar producers, the bill proposed these changes for all existing customers as well, changing the presumed protections for over 1.3 million solar producers statewide.  Our advocacy included meeting with the author of the bill and sponsors to advocate for changes, rallying voices in opposition when the bill was introduced in assembly committees and presentations to local and statewide organizations to collect sign-ons for multiple letters.  Thankfully, we were successful in defeating the bill and in rallying enough opposition locally that none of the six assembly members representing San Diego County, aside from the bill’s author, voted yes.  This was a huge victory as rooftop solar and energy storage is a key solution to stopping the climate crisis, lessening environmental racism, providing grid resilience and supporting green jobs! 


In between the small wins and fights, we have been leading a year-long fight to protect and expand access to rooftop solar during the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proceeding to determine the future solar agreement in the Golden State.  Attacks from the California investor-owned utilities, Natural Resources Defense Council (which has a history of aligning with the monopoly utilities companies, which you can read about here) and other utility-aligned, anti-solar groups have resulted in a proposed decision to drastically reduce benefits for solar customers, making rooftop solar inaccessible to all but the very wealthy.  Hammond Climate Solutions has helped to build a grassroots coalition of environmental and climate organizations, schools, cities, elected officials and more who are all standing up to protect and expand access to rooftop solar.  Through our advocacy and coalition building, we have helped five cities in our region submit letters or resolutions to the CPUC and Governor Newsom, advocating for a strong net energy metering agreement, the agreement that has allowed rooftop solar to become increasingly accessible to working class families, schools, small businesses and nonprofits.  More information on the recently-proposed decision, its impacts and how you can help protect rooftop solar as a climate solution can be found here.


Alongside efforts to protect rooftop solar and expand solar access in communities of concern, locally we were also very involved with a coalition advocating for the City of San Diego to cut ties with a fossil fuel corporation when renewing its gas and electric franchise agreements, which was up for renewal for the second time in a century.  The gas and electric franchise agreements would have determined whether we could build a clean energy future or if we would have been locked into another long term agreement with dirty fossil fuels.  After calling in to countless city council and committee meetings, attending meetings with city council members and organizing rallies and press conferences, we were confident that San Diegans made their voices clear that the broken energy system under San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) was not working, and after over an hour of public comments in opposition to awarding the franchise agreement to SDG&E, the city council disappointed us in a 6-3 vote.  SDG&E promised programs and funding in order to secure the franchise agreements, including a Solar Equity Fund to subsidize solar for low-income families, however after a few stakeholder meetings which Hammond Climate Solutions attended, there has not been any progress in moving the program forward.  We plan to stay engaged with helping shape the Solar Equity Fund to be as beneficial to San Diegans as possible. 


Other energy related advocacy efforts have also included advocating for cities and San Diego County to join San Diego Community Power (SDCP), San Diego’s largest community choice energy program.  This year, San Diego County and National City both joined SDCP, securing a pathway to 100 percent clean energy. 


Although the majority of our advocacy this year has been energy related, we were also involved in a number of wins for building electrification ordinances around the county.  Through our involvement in the San Diego Building Electrification Coalition, we were able to help in successfully urging Encinitas and Solana Beach to pass all electric building reach codes for new construction buildings, a huge win considering buildings make up a significant portion of the region’s greenhouse gas emissions.  In addition to securing building electrification ordinances, we have also helped in advocating for a regional transportation plan, a truly innovative and first of its kind plan that will bring our regional transportation system to where it should be, getting people out of their cars and into other modes of sustainable transportation.  Through our membership with the San Diego Green New Deal Alliance, we have also been advocating for zero carbon policies as well as family sustaining green jobs and a just transition for workers. 


While most of our advocacy and policy work was focused on local and statewide efforts, Hammond Climate Solutions was also involved in a federal advocacy effort in partnership with the California Green New Deal Coalition to encourage a federal infrastructure package that would not only provide much needed funding for failing infrastructure, but also provide funding for climate and resiliency efforts with a focus on creating good green jobs. 


Although this year has had climate activists on the defense fighting against utility attacks, we are hopeful next year will bring legislation and policies that can lead to a productive and meaningful 2022.  In addition to our success in our policy advocacy, we have also had success with the programs that Hammond Climate Solutions manages and with the San Diego Climate Hub collaborations.  To learn more about our other work throughout the year, visit our recent blog post, Celebrating Climate Action - 2021 Year in Review.

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Image of a solar system at a farm that was supported by the Solar Moonshot Program
Solar Moonshot Program - 2020 Highlights
Foundation
December 28, 2021
/
3
 min

Solar Moonshot Program - 2020 Highlights

In 2020, Hammond Climate Solutions had the pleasure of working with 46 nonprofit organizations in 24 states, to collectively deploy 3,450kW of solar power with the aid of $1,000,000 in Solar Moonshot Program grant funding.

In 2020, Hammond Climate Solutions had the pleasure of working with 46 nonprofit organizations in 24 states, to collectively deploy 3,450kW of solar power with the aid of  $1,000,000 in Solar Moonshot Program grant funding.  

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The diverse group Solar Moonshot Program participants included schools, indigenous tribes, intentional communities, community centers, climate-focused centers, places of worship, youth homeless shelters, farms, community solar gardens, a black women-run media company, and many other terrific community-based groups.

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The origin of the Solar Moonshot Program stems from the altruistic work of a San Diego based philanthropist, who was combating the climate crisis through an independent initiative known as the “50 Solar States Project.”  As the name suggests, the initiative aimed to fund one solar project in each of the 50 U.S. states, in order to demonstrate the practicality of using renewable energy technology in every region of the country, and to be the impetus for further local adoption. 

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In February of 2020, when Hammond Climate Solutions was hired to manage the 50 Solar States Program, the outlook on our climate was far more precarious.  Reflecting together upon those circumstances led to a tactical shift in the initiative’s mission, and would emphasize swift system energization as opposed to locale in order to maximize the renewable energy project’s potential impact on the environment.  With that, the Solar Moonshot Program was born. 

 

The 2020 goal for the Solar Moonshot Program was to assist approximately 40 nonprofit organizations afford the switch to solar (photovoltaic or thermal) with or without energy storage.  Priority was given to nonprofits that had the ability to move their solar projects forward in a timely fashion but required financial assistance to close funding gaps before proceeding.  The financial resources, provided by the Left Coast Fund, for the Solar Moonshot grants would be applied to a project’s funding in different ways, such as fundraiser-matching, down payments, a capital stack contribution, or to even cover the entire system cost for smaller projects.  The average grant for 2020’s program participants was $24,269 across 46 organizations. 

  

These renewable energy systems allow the nonprofits to save money that can be reinvested in fulfilling their missions while reducing harmful CO2 emissions that are contributing to the climate crisis, lessening local air pollution, and supporting regional green jobs.  The solar power systems also offer an opportunity to educate community members about the need for a just and livable future. 

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A highlight of our 2020 program was the funding of our first solar thermal project, which was done in partnership with indigineous rights and climate justice advocate, Winona LaDuke.  The grant went towards six solar thermal units at White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, which were installed by local Indigineous folks through the nonprofit 8th Fire Solar. 

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We have another $1,000,000 budget for the Solar Moonshot grants in 2021, which will help fund  renewable energy projects for about 40 nonprofit organizations across the nation. 

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Nonprofits interested in applying for a Solar Moonshot Program grant can visit the website, www.solarmoonshot.org. Follow us on social media for our weekly #SolarSaturday posts, which highlight the amazing nonprofits going solar and helping make the world a better place.

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Below is a list of all the organizations we’ve been delighted to help:

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  • Jack's Solar Garden (pictured above) in Colorado
  • ‍Red Bird Mission in Kentucky partnership with Mountain Association
  • Glass City Community Solar in Ohio 
  • Madison West High School in partnership with the The Midwest Renewable Energy Association in Wisconsin
  • Lincoln Park Solar Garden in Minnesota in partnership with Ecolibrium
  • Activist San Diego in California, installed by IBEW Local 569 union electricians with Aloha Solar Power
  • Kroka Expeditions in Marlow, New Hampshire
  • Ekvn-Yefolecv, an Indigenous community in Weogufka, Alabama
  • Northside Community Center run by the Community Action Network (CAN) in Ann Arbor, Michigan in partnership with the City Of Ann Arbor
  • Eau Claire Public Schools in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, in partnership with Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation
  • Center for Mindful Learning (Monastic Academy for the Preservation of Life on Earth) in Fletcher, Vermont
  • Canticle Farm in Oakland, California
  • White Earth Reservation installed by 8th Fire Solar in Minnesota
  • The DREAM Program in Winooski, Vermont
  • Wilmington Senior Center in Wilmington, California, in partnership with Wilmington Jaycees Foundation being installed by GRID Alternatives
  • The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, California, being installed by IBEW Local 569 union electricians with Aloha Solar Power
  • Iron Works Cycling in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, in partnership with Appalachian Voices
  • Media Island International in Olympia, Washington, in partnership with Olympia Community Solar
  • The Workshop in Galena, Illinois
  • Church of the Holy Family Catholic Church in Virginia Beach,  Virginia
  • New Day Youth & Family Services in Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • UnityPoint Health Jones Regional Medical Center in Anamosa, Iowa
  • St. John's Episcoal Church in Westwood, Massachusetts
  • Commonweal in Bolinas, California
  • University Christian Church, home of the Climate Hub in San Diego, California, installed by IBEW Local 569 union electricians at Baker Electric Home Energy
  • Common Street Spiritual Center in Natick, Massachusetts
  • The Eco-Institute at Pickards Mountain in Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Sisters of the Holy Spirit and Mary Immaculate in San Antonio, Texas
  • El Costeño in Seattle, Washington, in partnership with the American Solar Energy Society
  • Centro PASO Aibonito in San Jose, Puerto Rico, in partnership with BQuest Foundation
  • South Boston Neighborhood Development Corporation in Boston, Massachusetts
  • Planting Justice in El Sobrante, California
  • Episcopal Diocese in Savannah, Georgia
  • Sacramento LGBT Community Center in Sacramento, California
  • Kathy's House in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Trinity Church in Shelburne Falls, Massachusetts
  • Casa de Amparo in San Marcos, California, in partnership with BQuest Foundation
  • Boys Hope Girls Hope in Irvine, California
  • Congregation Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills in Milton, Massachusetts
  • Habitat for Humanity in La Crosse, Wisconsin
  • The LGBTQ Center Long Beach in Long Beach, California
  • Girl Scouts of America in Randolph, New Jersey
  • Northern California Land Trust / Peace Gardens in Berkeley, California, being installed by GRID Alternatives
  • Grace Church in Riverhead, New York
  • Humane Society of Marion County in Yelville, Arkansas
  • Second Baptist Church in Ypsilanti, Michigan 


2021 commitments thus far:

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  • Solidarity Farm in Pauma Valley, California, in partnership with Circle of Life, being installed by IBEW Local 569 union electricians with Aloha Solar Power
  • Somerville Community Corporation in Somerville, Massachusetts
  • Innisfree Village in Crozet, Virginia 
  • St. Paul’s Visalia in Visalia, California 
  • NEST/SNAG Magazine in San Francisco, California  
  • Wildrock Farm in Crozet, Virginia 
  • St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama
  • Church of the Savior in Hanford, California 


Solar Moonshot Program in the news: 

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