Resources to Expand your Knowledge and Take Action

General Resources

The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association operates primarily in the New England area promoting sustainable solutions to the environmental problems society is faced with. nesea.org

Clean Technica is a clean technology news website in the US and great resource for diving deep into clean energy. cleantechnica.com.

Local Level

North Carolina State University Clean Tech Center is a facility on NCSU’s campus that provides education through conferences, clean power and renewable energy assessments on buildings and homes, and financial models for solar. Their mission is to “advance a sustainable energy economy by educating, demonstrating and providing support for clean energy technologies, practices, and policies.” nccleantech.ncsu.edu

NC Greenpower is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to “improving the quality of the environment in North Carolina through a statewide program that connects consumers with green energy and carbon offset providers.” www.ncgreenpower.org

NC Solar Now is a for-profit company that is committed to providing “high quality, affordable solar energy to homes and businesses across North Carolina” Their goal is to facilitate energy independence for everyone. All systems are designed to reach the highest energy production potential, return on investment, and reduction of carbon footprint. ncsolarnow.com

Governor Cuomo’s NY-SUN Initiative is a New York state sponsered $13 million investment in projects aimed at creating renewable energy in low-to-moderate income communities. Incentives are offered to reduce the installation costs for residential areas and small businesses. ny-sun.ny.gov

Connecticut’s Renewable Portfolio Standard is a statewide public policy in Connecticut that mandates utilities to supply 27% of their power with renewable energy by 2020. This program ensures that local utilities are reducing the usage of non-renewable resources such as coal. www.ct.gov

The Worcester Green Low-Income Housing Coalition is a group based in Worcester, Massachusetts dedicated to reducing the carbon footprint and energy costs for the providers of homeless services and low income houses. The long-term reduction in energy costs creates a social safety nets for families in need. This project formed as a response to state financial issues causing widespread homelessness across the area. solarisworking.org

International Level

One Million Lights’ mission is to improve the daily lives of children and adults in nations that lack electricity by providing clean and healthy lighting. It aims to complete this mission by replacing kerosene lamps, which is the most common lighting in poor communities around the world, with one million solar lanterns. Kerosene does not burn cleanly and is a noxious gas, so the improvement will not only help save the environment, but the people as well. onemillionlights.org

Grid Alternatives’ International Program is a non-profit program dedicated to bringing solar power to rural communities “off-grid” in Nicaragua. They provide electricity for schools, health clinics and farms, and also provide energy education for the local people. This is a phenomenal opportunity to engage in community service. www.gridalternatives.org

Himalayan Light Foundation’s Solar Sisters is program located in Nepal that focuses on installing solar energy lighting systems for families who have lost their homes due to the recent earthquake that has affected that region. In the program, volunteers spend 1-2 weeks installing solar systems in teams in local villages. www.hlf.org.np