Across the country, Audubon Society branches support and promote renewable energy planning as a vital means to protect some of our most vulnerable creatures, birds, against the impact of climate change.
The Bucks County Audubon Society has taken a further step by installing a solar energy system on the grounds of the Honey Hollow Environmental Education Center in Solebury.
According to the Bucks County Society’s Executive Director Stacy Carr-Poole, “We are a small organization looking for the most effective use of time and resources. For our 50th anniversary we decided the best thing both for the birds and for our local community was to go solar.”
To finance the project, the society received hundreds of donations in response to its “Capture the Sun” campaign.
In addition to covering more than the center’s electricity needs, the project is especially exciting because it demonstrates how modern emissions-saving technology and older or historic structures can coexist – in this case solar panels on a 1930s era renovated barn. The installation is a part of a growing trend for solar power, where nonprofit organizations realize electricity savings which are reallocated to primary conservation goals while also providing an excellent resource for educating the community.
For Bucks County Audubon Society, this includes integrating the new array into the society’s summer camps and programs and giving visitors a close look at the system in operation.
Recently, more cities and towns are looking for ways to formally proclaim their commitment to defining policies aimed at reducing environmental impact and proactively addressing climate change. Solebury Township passed the Ready for 100 resolution sponsored by the Sierra Club as an early step in creating a more detailed plan to decarbonize and to eventually rely on 100% clean, renewable energy.
The Bucks County Audubon Society is thrilled that their solar project complements the town’s future goals, and further solidifies the Society’s position as a role model in the community.
There are growing numbers of opportunities to leverage solar power to allow more nonprofits and philanthropic groups to better utilize their valuable dollars and meet local and national climate change goals.
Exact Solar is proud to have installed this system as part of our efforts to continually seek creative solutions to make this happen.