| Salt Spring Community Energy is excited to announce a “Local Food, Local Energy” theme in the latest Salt Spring Community Energy project. Vegetables use solar power to make food for humans. Soon, gardeners at the Shaw Family Community Gardens in Burgoyne Bay will also use solar power to help grow and transport the veggies they produce. The project to install solar panels on the Sun Shelter Gazebo at the Gardens was first proposed by Kjell Liem, a founding member of the Community Energy Group and also one of over 70 individuals and families who farm at the Gardens. Liem was also instrumental in forging an alliance with partners, Viridian and the Farmland Trust. Imagine being able to cycle to the gardens, plug in your electric bike and electric tools to charge from solar energy, and then go about the business of creating sustainable, locally grown food. It’s a fantastic way to de-carbonize our food chain! The Community Energy Group is now reaching out to members of the Salt Spring community for the final piece of the puzzle. We need a little over $2000 (out of $11,000 total project costs) to complete the EV/bicycling/and electric tool charging portions of the project. We greatly appreciate contributions that will help make this project a model of sustainable, renewable energy-based food growing. Donations to the project can be made: By cheque – made out to ‘Salt Spring Community Energy” – sent to Salt Spring Community Energy, P.O. Box 123, Fulford Harbour, V8K 2P2 or By e–transfer – Please phone Kjell Liem for details (250-538-7855). The Salt Spring Community Energy Society is a local non-profit concerned about sustainability with a goal to encourage renewable energy and clean technology development on Salt Spring. www.saltspringcommunityenergy.com |
