Stories
The People of Greensburg, Kansas
“What does the next generation do with this little town that rebuilt in a whole different way?” When the town of Greensburg was leveled by a tornado in 2007, the community made the choice to rebuild stronger. This small town’s roots in agriculture made sustainability easy to adopt — many eco-friendly choices were commonsense practices...
Read StoryChairman Greg Anderson of the Moapa Band of the Paiute Tribe
“I think it’s what our ancestors would have wanted to see.” The first solar project on tribal land came after years of negative health effects caused by a nearby coal plant. After successfully campaigning to shut down the plant, Greg Anderson and the Moapa Band of Paiutes opened First Solar, which provides renewable energy and...
Read StoryBrittney Hadley of Swinerton Renewable Energy
“The backbone of this project and every project like it is the everyday, hard-working people.” The workers at Swinerton Renewable energy are building a resilient, sustainable energy future just by showing up to work. The fact that this close-knit solar field team comes from so many different backgrounds strengthens their community and their experience on...
Read StoryBYD Electric Bus Factory
“I see a lot of people come here every day, drop off applications, and now getting hired.” BYD’s Lancaster, CA facility is the largest manufacturer of electric buses in the world. With nearly 1,000 employees, the company is responsible for a 25% increase in annual revenue for the City of Lancaster and 35% local job...
Read StoryMayor of West Sacramento
“It’s good economics. It’s good community. It’s good social equity. It’s good neighborhood revitalization.” Mayor Cabaldon has made his small town a leader in the equitable fight against climate change. While advancing affordable homes near transit; age-friendly, car-free transportation; and cleaner waterways, Mayor Cabaldon is making West Sacramento a model for advancing sustainability for small...
Read StoryKy Sanders of Serenity Soular
“I know that the green economy is that hope that they’re looking for.” Ky Sanders and the team and Serenity Soular are bringing green economy jobs to Philadelphia, and bringing hope to their community. Sustainable jobs with a growing future break the cycle of unemployment and under-employment that affects families and communities in the area.
Read StoryErin Baker of Hoopeston Wind Project
“The two fastest-growing jobs in the US right now are wind turbine techs and solar technicians.” Erin Baker works on a wind farm in Hoopeston, IL, in one of the fastest-growing jobs in the U.S. By “harvesting the wind”–taking a free resource and using it to power our communities–Erin and her team at Apex Clean...
Read StoryLas Vegas Fire Chief Richard Birt
“If we can build a network of renewable energy, we’re looking at a whole different way of saving people.” Richard Birt’s experience in emergency response gives him a unique perspective on how renewable energy makes cities resilient. His work in emergency response in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria created renewable energy generators when traditional generators...
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