Solar Challenge Break Out Notes Nov 28
From GNC
Contents |
[edit] Community Solar Challenge discussion:
Carys Lustig, Eleanor Rosellini, Ed Quinlan, Janna Cohen-Rosenthal, Jim Glickman, Donna Sherman
[edit] Siting update:
Being able to advertise a location would make the campaign for donors much easier. The town is considering 3 likely locations: Needham High School, High Rock, or the Needham Library. Eleanor pointed out that the high school has the advantage of being a place where all public students will attend, plus the environmental club and science program can integrate the photovoltaic system into their activities. As with any site, however, there are technical requirements that must be met. Ed Quinlan can help with a tentative siting location.
[edit] Outreach Ideas
[edit] Media:
- Story or guest commentary. A front page story would be desirable, followed up by a guest column. Perhaps a siting decision could be a story. A story should appear as soon as possible.
- Needham Cable: This wasn’t discussed, but definitely should be utilized.
[edit] Contacting community organizations, businesses, and town residents:
- Direct mail: The town doesn’t want to include anything in water bills and would prefer not to do a direct mailing.
- E-mail: Janna will send a sample e-mail which can be tailored to various organizations. Eleanor and Wendy will send e-mail to League of Women Voters and to Green Needham Collaborative.
- Personal contact with businesses, plus community and religious groups: Jim Glickman suggested that we have a training session to prepare people to make presentations, then have people commit to contacting certain businesses and other groups. As far as asking various groups to commit to soliciting a certain number of donations, this could be done, but it is difficult to track, since people can donate by mail or on-line. If a group was willing to do this, however, that’s fine. They can figure out a way to see if they have met their goal.
- Advertising: The Needham Business Association could be asked to pay for an ad in the Needham Times thanking businesses which have joined the solar challenge.
- Schools: Since parents are getting so many solicitations right now, we should wait until the New Year.
[edit] Town initiatives:
- The town website has been redone recently and gets a lot of “hits.” It would be an effective way to advertise the program. We could have a link to the solar challenge under the News Flash section on the home page.
- The Board of Selectmen should write a letter supporting the challenge and it should be on the Needham page of the New England Wind Fund website. (Carys is working with them on this.)
[edit] Other ideas:
Wait until later for signage around town. Involve Solar Sam. The Needham page for the NE Wind Fund site should have a different picture, not Mayor Menino. Perhaps, temporarily, the picture from the flier (little girl looking at a solar panel), then later a picture of the chosen location for the panels.
