Tag: solar

A Green Hardware Store on Every Corner? It’s Not As Far-Fetched As You May Think

Posted on by robbie

The house in Boulder, Colo., was beautiful. The floors were cork, the carpets were made of recycled plastic bottles — the whole place was being redone on sustainable, environmental principles. “It was mind-expanding,” says Jason Ballard, the co-founder and CEO of eco-friendly home improvement retailer TreeHouse. The house belonged to Ballard’s instructor in a wilderness EMT program. Ballard was staying there shortly after college, and he was inspired by his instructor’s efforts to remodel his home to make it more environmentally friendly. “It was such a lovely vision of what was possible,” he says.
But the more Ballard learned about sustainable home improvement, the more he realized how difficult it was to find attractive, well-designed products. That insight — and that vision of what was possible in the home — led Ballard to create TreeHouse, a company that’s aimed at transforming the home improvement market and, with it, the home itself. Among the wares and services available are recycled glass countertops, electric lawn tools and solar-panel installation. Ballard says customers often call his company “the Whole Foods of home improvement  —  and it’s not too far from the truth.”
Ballard has always had an eco-conscious mindset. His grandfather was an early role model. “He wouldn’t have called himself a conservationist,” Ballard says, “but he gave me both a conservation ethic and a tremendous sense of wonder about the natural world.” He studied conservation biology in college, where he started to learn about the enormous impact our homes have on the environment. “All we hear about on TV is gas-guzzling SUVs,” he says, “but the real problem is the buildings we’re living in every day.”
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Private residences are the biggest users of energy, the biggest users of renewable and nonrenewable materials, the biggest producers of landfill waste and the second-biggest users of water. Most exposure to toxins also takes place in the home. “I realized that if I wanted to make an impact with regard to these existentially challenging issues, then the best area for me to focus on was, in fact, the home,” says Ballard, who’s currently completing a Social Impact Fellowship with GLG, a membership-based learning platform. Through GLG, Jason and his team have learned about inventory management, retail strategy, in-store user experience and customer data management to help the company implement best practices across multiple locations.

Learn more about the GLG Social Impact Fellowship, including information on applying.

After college, Ballard worked in green building for a while, learning all he could about the market. “What I noticed was that everyone had the same set of problems,” he says. It was hard to find sustainable products, and when he did find them, they were expensive, and only available from a few boutique companies. “The obvious blocker to the whole industry moving forward is access to products at a decent rate, and with some level of curation and education around those products,” Ballard says.
TreeHouse is built on a few core ideas. First, Ballard says, most home improvement products are terrible — poor quality, toxic and unsustainable. Second, most home improvement services aren’t very good, either. Anyone who’s ever embarked on such a project knows that they’re often delayed and routinely run over budget. The industry also hasn’t gone digital yet, making it difficult to get information on the status of your project when you want it. “The whole experience around home improvement needs to be reimagined,” Ballard says. “We are now trying to make not just the products great, but the technology great and the service great.”
TreeHouse aims to make sustainable options appeal to more than just die-hard environmentalists. “If we want healthy and sustainable homes to be the norm, they have to be better than conventional homes. And everything around the process has to be better,” Ballard emphasizes. That’s part of why he decided to start a for-profit company to accomplish his environmental goals. “If you’re in a for-profit business, all of your assumptions are tested all the time,” he says. “It forces you to very quickly arrive at what works to affect change.”
Ballard has ambitious goals for TreeHouse. Today, the company has one brick-and-mortar store in Austin, Texas, and is opening two more this year, including one in Dallas. Within the next two years, he plans on opening still more stores, and expanding beyond Texas. Right now, TreeHouse touches only a tiny fraction of the 80 to 100 million homes in the country, Ballard says. He believes 20 stores — a benchmark he hopes to hit in five years — would drive that figure up to 10 percent. The ultimate goal: Launch 300 stores nationwide to reach 80 percent of all the homes in the U.S.
“Our plan is to run hard at those milestones,” Ballard says. “We don’t have a thousand years to figure this out. We are making decisions in the next hundred years as a species that we will have to live with for the next two thousand years.”

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GLG Social Impact is an initiative of GLG to advance learning and decision-making among distinguished nonprofit and social enterprise leaders. The GLG Social Impact Fellowship provides learning resources to a select group of nonprofits and social enterprises, at no cost.
Homepage photo by Kirsten Kaiser

Why Are Tech Giants Investing in This Decades-Old Technology?

Posted on by robbie

When the tech titans of Silicon Valley invest in a new venture, the markets pay close attention. But observers may have been surprised when two California-based companies made back-to-back announcements about infusing $1.1 billion into a not-so-new technology.
Last month, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed an $848 million deal with First Solar to build a huge solar farm in Monterey County, Calif., that will provide power to the creator of the iPhone’s new headquarters for the next 25 years, and Google fronted $300 million for homeowners to purchase their own rooftop solar panels.
Why the big bucks? For starters, they need the power. Along with Facebook, these tech companies all operate massive, electricity-guzzling data centers scattered throughout the country’s remote areas. Every time you upload a picture to iCloud or open a Google Doc, the data is housed in places like western North Carolina or central Oregon. The electricity that keeps those servers humming (plus the intricate cooling systems that monitor their temperature) consumes a whole two percent of America’s energy usage, according to a 2010 estimate. So it’s easy to see why techies would be interested in finding energy that’s both cheap and clean.
Apple and Google, who both have tens of billions in free cash, are making the smart business decision to build their own solar capacity now, rather than pay utilities over the long haul. It’s similar to the difference in cost between sitting on the lump sum and using it to rent an apartment for 30 years or spending it all now to buy a house without a mortgage.
Google’s huge push for residential solar power is particularly groundbreaking, but fits with the company’s ethos. The search engine has always promised it could make the Internet accessible for the masses, and now it’s doing the same with the democratization of energy. Partnered with SolarCity, their funding will pay for the installment of panels on nearly 25,000 roofs, giving each family true energy independence.
Just a few decades ago, these investments in solar power would have been considered wasteful. Solar and other renewable energy sources were commonly derided as “far-fetched and too expensive,” says V. John White, the executive director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Technologies. “In the past 10 years, renewable sources have gone from being a slice of green on the dirty fossil-fuel grid to being cost competitive and more reliable than nuclear energy and coal, and catching up with natural gas. The cost of wind and solar power has fallen, and performance has improved.”
In California, that trend will be increasingly clear if Gov. Jerry Brown mandates that renewables account for half the Golden State’s electricity. As is typical in Silicon Valley, Apple and Google will once again be far ahead of the curve.
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Why Aren’t We Doing This to Every Single Parking Lot?

Posted on by robbie

Last May, we got really excited about paving America’s roads with solar panels. But instead of laboriously tacking panels on the nation’s 4-million mile stretch of concrete, how about something much, much simpler?
Solar parking lots.
Chris Mooney raves on The Washington Post’s new environmental blog that solar carports are the “best idea in a long time.” That’s because a photovoltaic canopy helps power whatever office or building the parking lot services, provides shade for the cars parked underneath and can help juice up electric car charging stations.
This idea isn’t new — Google’s Silicon Valley headquarters has had one since 2007, the Washington Redskins’ FedEx Field also has a solar carport that generates 20 percent of the stadium’s power and tricked-out lots are also found in solar-happy states like California, New Jersey, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York and North Carolina.
It’s a tantalizing consideration for any business that wants to go green with the renewable energy of the sun or even for homeowners who don’t have a proper roof for a rooftop installation.
But as Mooney points out, the reason why this seemingly no-brainer idea is not yet widespread is its cost. “It’s the most expensive type of system to build,” Chase Weir of TruSolar tells the columnist. “A lot more engineering, a whole lot more steel, more labor, and therefore, it’s a relatively small percentage [of solar power]…but it is growing, and the cost to install a solar canopy today is less than the cost to install a rooftop just a few years ago.”
It’s true. Despite a recent glut of cheap oil, clean energy is booming. Panels are only getting cheaper and more efficient. One day, we will run out of fossil fuels, but the sun will shine on and on. Looks like the forecast for solar carports is sunny.
DON’T MISS: Going Solar Is Cheaper Than Ever. Here’s What You Need to Know About Getting Your Power From the Sun
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Who Needs Gasoline When You Have the Sun?

Posted on by robbie

What’s greener than an owning an electric vehicle (EV)? Owning one that’s powered with your home’s solar panels.
There’s a growing number of these extra eco-conscious do-gooders. The Associated Press reports that more people own both panels and an electric car, based upon findings on the growth of electric and plug-in hybrid car sales (97,563 were sold in the U.S. last year, up 83 percent from the prior year), as well as the sharp increase in residential solar installations (up 21 percent in the second quarter of this year).
This new trend is encouraging because it might convince more people to make the switch to solar or purchase an EV, or both. The biggest reason why people don’t buy electric cars or install panels is because it’s expensive. But as the AP illustrates with the story of Chevrolet Volt owner Kevin Tofel, having solar on his roof and also an EV in his garage pays for itself over time.
MORE: This Amazing Home Creates More Energy Than It Uses
Tofel, a Telford, Penn. resident, powers his plug-in hybrid with his home’s 41 solar panels. He tells the AP that he paid $51,865 for his solar array, but that expense was reduced to $29,205 after state and federal tax credits. He found that his panels can generate 13.8 megawatt hours of electricity, but since he only needed 7.59 megawatt hours for his household, he decided to trade his gas guzzling Acura RDX for a Volt to help suck up that excess solar power. The $250 he used to spend each month on gasoline for his Acura is now down to only $50, which he only buys when he’s not near a charging station for his EV. Tofel adds (we imagine very happily) that his Volt will help reduce his break-even point on his solar investment from 11.7 years to only six years.
Naturally, he says he and his family “will never go back to an all-gas car.”
We’ve said before that home solar systems have hit the mainstream: the number of homes and businesses in the United States that are powered by the sun’s rays is now more than 500,000. And now that more consumers are open to eco-friendly cars (and the fact they’re about to get much cheaper), the future looks brighter than ever.
DON’T MISS: Going Solar Is Cheaper Than Ever. Here’s What You Need to Know About Getting Your Power From the Sun

Going Solar Is Cheaper Than Ever. Here’s What You Need to Know About Getting Your Power From the Sun

Posted on by robbie

Thanks to solar panels being more affordable than ever, tax breaks and incentives, home solar systems have hit the mainstream. In fact, one is installed every 3.2 minutes — bringing the number of homes and businesses in the United States powered by the sun’s rays to more than 500,000. So are you ready to tap this eco-friendly form of energy? Here is everything under the sun to know about solar panels.
The possibilities aren’t endless.
In an ideal world, everyone would have solar-powered homes. But solar panels are only available to property owners. (Apartment dwellers, you’re out of luck.) The good news, however, is that photovoltaics (the scientific word for panels that generate electricity from sunlight) can be mounted to just about any type of roof, from slanted to flat, and just about any material — metal, gravel, composite, wood, clay or slate. Since solar panels can last for more than 30 years, the roof must be in good condition, so any cracks or leaks must be repaired prior to installation.
The general rule of thumb is that you’ll need about 100 square feet of unobstructed, shade-free roof space for every kilowatt (kW) generated. For example, a medium-sized 4kW solar system requires roughly 400 square feet. Objects such as trees, chimneys or other buildings can significantly reduce the performance of a solar system, and since you want the panels to absorb as much sunlight as possible, the ideal solar array should face south; eastern or western orientations will also work, but might not be as efficient.
Think power, not panels.  
When considering the size of your solar system, it seems logical to inquire about how many panels you will need. But instead, ask yourself, “How much energy do I want to generate?” The average American home uses 903kWh (kilowatt hours) of energy per month (or 32.25kWh per day), according to The Week. Running a 5kW solar system between six and seven hours each day could meet that energy demand. To get an idea of the appropriate system size for your household, check your most recent energy bill to see how much electricity (kWh) you have consumed. Then use this simple solar calculator to roughly estimate how many kilowatts of panels you’ll need to fit your energy requirements.
Your neighbors don’t have to like it.
But you must check with your local government, utility company and, if necessary, homeowners association to see if you can actually put panels on your roof. In some instances, a solar array might need to be arranged a certain way or it could be considered a fire hazard. (Click here to find out your state’s building codes and standards.) If panels aren’t an option for you, there are several other ways to capture the sun’s rays — personal solar chargers, solar pathway lights or buying solar power from your utility are just a few of the possibilities.
You won’t go bankrupt.
It’s cheaper than ever to live off the energy of the sun. Based on trends, the average cost of solar panels has dropped from $76.67 per watt in 1977 to about $0.613 per watt today, CleanTechnica writes. That’s even less than the cost of retail electricity in most cases. Based upon that price, a 5kW system should only set you back around $3,000. However, it’s likely that you’ll end up paying $18,000 to $40,000.
Why the extreme markup? Simply put, it’s because the total retail price of a solar installation includes not just the price per watt, but also installation fees, permits, monitoring equipment, overhead fees and more. (Click here for a complete price breakdown.) Additionally, the cost can jump tens of thousands of dollars if you live in a rainy city like Seattle or New Orleans and need extra panels in order to generate the amount of energy you require. In that case, solar might not be as cost-efficient as other means of power.
However, even if you don’t live in a particularly sunny area, solar could still be the way to go. As we previously reported, eastern states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Delaware are having solar booms due to aging power lines and rising prices of conventional electricity. At Geostellar you can check your home’s solar potential based upon its location, and you’ll also find a list of solar companies in your area.
Be ready to navigate multiple purchasing options.
Similar to car shopping, you’ll need to decide whether to buy or lease. An upfront purchase means you’ll have the full benefits of ownership, including tax benefits and any increase in your home’s value (in California, for example, a small 3kW system can add an average of $18,324 to the value of a medium-sized home). However, you’ll be responsible for your solar system’s maintenance — from ensuring that your panels remain clean (here are some helpful cleaning tips) to monitoring its performance in case any component fails. Panels are highly durable and require little upkeep, plus solar manufacturers usually include a 25-year warranty, so owning them is usually worry-free.
If you want to defray the high sticker price, there are two types of third-party financing: a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) or a solar lease. Both require good to excellent credit in order to qualify and involve monthly payments to the solar company that owns, takes care of the installation and provides maintenance on the system. With a PPA, the harvested energy goes to the developer who then sells it back to you at a fixed rate (usually cheaper than your local power company). A solar lease, on the other hand, enables you to rent the equipment for a monthly fee and keep any power that’s produced.
Yes, there are some incentives.
By purchasing a solar or other renewable energy system, you are an environmental patron and therefore entitled to a 30 percent solar Federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) until 2016. (You are not eligible if you lease or PPA.) There are also additional rebates, tax credits and other incentives, depending upon where you live. Learn more here.
Don’t try to DIY.
While installing a solar system yourself could save you about $3,000 in installation costs, it’s usually best to hire a reputable professional to do the work instead. To figure out which manufacturer to go with, opt for a large reliable company with lots of installation experience, advises Dr. Rajendra Singh, the D. Houser Banks professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clemson University in South Carolina. Look into SunPower, SolarCity, SunEdison and First Solar, or go to EnergySage for prices and reviews of local, regional and national installers in your area. Once you decide on a provider, be sure to ask these 10 questions.
 
 
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3 Reasons Why Sunday’s Historic Climate March Could Be the Start of Something Huge

Posted on by robbie

Thousands of protestors will cram the streets of New York City this Sunday, calling on world leaders to help stop climate change. But they’ll also have another message: “Welcome to a new chapter in the fight against global warming. This time it’s going to work.”
The People’s Climate March is expected to be the biggest-ever collective action against global climate change, and organizers are hoping the protest will mark a watershed moment in their fight.
For years, scientist and activists have been pleading for coordinated action to halt the warming of the planet, but world leaders have repeatedly failed to rise to the challenge. Since the disastrous United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen in 2009, global summits have not forged worldwide consensus on how to achieve the U.N.’s stated goal of restricting any future global temperature increase to no more than two degrees Celsius.
This weekend’s march is set to coincide with another one of these global meetings: The U.N. Climate Summit 2014. No decisions will be made at the event, which will be attended by 125 world leaders, including President Obama. But the summit will lay the groundwork for landmark U.N. climate conferences this December in Lima and next year in Paris.
Despite the failures of the past, organizers of the People’s Climate March see at least three reasons to hope this year.
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How Utah Stopped a Power Company’s Ridiculous Bid to Tax the Sun

Posted on by robbie

When it comes to embracing the power of the sun, some companies can act like they’re living under a cloud.
That’s what happened in Utah, when utility provider Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) tried to propose a $4.65 monthly fee on homeowners who have solar panels on their roofs to help cover the “fixed” costs of maintaining the power system.
The Deseret News pointed out that Utah could have become the third state — after Arizona and Georgia — to levy this “sun tax” on solar users, even though their homes use less power and even put excess power into to the grid with the energy generated by their panels. The fee would have impacted 2,500 households in the state.
Thankfully, common sense prevailed. After thousands of angry comments and a six-hour public hearing, the Utah Public Service Commission (the state’s utility regulator) rejected RMP’s bid, saying that the power company failed to prove why the fee was reasonable or justified.
MORE: These 10 States Are Leading the Way in Solar Power. What’s Their Secret?
“What a bright day for Utah’s future,” says Sarah Wright, executive director of Utah Clean Energy. “This order protects energy choice in Utah, and recognizes the potential solar has to benefit all Utahns.”
As the Deseret News reports, it’s a win for residents such as Jim French, who invested $21,000 (an amount that was significantly reduced after federal and state tax credits and rebates from RMP) to install solar panels on his Salt Lake City home.
“When we moved to Utah, we became aware that the great majority of power is generated from coal-fired power plants,” French tells the publication. “I wanted to do what little I could to contribute to clean energy.”
ALSO: So Meta: Using the Power of the Sun to Create Solar Devices
However, the fight is definitely not over yet. The AP reports that the utility hopes the commission will revisit the issue. Additionally, everyone else in the state will see their rates go up. On the same day of the commission’s ruling in favor of solar, they also approved a 1.9 percent increase on all residential customers — upping power bills by an average of $1.76 a month. The price hike, will net the utility an astounding $35 million in the next year.
If anything, it’s likely that this increased fee will make more people want to make the switch to renewable energy. With America trying to ditch its reliance on fossil fuels, the forecast for solar looks sunny.
DON’T MISS: This Is What Happens When a County Bands Together to Get Cleaner Power

Meet 3 Young Innovators Who Could Make The World Cooler — Literally

Posted on by robbie

Miles Barr wields the power of invisibility and draws energy from the sun. George Ban-Weiss can make the temperature drop in an entire city. And Emily Cole harnesses light to transform matter.
The three 30-somethings aren’t members of Marvel’s latest squad of superheroes. They’re part of a different high-powered team: MIT’s 35 Innovators Under 35.
Every year, MIT Technology Review Magazine picks 35 young problem-solvers to feature on its list, which includes scientists, inventors or entrepreneurs working on groundbreaking tech advancements in fields such as medicine, computers, data mining and robotics.
At least three of the members of this year’s list — Barr, Ban-Weiss and Cole — are working on new ideas that could help fight global climate change.
INVISIBLE MAN
Miles Barr, a 30-year-old entrepreneur, wants to turn every cell-phone screen into a solar panel without anyone noticing the difference.
He’s the cofounder of a company called Ubiquitous Energy, which is developing transparent — effectively invisible — solar panels. The technology’s implications for mobile devices are potentially transformative. No more battery-life worries: Every time you use your phone or tablet outside, it would be drawing power from the sun.
Barr also envisions larger-scale applications, like replacing entire windows with power-generating, transparent solar panels. The technology could mean less reliance on energy from fossil fuels, meaning less pollution overall.
SILVER SURFER
George Ban-Weiss, a 33-year-old professor in the University of Southern California’s school of engineering, came up with a simple idea to cool down Los Angeles: Paint roofs silver.
Black roofs soak up rays from the sun, making buildings hotter and heating up the air. Cool roofs — ones that reflect sunlight rather than absorb it — can make a measurable difference in the temperature in a city.
After Ban-Weiss presented his findings on cool roofs to the mayor of Los Angeles, the city passed a law requiring cool roofs for all new or refurbished roofs on residential buildings. It’s a change that could mean people in L.A. will have to run their air conditioners a little less, and the city will feel even cooler.
WONDER WOMAN
Excess carbon dioxide is making the planet hotter. But the harmful gas could be put to good use: making plastics, so says Emily Cole. The 31-year-old is the chief science officer at a company called Liquid Light, which is working on ways to convert CO2 into more useful chemicals.
Cole has helped develop technology that uses light to trigger reactions converting carbon dioxide into over 30 different chemicals. Liquid Light is focusing on ethylene glycol, which is used in plastics manufacturing, as it’s first commercial product.
Click here to meet the rest of MIT’s 35 Innovators Under 35.
MORE: These 10 States Are Leading the Way in Solar Power. What’s Their Secret?
 
 
 

These 10 States Are Leading the Way in Solar Power. What’s Their Secret?

Posted on by robbie

Solar power has made incredible progress here in the U.S. According to a new report from Environment America. In the last 10 years, solar panel capacity has increased more than 120-fold. In just 2011 to 2013 alone, solar power has tripled.
Incredibly, 10 standout states are responsible for a big chunk of that growth.
The Lighting the Way: The Top Ten States that Helped Drive America’s Solar Energy Boom in 2013 report notes that even though these 10 states account for only 26 percent of the U.S. population, they’re responsible for a whopping 87 percent of the county’s solar boom.
The states deserving a standing ovation? Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and North Carolina, all of which are doing a massive part in helping the entire country curb its reliance on dirty (not to mention, increasingly expensive) fossil fuels by harnessing the power of the sun.
MORE: This Man’s Seriously Bright Idea is Giving People the Ability to Create Power Anywhere
Here are some of the most interesting points and lessons (highlighted in bold) from the Environment America report. Perhaps the states that didn’t make the cut should take note.
– The report emphasizes that the most important factor of solar success is due to support from state and local governments, who have created policies that push for growth in renewables. For example, the report states that New Jersey has a target of obtaining 4.1 percent of its electricity from the sun by 2028. California has an extremely high renewable energy target — 33 percent — by 2020.
– Speaking of California, the Golden State state is also expanding its battery storage technology so residents can rely on the sun’s power even after it sets, the report finds.
– Several states in the top 10 also encourage small businesses and individual homeowners to go solar by paying them for the renewable energy they create. For instance, Hawaii’s feed-in tariff pays 21.8 cents per kilowatt-hour for small-scale residential solar projects, the report says. Clearly, it really does pay to be green.
– Top-ranked Arizona has the highest solar electricity capacity per capita, with 275 watts of solar electricity capacity per resident — about seven times as much solar electricity capacity per person compared to the national average. So why is Arizona a solar success story? According to the report, the state was the first to require utilities to obtain a certain percentage of their electricity from solar energy. However, the Arizona Corporation Commission (the state’s utility regulator) recently voted to end tax incentives which could hurt businesses and residents who want to go solar, the report points out.
– It’s no surprise that sun-spoiled western states rank near the top, but even small eastern states such as New Jersey, Massachusetts and Delaware have made the cut thanks to high electricity prices as well as public concern about pollution and clean energy. It’s clear that many Americans want a clean and efficient energy future, and these states are responding to the call.
– North Carolina rounded out the top 10 due to its several large-scale solar energy installations by utilities, which shot the state’s solar capacity per-capita by more than 140 percent since 2012, the report says. The state also allows clean energy companies to compete utilities and lets consumers pick their energy supplier.
ALSO: So Meta: Using the Power of the Sun to Create Solar Devices
The big takeaway is that these states and their local governments have shown solid support and enacted polices that encourage and incentivize businesses, individuals and communities to make the switch to solar.
With the Obama administration’s new limits on emissions, the whole country needs to do their part. Especially since the planet is only getting hotter. Luckily, they can look to these 10 states that are truly lighting the way.
DON’T MISS: Help Your Favorite Spot Go Solar With Just One Click

This Park Bench Does More Than Just Sit Around

Posted on by robbie

We’d never advocate anyone to remain on their behinds all day, but here’s a novel exception: If you’re sitting on a Soofa, you’re actually hanging out on something that creates energy.
Boston’s parks are getting wicked cool, solar-powered benches that can charge phones via USB, as well as check local the air quality and noise levels using location-based environmental information, the Boston Globe reports. The service is provided to the city for free, thanks to funding from Cisco Systems.

Bostonians will soon see the benches in Titus Sparrow Park in the South End, the Boston Common and Rose Kennedy Greenway. Residents can request additional parks to install Soofas by pinning a location to this online map (which is already lit up like a Christmas tree) or by tweeting the location to @newurbanmechs. You can also submit name ideas for benches if you want.

MORE: This Man’s Seriously Bright Idea is Giving People the Ability to Create Power Anywhere
In the video below, Soofa designer Sandra Richter and Boston mayor Marty Walsh have a chat about the city’s new toy. As mayor Walsh says, the benches aren’t just a convenient way to juice up your phone: “I also think it’s a way for us to educate the public on the environment on all the initiatives we have,” adding, “if [the public gets] into the habit of checking the air quality and the other things we can do on this [bench], it will help us with what we’re trying to do as far as having sustainable communities.”
As we’ve said before, solar power might just be the cheapest form of energy. Harnessing the clean, green power of the sun is a smart financial move, plus it also allows communities to create power just with the sun’s rays and peel themselves off the grid.
But, really, any excuse to enjoy some sunshine sounds good to us.
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