Williston, VT Resident’s Neighborhood Gets Giddy Over Her Solar Panels

Guest blogger Jo Lee of Green Machine PR is talking with Vermont residents who have gone solar and have proof that the myths in our free 87 Solar Myths ebook are accurate.

Williston resident and University of Vermont professor Alice Fothergill knew that powering her home with solar energy would be good for the environment. She didn’t realize that it would also be good for her neighborhood, including her local school.

As a result, Alice became a proud “buster” of Myth #82 – “My neighbors will hate looking at ‘ugly’ panels.” Myth #82 appears in the recently launched Real Goods Solar eBook 87 Solar Myths.

Rather then receiving complaints about her panels or irate letters from her homeowner association, Alice has been pleasantly surprised by all the positive attention that’s come her way since going solar. “I’ve had a number of neighbors stop by and be amazed by how much solar pricing has fallen. They can’t believe we can afford it,” said Alice.

Not only have neighbors had their curiosity piqued by Alice’s panels, but her next-door neighbor, Williston Central science teacher Amy Durant, incorporated Alice’s solar panels into her students’ environmental studies curriculum. Amy was planning a field trip to a renewable site but realized she could avoid the expense and hassle of a bus by simply heading over to Alice’s house.

“It just so happened that it was a beautiful sunny day (75 degrees Fahrenheit) in March and we walked all of our students to Alice’s house where Real Goods Solar showed them the panels and how they were installed, and answered a lot of great questions from the kids.” The students were so inspired by Real Goods Solar’s presentation that they launched a student-led initiative to get Williston Central to go solar. “These kids are wired for a new energy future,” said Alice. “It was a real thrill to have our solar panels be part of their educational experience.”

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