Join co-hosts SCCF and the Sanibel Community House for a conversation about building a green energy future to protect property values, sustain water and ecosystem health, and
keep our economy vibrant.
The virtual presentation on Tuesday, March 23, 6:30pm to 8pm, will spotlight “Solutions for a Sustainable, Renewable Energy Future for Sanibel and the Region.”
The event will feature a panel of four speakers introduced and moderated by Bob Moore, Senior Vice President of Training and Program Development at Health Management Resources. He also is an SCCF volunteer and co-founder with his wife, Ariel Hoover, of the Lee County Climate Reality Project.
Speakers will include:
- James Evans, SCCF Environmental Policy Director. Evans will explain why resiliency and climate change policy is critical for Sanibel from the perspectives of water quality/ecosystem protection, quality of life, and economic prosperity.
- Keynote: Dunedin Mayor Julie Bujalski and Dunedin Sustainability Coordinator Natalie Gass. Dunedin is a coastal city with many similarities to Sanibel and is one of the Florida cities that has made a commitment to transition to 100 percent clean, renewable energy in its city facilities by 2035 and citywide by 2050. They’ll discuss how the city came to make that commitment, why they believe it is important to the city’s future prosperity, and their plans to achieve it.
- Richard Johnson, owner of Bailey’s General Store. Johnson will speak about the benefits of rooftop solar from the perspective of a business owner, focusing on why it makes business sense in direct cost savings and for building goodwill in the community.
- Julia Herbst, Gulf Coast Regional Coordinator, Solar United Neighbors (SUN). Herbst will explain how SUN has worked to make solar affordable for homeowners and businesses through the organization of solar co-ops. She will also address the policy initiative SUN is working on now to legalize solar Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) in Florida. PPA’s are a funding mechanism that make it easier for schools, municipalities, and nonprofits to finance solar projects and benefit from the cost savings.
There will be an opportunity for questions from the audience with discussion by panel members following the presentations.
