Being a Solar Lover is about meeting people and talking to them about renewable energy. It is about getting to know how people really feel about the electricity crisis in the country.
When we introduce the campaign, the first statement we get from shoppers is “how much does it cost to install a Solar Panel in my two- bedroom house”? Many shoppers also eagerly tell us about how government promised to install free Solar Geysers for them in their township houses but that promise was fulfilled only to the minority. Others complain that the rate of electricity is too high and they cannot afford it. They share how they have to take matters into their own hands by stealing cable and rigging power lines to supply their own electricity for free.
There is always disappointment when we explain that we do not work for the government; but relief comes when we tell shoppers that our interests and the solutions we propose lie in making sustainable living available and affordable for all, by pushing their supermarkets to commit to 100% Renewable Energy.
“Isn’t it a bit of a bold statement or a really big ASK to ask supermarkets?” asks Dikeledi Mokobane in Soweto. “Yes it is”, answers Susan, one of our Solar Lovers, “but if the commitment is made that ASK will be the answer that will lead South Africa into a major breakthrough, saving millions of South Africans hundreds and even thousands on their electricity bill for generations to come.”
Shoppers often get angry and express great disappointment in their retailers when we show them the rankings ,and how far their favorite retailers are from making the commitment. When they discover that some of the biggest contributors to the economy, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, Massmart, Shoprite and Spar, through their support could have a real impact but are not doing enough, some shoppers, who understand the impacts of fossil fuel, express great frustration. “I will not shop at Pick n Pay anymore until they go 100% Renewable Energy” says one of the shoppers in Diepsloot. Some ask for petitions to be signed and sent to Head Offices because they feel cheated and robbed of their hard earned money, when they learn these retailers do not give back to the community.
Being a Solar Lover is not just sunshine and smiles, we take pride in letting shoppers know that whilst there is a solution to the energy crisis in South Africa, the people with the biggest influence at the top are not actively taking their role in contributing to saving the economy and the environment. Our duty is to let South Africans know.
Actively make your voice heard too by joining the Solar Lovers!