Media release - November 7, 2001
San Franciscans voted in favor of two solar power initiatives today that will make the city a national leader in solar energy use. The two initiatives, Propositions B and H will fund up to 50 megawatts of solar power, far more than the 8 megawatts of solar in nearby Sacramento, the country's largest current installation. Greenpeace's Solar Yes campaign was an integral part of the success of the solar ballot measures.
"This vote sends a strong, clear message to politicians in
Sacramento," said Danny Kennedy, Greenpeace's Clean Energy Now!
Campaign Coordinator. "Fossil fuels are dirty, expensive, insecure
and they cause global warming. Californians want clean energy
now."
San Francisco's vote will be a major boost for the solar
industry, creating a large increase in domestic demand. It could
also spur other cities or states to take similar steps. An upcoming
Greenpeace study, "Solar Promise," shows how states would benefit
from a modest investment in solar power. The study details the
possibilities of new job creation and pollution cuts in each state
derived from an increase in solar power.
The Greenpeace "Solar yes!" campaign involved a core group of
five young organizers working 10-18 hour days for almost two months
to help pass these ballot measures. The group distributed 50,000
leaflets, left 250,000 pieces of literature on doors, distributed
1,500 signs for store and home windows and called 50,000 voters in
San Francisco. They recruited more than 200 volunteers to work on
the campaign and enlisted the aid of 25 churches and community
groups.
"The victory in this campaign was
due to the hard work of our young organizers. They have been out
there revealing the great possibility that solar power has for San
Francisco and the entire country - now the challenge is for other
cities and states to see the light and go solar," Kennedy
added.