On the Fall Equinox weekend Third Act Ohio was part of Sun Day, a nationwide mobilization that marked a pivotal moment in America’s clean energy transformation.
☼ Athens ☼
The Sun Day preview was held in Athens in mid September with a Third Act Ohio booth at the annual Paw Paw Festival. Third Actor, Judy Smucker stated that “the event was great with so much interest. The Paw Paw fest is all about nature and doing what is best for the earth.” Save Ohio Parks co-sponsored the Sun Day booth at the festival
☼ Columbus ☼
In Columbus, Third Act and Save Ohio Parks co-hosted an information session and community celebration at Corban Commons, an affordable senior living center that recently added a large rooftop and ground-mount solar array. The event featured speakers on different Ohio-specific solar opportunities and challenges. Topics included the potential for industrial-scale solar, agrivoltaics, and community solar legislation. See this great coverage of the Columbus event.
☼ Yellow Springs ☼
In Yellow Springs,Sun Day was part of PorchFest where half of the bands performing across the village were powered by silent, economical and fumes free solar.
☼ Cleveland ☼
In Cleveland, The Sun Day booth was at the Tremont Arts and Cultural Festival. People learned about rooftop, community solar and small backyard or balcony plug in solar. Postcards were signed to send to the Ohio House of Representatives Energy Committee in support of HB303 which if passed would Establish a Community Energy Program. And paper plate suns were a hit with the kids.
☼ Cincinnati ☼
Cincinnati was filled with joyful song as musicians performed at the Sun Day Song and Solar Festival held at the new Public Radio building. Solar arts & crafts kept the children busy while solar and environmental organizations provided attendees with information to guide them on their solar and electrification journey. Attendees took EV and electric bike test drives. Postcards were signed for HB 303 and a petition was signed to political leaders to streamline rooftop solar permitting. Over 330 people attended.
☼ Middlefield ☼
In Middlefield, Third Act tabled at the Annual Honey Bee Festival to bring attendees practical information on going solar with the help of not-for-profit partners ready to assist with attendees solar journey. Third Actor Dick Coin talked to classes of students at his solar home on Thursday and Friday and on Saturday had a solar panel/ battery display at the festival. 3,000 people attended.
☼ Erie, PA ☼
Third Actors from Ohio joined other organizers in Erie, PA for a unique pontoon boat visibility event outside the annual Marcellus Shale Conference for corporations intent on extracting and monetizing this shale at the expense of rural communities in PA, WV and OH. The boats cycled back and forth in front of the Big Oil & Gas corporate representatives partying on the patio imploring them to choose clean water, clean air, clean energy and a healthy planet over profit.
☼ Washington, D.C. ☼
Third Actors from Ohio joined Third Actors from across the country for a “Petrostate Tour” in DC. The tour was the inaugural event for Third Act Actions Lab (TA AL) and their Sun Day offering. It featured a lively band, a double-decker bus, and lots of amazing speech and testimony from Third Actors and Gulf South front line communities. The tour visited the American Petroleum Institute, the American Gas Association, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and Venture Global.
☼ Next Steps ☼
Sun Day work will continue in Ohio by:
- Actively backing HB303 / SB231 Community Energy Bill in the Ohio Legislature
- Working in local communities to streamline the rooftop solar permitting process
To get involved with our Power Up Communities Solar team contact Mike at ohio@thirdact.org