Thanks to Carter for sharing this link with me. Tyler Hamilton at CleanBreak.ca discusses a couple of solar co-ops that are popping up around southern Ontario.

One is Countryside, partnering with ARISE Technologies to start photovoltaic (PV) projects on commercial/industrial rooftops. People who are interested in participating in PV but do not have adequate sites can buy shares in the projects and participate in revenues from the Ontario Power Authority’s (OPA) feed-in tariff program.

Another, on a much smaller scale is the Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist (NUU) congregation in Toronto installing a PV system on their church roof. Again, they are selling shares.

I think I’ve already mentioned that I have a wee crush on Cathy MacLellan, one of the partners of ARISE (she started it with her husband after they graduated from Waterloo). She is also the Green Party of Canada candidate for K/W and a totally inspiring entrepreneur.

I also happen to love the UUs, my church of choice and one I would love to see in Aurora and/or Newmarket. Social justice is one of their core principles, just as it is for the Green Party.

As for the province’s feed-in tariff program – the Liberals almost got it right. If they can overcome their issues with back-end red tape it could be a really great program and encourage small-scale renewable energy projects all over the province – including here at home.

Anybody feel like starting an energy co-op in Newmarket? Count me in.

Over at The Long View I’m reviewing Tomorrow’s God by Neale Donald Walsch and I’ve just finished the section on ‘saving the Earth’ and becoming stewards. And it really resonated with me – this idea of stewardship.

After attending the GPC Economic Summit this weekend – and having that idea of stewardship percolate through my mind – I’m more convinced than ever that Greens are Stewards.

As NDW puts it, we must be stewards of the Truth, of Each Other, and of our Home (153). And I think Green philosophy matches those ideas very well.

Are we facing a spiritual crisis? I think so. I think we, as a civilization, adopted a belief that some people are worth more than others, that the Other is disposable. And when we made that decision, when we convinced ourselves that some people were worth more than others, that some species were worth more than others – well, when we realize that we are all One – ultimately, we too became disposable.

And I think it is time to change this belief. We are all One. And we are precious. What I do to you I do to myself. And what we do to our Home, we do to ourselves.