Because solar developers have a head-start on getting their projects approved at the local level, it’s critical to spread the word and get people engaged in the process. 

When local government meetings discuss utility-scale solar projects, the voices they hear are important.  If most of the people who attend are either the solar developers or their supporters, officials may assume that county or town residents are in favor of the project or that they have no opinion on it. 

But this is often not the case at all.  Most of the time, people don’t attend the meetings because they don’t even know about a big solar project.  And developers are only required to contact the people who live immediately next to the development, not everyone in the county, and to give them only one or two weeks notice.  

But our communities are for everyone, and it’s important to include everyone’s voice in discussions about responsible and smart solar choices. That makes it critical to spread the word among as many of your neighbors as possible, as early as possible, once you’ve started a group.  

Here are some ideas on how to do that:

  1. Make a flyer with your group name, its goals, and contact information.
  2. Have a booth or some other type of presence at community events to share flyers and other information about your group, its goals, and opportunities to participate.
  3. Post flyers at community hubs (stores, community centers, etc.) to raise awareness.
  4. Post notices about your group meetings on community calendars and local websites.
  5. Include comments about your group if someone gives a local media interview.
  6. Encourage group members to bring a friend to your next meeting or event.
  7. If your group resources allow it, make a t-shirt with your group name and wear it to community events or local government meetings.  (Alternatively, pick a color for your group and ask everyone to wear something in that color to government meetings as a sign of public support.)
  8. If your group resources allow it, make yard signs (12” x 18”) with your group slogan or purpose so that supporters can share their opinions.  (Ideally, the sign’s background color will be in whatever color you’ve chosen for your group.)

These are just a few ideas to get things started.  Think about what will work best in your community and go from there!

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