Wish I’d known about Sun Day last week, but it didn’t seem to get any media coverage in Australia. And No, though it fell on our Spring Equinox, this isn't some pagan festival to welcome the new season, but it is about Renewal and about celebrating the Sun and what it can do for us.
It was celebrated in a big way in the USA. Connect with Sun Day Earth to stay informed and get inspiration for next year. Broadly, its aims are as follows:
· Promote renewable energy (solar, wind, batteries) which are already often the cheapest & most viable path. Sun Day wants to emphasise that clean energy is not just idealism—it’s practical, cost-effective, and beneficial. Learn how the Third Act in the USA is working on this here
· Push for policy change: urging politicians and governments to accelerate transition away from fossil fuels (including stopping new fossil fuel infrastructure, strengthening incentives for solar/wind, improving battery/storage policy, etc.)
· Community power / people power: the idea that ordinary people, communities, faith groups can mobilise, organise, and make their voices heard; it's not just a top-down push. Many faith groups are on board. See for example what the Jewish Community is doing. [These are not the same people involved in the horrors which are happening in Gaza].
·
Counter misinformation
about renewables
What do People Do on Sun Day?
Although we are a bit late for the formal activities this year, there’s no reason you can’t do any of the following, or start planning for next year. Solar Citizens (AU) also have lots of ongoing projects you could be involved in. Some examples follow:
· You could try out an electric car
·
Sign the petition so that renters
and people who live in apartments can enjoy the benefits of solar too. Perhaps renters
should have access to plug -in balcony solar power like Germany, though for Australia these systems would need
modification for AC rather than DC.
Renters could also become part of a community
solar system, or become a shareholder in a solar garden. I wrote about these last year. Check them out
here:
· If you have solar, you could open your house to your neighbours so that that they can see how your solar panels, batteries or heat pumps work or see some of the Renew (AU) Sustainable Houses when they are open to the public
· Invite a guest speaker to your community group
· Write letters to your MP
· If you are a shareholder in a bank, retirement fund or similar, ask them to stop funding fossil fuels
Not
that Australians need much convincing about the benefits of solar energy. Over
four million households and small businesses have voted with their wallets, with about 38- 43%
uptake by mid-2025.
For most households it also means big savings on their
power bills. Thanks to the combined efforts of groups such as Solar Citizens and Renew we now have subsidies for domestic battery storage. So yes, let’s celebrate Sun Day every day and
take it to the next level. Shine on.
 L |
| Sorry, couldn't help myself - just wanted to add a bit of Spring Sunshine I received today |
Thank you also to Copilot for the top image and information and also to ChatGTP which filled in a few gaps
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