Friends:

Last year, Governor Schwarzenegger got the attention of the environmental community by campaigning on a promise to help solve the state’s energy problems by ensuring that 50% of all new homes are built with solar energy systems. Now that California’s budget has been resolved, the Governor is expected to make a major decision this week whether or not to move forward with a comprehensive, ambitious solar agenda.

There is a great deal at stake. The leading contributor to global warming is pollution from electricity generation. To fix this problem and stabilize the climate, it is essential that we choose to make clean energy sources such as solar power flourish and offer cost-effective alternatives to fossil fuels. California has been a major force in driving the growth of the solar industry in the last few years and demand for solar energy grew by 65% last year. Unfortunately, the existing solar programs that serve the residential market are forecast to run out of funds within 6 months, threatening the future growth of solar energy and the clean air and good jobs that come with it. A bold, long-term program such as the Governor is currently considering would be enough to bring the cost of solar power down to the point where subsidies will no longer be needed and help us reach the point where market forces will drive solar energy into the mainstream.

Please take a moment now to email Governor Schwarzenegger and tell him this is the moment for courageous, visionary action. Tell him that only he can make the sun rise from the West. He’ll like that.

Sincerely, Robert Redford

This could be it: the breakthrough program that would bring solar's costs down to the point where it is competitive on a retail level without subsidies.

Solar Nirvana. The Whole Enchilada. The Endgame.

We can't overemphasize how big this opportunity is, so please let the Governor know how you feel about clean air, more jobs, and fewer Enrons--all the benefits that would accrue to the state if he were to get serious about solar energy. And tell like-minded friends to do the same. Opportunities like this don't come around every day.

In order to generate awareness and support for this important issue with critical decisionmakers, Vote Solar ran a half-page ad in the Sacramento Bee in the Monday, August 2 edition.

In the unlikely event that you don't personally get the Sacramento Bee delivered daily, we've posted a copy on our website.

Thank you for your support.

Adam Browning

David Hochschild

JP Ross

The Vote Solar Initiative

182 2nd Street Suite 400 San Francisco, CA 94105