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by Laney Napoli
MISSOULA, Mont. — In Missoula, Home ReSource is announcing a new fall project along with its brand-new interactive solar display.
Thanks to the Climate Catalyst Fund, Home ReSource is taking sustainability to the next level.
100% of its energy now comes from these solar panels, and with the new interactive display, they’re teaching how to make sustainability last for generations.
“Every fifth grader in Missoula will be able to learn more about solar and renewable energy via an interactive display in our store.” said Kelli Hess, Home ReSource's executive director.
This is part of Home ReSource’s ZWAP program, a Zero Waste Action Ambassador Program that teaches fifth graders about sustainability.
The new display was just installed today.
“On the bottom here we have some facts about being sustainable and like about zero waste, and then a little bit about you know keeping carbon dioxide emissions out of the air by installing solar panels and then just the fact that this exhibit and everything else in this building is powered by solar panels. And then the other half of this is exploring how solar panels work. We have a little one here that’s powered by a light and you can kind of see how solar panels light things up with electricity,” Nicholos Wethington, the exhibit fabricator, said.
This is all possible through the Missoula Climate Smart Catalyst Fund, which aims to fill the cost gaps in sustainability projects.
“What’s amazing about the Catalyst Fund is it helps for projects like this that are big solar installations but also small projects like getting e-bikes for women at the YWCA,” Hess said.
As the costs of gas, car insurance and vehicles continue to rise, for some, a car is a luxury.
Providing the YWCA with e-bikes will help relieve some of the cost of transportation.
The project hopes to provide six to 10 custom e-bikes to the YWCA by spring.
“We are hoping to raise this fall 15,000 dollars. We already have $5,000 raised, so a third of that. So, we need to raise 10,000 more. And if we knock it out of the park and raise more there’s that many more e-bikes that can be helping women and out on the streets.” Amy Climburg, executive director at Climate Smart Missoula, said.
Anyone interested in donating to the fund can learn more by visiting this link.
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