In 2011, the State of New Mexico announced that the New Mexico Climate Masters program would be cancelled after six sessions in both Albuquerque and Santa Fe, and funding that had already been allocated for the program would not be utilized. The Santa Fe Watershed Association saw the value of this program and immediately began a fundraising effort to keep Climate Masters going. After raising funds from the N.M. EPSCoR program, the City of Santa Fe, and from Climate Masters graduates, the Santa Fe Watershed Association offered the 30 hour program during May and June of 2012.

Throughout the ten-week session, nineteen participants learned ways to reduce their own carbon and water footprints along with ways to encourage others to do the same. Expert guest speakers presented information on water, renewable energy, food, climate science, and permaculture. In addition to the Climate Masters handbook, everyone read A Great Aridness by Bill deBuys, as supplementary reading. Bill then presented at our last class, leaving all inspired to take action.

The program was offered for free with the understanding that each student would agree to 30 hours of volunteer climate outreach when the program was completed. In this particular case, and for the first time that we know of nation-wide, the group decided to maximize their time and energy and contribute to a collaborative project.  After exploring dozens of ideas, they chose to develop a campaign for switching the New Mexico Capitol Complex to solar energy, focusing specifically on the Roundhouse.

Meetings began in earnest during August 2012, and members quickly renamed their group “Got Sol?” to better reflect their mission. “’Got Sol?’ is a group of volunteers dedicated to educating the public about alternative energy and providing solar leadership in New Mexico. The mission is to promote solar power in public spaces. Our first goal is to install solar panels at The Roundhouse, New Mexico’s State Capitol. By utilizing Santa Fe’s three hundred days of sunshine per year, we will harness the sun to sustainably power The Roundhouse. Our sun is New Mexico’s most enduring gift to its people. We will make good use of it.”

After much planning, discussion, and research, Got Sol? met with Senator Peter Wirth in December 2012. It was decided that a capitol outlay request for $250,000 to fund the design and installation of solar panels on the roof of the Capitol Complex parking garage would be the best approach. These solar panels will help offset the $60,000 monthly electrical bill incurred by the Capitol Complex and are expected to pay for themselves in a five to ten year time frame. At this same time, Got Sol? began meeting with the Sierra Club to co-sponsor a Renewable Energy Day at the New Mexico Legislature.

In early 2013, members of Got Sol? began developing the capitol outlay request and went office to office around the New Mexico Legislature gaining support from 26 Senators and Representatives. As of early March 2013, $130,000 of allocated funds have been confirmed with an additional $70,000 still a possibility. This kind of financial support is a considerable success given the short lead time!

On March 1, 2013, the first Renewable Energy Day at the New Mexico Legislature coordinated by Got Sol? and the Sierra Club aimed to educate the public, legislators, and their staff on the economic and environmental benefits of renewable energy. Groups including the Renewable Energy Industry Association, Gallup Solar, Renewable Taos, Green Building Council, and the New Mexico Solar Energy Association distributed information on renewable energy to hundreds of citizens, legislators, and legislative staff. Additionally, a press conference was held in the Rotunda with inspiring speakers such as Senator Bill Soules; State Auditor Hector Balderas; Regina Wheeler, Board member of the Renewable Energy Industries Association; Sister Rose Marie Cecchini, founder of Gallup Solar and even New Mexican youth displaying their own artistic solar panels.

Both the staff and Board of the Santa Fe Watershed Association stand strongly behind the Climate Masters program and hope the actions of the the 2012 N.M. Climate Masters graduates to solarize the Roundhouse will serve as inspiration to us all.

From the National Water and Climate Center (data as of 10/31/12)

Water storage in most New Mexico reservoirs remains well below total capacity and below average (Figure 7). Navajo and Heron reservoirs declined by about 48,000 and 15,000 acre-feet, respectively, in the last month. The four reservoirs on the Pecos River are only storing about 1 percent of their total capacity combined. Elephant Butte Reservoir is also extremely low, containing only about 114,000 acre-feet, a reduction of more than 93,000 acre-feet in the last year. Elephant Butte’s total capacity is approximately 2.2 million acre-feet. Other New Mexico reservoirs reported in Figure 7 saw small gains or losses in storage, as is typical for this time of year.

Thank you for your interest in Love Letters to the River. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we have had to cancel this event. Thank you for your support and stayed tuned for upcoming information on our fall benefit concert.

Love Letters to the River  is a rare opportunity to celebrate our beloved Santa Fe River, Love, Beauty, passion, Water, Words and Wine. Who better to do it with than two luminaries, N. Scott Momaday and Murray Gell-Mann?

The evening will feature a world-class 5-7 flight wine tasting led by Sommelier Derek Werner, a poetry reading by N. Scott Momaday (including the premier of a new poem to the Santa Fe River), thoughts and favorite readings by Murray Gell-Mann, all in one of the most romantic settings in Santa Fe: La Fonda’s 3rd floor La Terraza Room.

Last year we asked people to create blue valentines for the river. What we received was an overwhelming outpouring from over 400 school children and several professional artists. These valentines, overflowing with beauty and passion, will serve as the backdrop for this event.

We invite you to bring your Valentine’s spirit to this truly unique, truly Santa Fe, truly once-in-a-lifetime evening benefiting the Santa Fe Watershed Association.
To purchase tickets, click here, or call (505) 820-1696.

 

We had an AWESOME time at the field trip today!   The children learned or reviewed so many things.  They took out their tracking print cards and came to conclusions about what animals made the tracks.  They made inferences about why the trees above the watershed would have been cut down. They heard about the history of the reservoir (with the goats packed with mud and rocks).  They saw wild turkeys and a heron.  They made connections about the interdependence of living and nonliving things.  They had hands-on time in the SF River to humanely capture and identify macroinvertebrates.  They used keys to identify four different conifers.  They practiced using all of their senses to enjoy and become more aware of their surroundings.  They kept journals to record their observations, just like scientists do. They looked at rocks samples and reviewed igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks.  It was amazing. Thank you to everyone involved.  I can speak more highly of the field trip.  The kids have already asked if they can come there again!
Thanks again,
Cheryl

Thank you to our fantastically supportive community for the many ways you gave to this event. We couldn’t do it without you! Especially:  Sprouts Market, Whole Foods, The Coca-Cola Company, The New York Deli, Liquor Barn, Vino del Corazon, Santa Fe Brewery, Albertson’s DeVargas and Carolyn Dillon. Let us not forget the incredibly generous audience that helped us fill the boots with thousands of extra boot-booty dollars! 

We love you!