February Solar Drinks at June Key Delta a success!

By Ron "Mac" McDowell, Solar Oregon Board President

It was a successful evening by any measure. The place was packed.  Our first Solar Drinks of 2012 was held at the June Key Delta Community Center (JKDCC) in North Portland.  Solar Oregon Professional member, John Patterson, President of Mr. Sun Solar, talked about his recent trip throughout China and shared slides he had presented at the 2011 Low Carbon Earth Summit held last October in Dalian, China. By invitation, he had chaired the solar section at the Summit attended by over 1,000 energy experts from 58 countries.

Solar Drinks attendees were treated to Patterson’s observations of the solar industry in China and his reasoning why American and Chinese citizens need to work together to solve one of the planet’s greatest threats – global warming. Patterson tied his presentation to his recent book, "Footprint, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Extinction" and sold every copy he brought to this event!

So, here we were sitting in a refurbished gas station, a classic symbol of our country’s addiction to fossil fuels, learning more about renewables and how to live a carbon-free life. Ah, the irony.

You see, JKDCC was once an Atlantic Richfield gas station that was abandoned as a rotting brownfield site, no good to anybody, but is now the perfect venue for events like this thanks to the Portland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. an organization of 250 college-educated women committed to public service.

Chris Poole-Jones, LKDCC Project Coordinator, was the evening’s host and she presented some historical background about the Center as it morphed from a brownfield site into a model of sustainable construction using the living building criteria. The JKDCC is participating in Solar Oregon’s fifth annual Goal Net Zero Tour this May along with five other locations around the Portland metro area, and we’re working with the Center to raise funds to help them obtain the last piece of their living building – a solar array.

Solar Oregon professional member NESL SolarTech generously sponsored the evening, which allowed us to provide a generous assortment of refreshments.

What is Solar Drinks?

Scheduled once a month, Solar Drinks is an opportunity for folks in the greater Portland area to meet other community members who support renewable energy. Come join us for a relaxed social and networking event where you can speak with Solar Oregon staff, solar industry members, and your neighbors about any topic under the sun!

>>>Click here to learn more about Solar Drinks!