Celebrating GRID Alternatives
GRID Alternatives Cycling Tour, 2016
From April to September, 2016, I traveled almost 6000 miles on a bicycle over a number of months and visited a total of 11 regional GRID Alternatives offices - 8 in California (San Diego, Inland Empire, Greater LA, Central Valley, Central Coast, Bay Area, Bay Area North Coast and North Valley) - and then 3 more GRID offices in Denver, New York City and Washington, DC. Beginning in San Diego, the route zigzagged northward through California, then east across the Rocky Mountains through Nevada and Utah to Denver, and across the great midwest and the Appalachian mountains back to my home in NYC. The final leg of the tour from GRID's New York office to GRID's Washington DC office took place from September 17 - 21, through a group ride from NYC to Washington DC with Climate Ride. At each office I met with GRID staff and participated in volunteer installations wherever possible, blogged about the trip (see below), and fundraised for GRID's programs. Funds were raised through a Climate Ride Independent Challenge. GRID's teams of volunteers come together to install solar systems for low income homeowners at no cost to homeowners. In addition, GRID’s hands-on training has evolved into one of the best solar training programs in the country.
Everywhere I went, I was warmly embraced by GRID staff, whether my task was helping to install a solar array on a home, pulling permits at a local Department of Building, measuring roofs during an initial site visit, or conducting door-to-door strategic outreach. I have many great memories. For example, I learned first-hand how GRID Alternative’s engaging job training process helped a young man move away from gang related activity to become a highly regarded SolarCorps Project Fellow in the Los Angeles office. I participated in a great conversation about how communities can be engaged to think about climate resilience as they come together around multi-family solar opportunities in Fresno. I spent a day in Denver with 50 college students from a fantastic Bike and Build team that was also cycling across the country in support of affordable housing, and I was invited by GRID staff to participate in amazing lunch conversations where the conversation about climate change and environmental justice was very inspiring.
Sometimes I was asked how the GRID offices varied from each other. They do - because people are people - so every office has its specific personality. Yet, GRID staffs are amazing for the ways they all share similar core values, such as safety first, unflagging passion and enthusiasm for GRID’s mission and vision and a deep commitment to a cause greater than oneself.
As great as my memories are, there are still many regions that GRID serves I did not get to - including other cities and tribal reservations in the US, and communities Nicaragua and Nepal. So, guess what? I’m thinking about cycling more for GRID Alternatives, and I’m beginning to plan my next trip. So look for more to come!
A map of Grid Alternatives regional offices and a map of my route can be found here.
