In Madison, Wisconsin, Susan Millar recently hosted an open house, not to sell her home, but to showcase its impressive array of clean energy solutions. A dozen curious visitors explored her heat pump, solar panels, battery storage system, and electric induction stove.
Her event was just one of over 450 ‘Sun Day’ gatherings organized across nearly all 50 states. This nationwide initiative highlights solar power and renewable energy through diverse activities like electric vehicle parades, community church sermons, and home tours. Timed just before the Autumn solar equinox, Ms. Millar’s early start set an inspiring tone for the upcoming main events.
“You can absolutely live in an older home, like my 90-year-old house, without relying on fossil fuels,” Millar stated. “All those polluting energy sources are now a thing of the past for us.”
The concept for Sun Day originated with renowned climate activist and New Yorker contributor, Bill McKibben, several years ago. He observed the dramatic decrease in the cost of renewables, noting that solar power has emerged as the world’s most affordable energy source, with prices plummeting by almost 90 percent over the past 15 years.
McKibben playfully remarked that solar power is no longer the “Whole Foods of energy—nice, but with a hefty price tag.” Instead, he likens it to the “Costco of power—affordable, abundant, and readily available.”
Looking at the back of Ms. Millar’s 90-year-old home in Madison, it’s clear her vision is a reality. She proudly declared, “You can live in a home like this one without burning anything. All those fossil fuels are gone.”
Bill McKibben, a prominent journalist, author, and activist, was recently seen at a climate rally in Washington, organized by Third Act, a climate advocacy group he co-founded.
This surge of ‘Sun Day’ events occurs against a backdrop of significant policy shifts. The current administration and a Republican-led Congress have actively worked to dismantle tax credits for electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar installations. Funding for initiatives like ‘Solar for All,’ designed to bring solar energy to low-income communities, has been rescinded. Moreover, there’s been a concerted effort to impede the offshore wind industry, with projects being canceled even midway through construction.
Concurrently, the administration has been pushing for greater development and consumption of oil, gas, and coal—fossil fuels whose combustion directly contributes to global warming.
Notably, this isn’t the first American “Sun Day” celebration. In a pioneering move, President Jimmy Carter, known for installing 32 solar panels on the White House, inaugurated a similar event on May 3, 1978. However, those panels were later removed by President Ronald Reagan.
In states with Republican leadership, some ‘Sun Day’ organizers are channeling their efforts into showcasing strong grassroots backing for clean energy solutions.
Lisa Young, who heads the Idaho chapter of the Sierra Club, pointed out that community solar initiatives—where multiple households share power from a single installation—have encountered significant resistance from local utility companies and lack supportive state legislation. Furthermore, Idaho missed out on 56 million dollars in federal ‘Solar for All’ grants, which were unfortunately canceled by the Environmental Protection Agency.
In Boise, Idaho, Shari Baber, owner and master stylist at Cut-N-Up and Company, is a local champion for solar power.
Young’s chapter has been instrumental in organizing several ‘Sun Day’ events throughout Idaho, featuring diverse activities such as bilingual workshops, an electric car exposition, and a lively bicycle rally. One particular highlight is a community party where a crowdfunding campaign will kick off to install solar panels on a hair salon in Boise.
Shari Baber noted that previously, the expense of solar installation made it seem out of reach for some Black communities in Boise. However, with falling costs and significant potential savings on electricity bills, she aspires for her salon to become a beacon of change.
In the Washington, D.C. area, over 80 tours are scheduled, with one notable host being Natalie Pien in Virginia. After installing solar panels on her home 15 years ago, her monthly energy bills plummeted from over $150 to roughly $35. Thanks to a utility program that credits her for feeding excess electricity back to the grid, she often receives no bill at all during the summer.
Many states offer similar programs, commonly known as net metering, which are crucial in determining the attractiveness of residential solar. Research indicates that net metering can double homeowner demand for solar installations.
The ‘Sun Day’ movement has even spread internationally, with events planned in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and various European countries. In Germany, for example, an event will educate residents about new regulations for “balkonkraftwerk”—balcony-mounted solar panels that now adorn half a million German homes.
Interestingly, in Canada, Joe Ackerman is hosting a ‘Sun Day’ event despite his Winnipeg home not being suitable for solar panels. He explained that his house’s orientation and the region’s frequent heavy snowfall prevent effective solar installation.
Nevertheless, Dr. Ackerman has successfully eliminated natural gas heating in his century-old home by upgrading insulation and utilizing an electric heater and wood stove.
He emphasized, “No home improvement for sustainability is too small. You can achieve significant change, bit by bit.”
Bobby Monacella, a senior organizer for Mothers Out Front, a climate nonprofit, and Lane Boldman, director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee, are both pivotal figures in this movement.
Beyond residential showcases, Sun Day offers a diverse range of demonstrations. In Kentucky, an event hosted by several nonprofits will feature Lane Boldman, director of the Kentucky Conservation Committee, proudly displaying her solar-equipped Winnebago—enabling her to camp completely off the grid.
Meanwhile, in Virginia, Fairfax County schools plan to power a live band and even a cotton candy machine using one of their increasingly common electric school buses—a truly innovative use of clean energy.
Bobby Monacella, who orchestrated the Virginia event for Mothers Out Front, a nonprofit organization, highlighted the profound impact of these initiatives. “Every electric school bus we deploy removes greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and harmful pollution from children’s lungs,” he explained. “Each new electric school bus feels like a major victory.”
The largest “Sun Day” celebration is anticipated in Portland, Oregon. There, dozens of local organizations have collaborated to create a grand festival, complete with 25 food vendors, a captivating parade across a local bridge, performances by Indigenous dance groups, and a vibrant procession of giant papier-mâché animal puppets floating above the attendees.
Laura Iwanaga, who spearheaded Portland’s ‘Sun Day’ event for the local chapter of Third Act—the nationwide climate advocacy group founded by McKibben—expressed her vision: “I really wanted this to be a celebratory and uplifting occasion. We are all aware of what we are fighting against, but we don’t always take time to appreciate what we are fighting for.”