Running around PECO
by Samantha Shain
“Zoom!” went the kids on scooters!“Whoosh!” went the jogging team!“Tap, tap, tap!” went Nelson’s wooden stilt legs!“Scuff, step, giggle!” went the hundred+ walkers!“One, five, ninety nine!” went the registration and fundraising team.
“Oh dear…” thought the PECO decision makers*. “The people of Philadelphia … and Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties… are onto us! We lobbied against solar for 10 years, and then we blamed those laws and regulations as reasons why we can’t distribute more renewable energy and create new jobs. We denied 30% of homeowners permits for their renewable energy installations. We upgraded infrastructure, but we chose systems that we knew couldn’t handle solar energy. We thought everyone would keep looking the other way. We were planning to keep getting awards for doing the bare minimum. Yikes! This is bad news for our business as usual!”
Today 100 of us gathered, young and old; runner, walker, scooter and cheerleader; first timers and direct action veterans; people of many faiths, from across PECO’s footprint in Southeastern Pennsylvania to declare loud and clear, as Pastor Melanie guided us: “STOP giving us the Runaround! START giving a damn!” And to top it all off, we raised more than $10,000 to support the Power Local Green Jobs campaign.
On May 10, EQAT and POWER proclaimed our goal: 20% solar energy from LOCAL installations by 2025! What’s that? 20% by 2025! By implementing this simple demand, PECO could create 10,000 jobs and generate economic security for customers who are currently struggling to make ends meet.
In 2025, I will turn 33 years old. I plan to make my life here in Philadelphia and have an unwavering commitment to this city, these people, and our future together. This November and in 2020 and 2024 (ok, and interim and primary elections too!), we’ll have chances to elect new political leaders who will help craft the policies that govern how PECO does business. None of us know who will be president in 2025 but I’m sure counting on PECO’s leadership to bring us into the future, with God’s abundant sunshine powering our schools, hospitals, houses of worships and homes. And I’ll be here to hold them accountable every step of the way.
*This anecdote is fictional, but we think it’s pretty realistic!
Photo by Rachael Warriner
