Trees, Water & People Accepting Applications for Green Business in Indian Country Start-Up Award

tribal programTrees, Water & People’s (TWP) Tribal Renewable Energy Program is excited to offer the Green Business in Indian Country Start-Up Award for a second year in a row. The award, valued at $10,000 – $20,000, includes cash and technical assistance to help jump-start new business endeavors in Indian Country.

Applicants must provide a business plan, an operating budget, and a start-up budget. Application materials and details on the award can be found at http://www.solarwarriors.org/workshops/images/2015-start-up-business-award.pdf. Completed applications are due no later than 5 p.m. MDT, Tuesday, September 1, 2015. The deadline to request an entrepreneur mentor is June 15, 2015. Mentors can help develop applications to make the best presentation of ideas.

Leading up to the Award application deadline, a five-day Green Business Development in Indian Country workshop will be hosted May 31 – June 5, 2015 at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Scholarships and a limited number of travel stipends are available for this workshop through the generous support of the Putnam Foundation. For details and to register for this workshop, please visit http://solarwarriors.org/workshops/green-business-development.html. This workshop is not required to apply for the Start-Up Award.

“Some of the most important work we do is helping Native individuals create jobs and provide green alternatives to industries from outside the community that are less sustainable for health and environment. This award gives us the opportunity to promote local economies and benefits to the environment,” said Jamie Folsom, TWP’s National Director.

Trees, Water & People is proud to sponsor this award and offer assistance to Native American entrepreneurs who are eager to create and grow their green business ideas. For more information about our Tribal Renewable Energy Program please visit www.solarwarriors.org.

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Photo of the Week: A New Class of Solar Warriors

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About this photo

Our most recent training at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center brought students together to learn about solar water pumps and sustainable agriculture.

Workshops like this would not be possible without our generous donors. Thank you to everyone who supports the Tribal Renewable Energy Program!

Photo of the Week: Aerial View of the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center

A beautiful aerial shot of the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center in Pine Ridge, SD, headquarters of the Tribal Renewable Energy Program. (click the photo to enlarge)

Support Tribal Renewabale Energy When You Offset Your Impact

Every year, each of our solar air heaters  prevents 1.39 tons of carbon emissions from being generated by its combustible alternatives. When you contribute to this renewable energy Carbon Offset option, you help not only our environment, but also the struggling families that will now receive free, clean heat from the sun. To learn more or to purchase carbon offsets today please click here.

How do we calculate your offset?

Calculations for CO2 Offsetting by Solar Heaters

Your carbon offset purchase goes into a dedicated fund at Trees, Water & People to build “carbon offset heaters.” Once we have sold 28 tons of carbon offsets (the total lifetime of avoided emissions for one heater), that means we have enough money to build a solar air heater collector panel. We combine these carbon offsets funds, which supply the collector panel, with existing funds to pay for the remainder of the heater kit and its installation. That means that, thanks to you, our “carbon offset heaters” will be up and running, preventing the use of carbon-based fuels, and heating homes of families in need. We would not be able to build these heaters without your contribution!

Our “carbon offset heaters” only go to homes that would otherwise get heat from electricity or fire wood, both very common heat-sources on Native American reservations, where we distribute almost all of our systems. The average carbon dioxide emissions avoided by using solar air heaters instead of wood or electricity is 3,072 pounds annually according to the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (http://www.rreal.org/solar-assistance/pricing/). At 2,204 pounds per metric ton, that means our heaters avoid 1.39 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Barring any damage, our collector panels have a 20 year lifespan, leading to a total of 27.8 metric tons of carbon dioxide avoided in a panel’s lifetime.

2012: The International Year of Sustainable Energy for All

We are proud supporters of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All because we believe that every human being on Earth deserves access to the energy needed to live a healthy and prosperous life.

“Energy is the golden thread that connects economic growth, increased social equity, and an environment that allows the world to thrive.”

-Ban Ki Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, January 2012

To learn more about the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All please visit the official website: http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org/