When lights went out in Western North Carolina, solar and batteries helped some power up

Volunteers with BeLoved Asheville are bringing Asheville residents water so they can flush toilets, wash their hands and shower amid the water scarcity caused by Hurricane Helene. These improvised distribution systems have become crucial to ensure residents can maintain their hygiene and prevent illness until their normal water access is restored.

In an effort to reduce fossil fuel use and environmental impact, some locals are opting for solar power to reduce household energy emissions. Home heating and cooling alone is responsible for 441 million tons of carbon dioxide annually, but a single acre of solar panels can save between 121 and 138 metric tons of carbon emissions each year.

In response to Hurricane Helene, volunteer group Flush AVL addressed the growing health issue of water shortages by distributing non-potable water to those in need for flushing toilets and maintaining hygiene. Volunteers used QR codes on the water containers to track refills, while an online map helped coordinate deliveries. Additionally, another group, Planet Water, installed AquaBlocks, devices that filter water from local sources to support up to 6,000 people daily, to further address the water shortage issue.

Community volunteers, churches like the Mother Grove Goddess Temple and organizations like BeLoved Asheville are ramping up to provide relief to those in need in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, providing everything from gas cans to camping supplies to winter gear and first aid supplies.

Water Mission is helping ensure Western North Carolina residents have access to safe water following Hurricane Helene. The group installed four of its proprietary mobile water treatment systems which produce 15,000 liters of clean water a day. The group has also distributed and gassed 400 generators for people to power their wells.

The city of River Falls in Wisconsin built the state’s first city-owned solar garden, taking steps to reduce their use of fossil fuels and encourage community members to go green. Now, all city buildings are 100 percent run on renewable energy and residents can sign up for a program allowing them to buy renewable energy. Getting people to take action can be difficult, but city officials say they found the right message to get its residents on board.

Faced with severe heat waves, escalating electricity costs and frequent blackouts, Pakistan took a grassroots approach to transitioning to solar power, making electricity more accessible and affordable. They’ve become a major market for solar, importing 17 gigawatts of solar panels from China in 2024 alone, doubling their 2023 numbers, making Pakistan the world’s third-biggest importer of solar panels.

SteamHouse’s community boiler system supplies steam energy to about 45 companies in Surat’s industrial area, offering more affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly ways to power factories.

With the help of federal tax credits and localized policies for building, last year, Florida surpassed California as the state with the most new solar panels plugged into its grid, building three gigawatts of large-scale solar in 2024.

In Boston, climate activists with HEET, a nonprofit that develops neighborhood-scale geothermal systems, worked closely with gas utility executives to find a solution to gas leaks and transition to cleaner energy sources. Making the case for switching to geothermal energy comes with its challenges, but their collaboration and advocacy led to the signing of legislation allowing gas utilities to provide geothermal heating and cooling as an alternative to gas throughout their service areas.