As the world faces the impacts of human actions on our environment, we all must accept changes to how we live everyday. Committing to a program of responsible renewable energy is one way that we can address this. But renewable energy must not come at other irreversible costs to our community. Over the last few years, I chose to become involved in fighting large-scale commercial solar in our city-not because I don’t believe in renewable energy but precisely because I do.

What concerned me was where-and how-large companies were targeting our community, clear-cutting forests and causing irreparable damage to our natural places. I couldn't believe there was not a better option! I worked hard not only to gather community concerns and present them to the city but also to educate myself on the pros and cons of solar energy in all its forms. This dedication gave me the opportunity to be instrumental in changing laws that impacted all of Cranston. Prior to my involvement, Cranston laws allowed massive scale solar power plants in residential areas, involving the loss of acres of carbon-reducing trees and irreparable damage to nearby streams and wetlands. For nearly two years, I fought with and for our residents, leading a team effort to successfully change the laws to prevent this large-scale devastation in the future while encouraging and promoting responsible renewable energy on brownfields and rooftops.