ITR - Solar Aid & Sunrise Celebration Co-ordinate to Help Change & Poverty

For InTouchRadio.net

SolarAid and Sunrise Celebration to help combat climate change and poverty

SolarAid, the new international solar charity, is teaming up with the Sunrise Celebration from 1 to 3 August at the Big Chill festival to raise awareness about the damage being wreaked by climate change and global poverty.

SolarAid believes that poor countries are being hit the hardest by the effects of climate change, as the recent disasters in Burma and Bangladesh have shown. Yet even the UK may not be spared, as shown by the flash floods that led to the cancellation of the Sunrise Celebration on 29 May.

That’s why SolarAid and Sunrise are teaming up again in August to raise awareness about climate change and global poverty among the Big Chill’s 30,000 festival-goers.

SolarAid Director Dr Nicolas Sireau said: ‘With the increase of erratic weather patterns, even in Somerset, there is a crucial need for organisations such as SolarAid and Sunrise to keep growing, whatever the challenges, and to raise awareness of the threat of climate change and how renewable energy is one of the most important solutions.’

The Sunrise Celebration’s Daniel Hurring said: ‘Solar power is a low cost solution to many of the global power issues. It certainly is a solution at Sunrise, which is like setting up a small town in a fortnight, and is a great example of how we can all occupy the land with minimal impact and waste. Sunrise and SolarAid are both focused on promoting renewable energy to fight climate change and global poverty so there are some excellent synergies there.’

SolarAid carries out microsolar projects – training solar entrepreneurs to build and sell small solar lanterns, radios and solar chargers for mobile phones – and macrosolar projects, such as installing solar panels on schools and health clinics in Africa.

Remember: SUNSHINE IS FREE!

SolarAid volunteers can be found at the Sun Hut in the Green Innovations area of the Sunrise Arena at the Big Chill. They will be demonstrating how the micro solar model works, giving talks, holding solar lantern and solar cooking workshops and answering questions about SolarAid’s work. You can spot them in their blue ‘sunshine is free’ t-shirts.

You can also help SolarAid in a small way (and it won’t cost you a penny!): while packing up your camping stove, sun cream and wellies, please also pack any unwanted mobile phones that you have lying around, and bring them along to the SolarAid Sun Hut for recycling: £4 from each phone will go towards SolarAid’s solar projects in Zambia, bringing urgently needed energy to some of the poorest communities.

For more information about SolarAid go to: www.solar-aid.org

Editors notes: Katherine Ritchie- Sunrise Celebration Press Officer

01458834009/ 07505197554

kat@sunrisecelebration.com