An occasion like this one raises consciousness of environmental issues and energy conservation.

“It’s something they don’t really have to think about when they’re on the streets,” Angell said.

She said that if 350.org is able to raise the money to install 10 more solar panels on the roof of the one house, she looks forward to evaluating it and creating an argument for doing the same on the home next to it.

Elected officials, including a spokesman from Sen. Tom Udall’s office, made an appearance in support of the work the 350.org chapter did at the home.

City Councilman Miguel Silva even got his hands dirty. He was digging a hole to bury an electric line from the new panels and struck water.

“He asked me for something he could use to bale,” Rotholz said. “And I gave him a little ceramic mug.”

It was a comic and inevitable mess, she said. Something had to go wrong during a day where that many people were doing major work on a home.

The water turned out not to be a major pipe or shallow water table, but it was still exciting, Rotholz said.

Event coordinator, Webber, has talked with city councilmen and the local 350.org chapter and is working to get the city to put solar panels on the roofs of all of its buildings, Rotholz said.

The event saw even more support when it changed venues and went to the local growers’ market to celebrate. Several dozen extra people came out of the co-op and their stands to support of the work the group had done, Rotholz said.

“There were lots of people that were interested in and supported our cause even if they weren't involved in the actual project,” Rotholz said. “Pretty neat!”

Pictured: City Councilman Miguel Silva digs a trench. No word on if this is before or after he hit a water pipe. Image courtesy of Mark Westbrock.