Living Desert Alliance

Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving

October 2, 2025 Having trouble viewing this newsletter? View it as a Web Page

Tucson

Solar Co-Op

Helping Neighbors Go Solar!

Tucson Solar Co-op (TCC) is back for its fifth year helping neighbors go solar together.

Since 2021, they've helped hundreds of Tucson homeowners harness the power of the sun while saving money through group-buying power.

How do they do it?

Imagine walking into a solar company’s office with 50 or 100 of your neighbors and saying, “We all want to get solar. What kind of deal can you give us?” That’s a solar co-op!

Now, it gets even better.

Thanks to the generous support of a local donor, TCC has additional funding available to help four households go solar with a stipend of up to $7,000 each! That stipend along with the group discount savings can go a long way towards covering costs to convert to solar.

To qualify, homeowners must meet the following criteria:

Be a Tucson metro-area resident.
Own and occupy your home as a primary residence.
Have a roof that is ready for solar and does not require replacement.
Have a household gross annual income (before taxes) at or below 130% Area Median Income.

See this page for more information. Join the growing solar movement. You’ll have a built-in network of support and inspiration from others who, like you, are taking a stand for energy freedom and advancing the clean energy economy.

Growing Veggie Gardens with Rainwater

Wednesday, October 8, 2025

5: 30 pm to 7:30 pm

Join the Watershed Management Group's Oct. 8^th Growing Veggie Gardens with Rainwater class and learn how to start a vegetable garden using your harvested rainwater. Learn how to choose the right type of garden bed and location for your property as well as different gravity or low pressure-based irrigation systems to water your veggies.

Participants will learn best practices of organic gardening and using stored water for vegetable gardening. Bring your friends and family along to this educational and fun event.

Location

Living Lab & Learning Center (Map(opens in new tab))

1137 N. Dodge Blvd. Tucson.

Photo courtesy of Vamos Arema

Supervisor

Jennifer Allen

Community Meeting

Wednesday, October 8th, at the Flowing Wells Library, 1730 W. Wetmore Rd. Tucson, from 3pm - 6pm.

Can't make it to the meeting? Click here to contact her directly with questions, concerns or just to say thank you for her excellent leadership regarding data centers, NDA's and other important environmental issues.

Final Community Conversation

The Town of Marana invites residents to attend its last scheduled community conversation on Wednesday, October 8th, at 5:30pm. According to their website, the meetings are designed to provide information on Marana's growth, RTA Next, and data centers.

Location

Dove Mountain CSTEM K-8 School – Cafeteria

5650 W Moore Rd, Marana, AZ 85658

NOTE: Here is a link to the September 23rd meeting.

Growth in Marana: Go to the 00:03:17 mark.
Business and Economic Development: Go to 00:11:59.
RTA Next: Go to 00:36:50.
Data Centers: Go to 01:08:12.
TEP Representative. Go to 01:33:30. "No additional electrical cost to residents to support data centers." (Let's get that in writing.)

We’re (still) Searching for a Bilingual Volunteer!

The Living Desert Alliance would like to have our event material available in both English and Spanish. If you are fluent in both languages and want to help, please contact us. A great way to learn more about our organization and help our mission to Keep Our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Plan Ahead for the New Year!

Become an Ambassador of Sustainability in 2026

Develop your understanding, skill, and caring for our desert and planet through Sustainable Tucson’s Sustainability Ambassadors program. Become an ambassador for the world we all share!

Sustainable Tucson works with the local community to cultivate a richer environmental landscape and build a sustainable future right here in southern Arizona.

In this course, you will learn alongside like-minded individuals, hearing from local experts on topics like energy transformation, sustainable and affordable housing, water conservation, and more. Skills of diplomacy and emotional regulation are woven throughout. Each class is complemented with 1-2 hours of reading, screening, and reflection.

By course completion, you will feel more connected and better prepared to serve as an ambassador for a future in harmony with our desert home.

Twelve Saturdays, 10 am to noon
Dates: Jan 10 – Mar 28, 2026 (no class Feb 14)
Venue: Online, with optional field trip Jan 3 and potluck tbd
Cost: $80; Sustainable Tucson members $60; students $30; scholarships available on request.

Start 2026 with a resolution to join this amazing program.

Invite a friend to come along.

Become an ambassador for our desert and the world!

You are needed now more than ever!

🌵 Donate Here and Help us Grow!

Support our mission to

Keep our Desert and Community Livable and Thriving.

Your tax-deductible gift helps us protect water resources, assist community partners, and empower members to advocate for our environment.

Donations also fund newsletters, events, and public forums.

Every contribution makes a difference!

Living Desert Alliance Website.Stop by for a visit

Living Desert Alliance