As we head toward Winter Solstice and the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere, I’ve been thinking about light. Light here in the Pacific Northwest is an incredible thing. Books have been written about the unique quality of the light around here.
In the wintertime when it’s dark at 4pm, the sun rises after 8am, and many days are grey and rainy, the light we do receive is all the more valuable and savored because of it. The light is even more stunning in its variability from one minute to the next.
In the wintertime when it’s dark at 4pm, the sun rises after 8am, and many days are grey and rainy, the light we do receive is all the more valuable and savored because of it. The light is even more stunning in its variability from one minute to the next.
I am grateful that my office space has two decent-sized windows, allowing me to appreciate the variations of the daylight. I find this transience a good reminder to find joy in the moments of brightness. When the world seems darker and good news is harder to come by, taking the time to savor the moments of brightness that do come our way is all the more important.
There have been bright spots this year in solar and energy storage, despite the darker times. The U.S. installed 11.7 GW of solar in Q3 this year. And just last week New York Power Authority approved a 5.5 GW renewables plan.
I felt fortunate to participate in a WRISE webinar last week in which I got to hear about personal and professional wins from other participants. It was inspiring what this amazing group of people accomplished this year!
Heading toward the Winter Solstice where light is all the more precious, what have been your bright spots for the year? I’d love to hear them! And you know what? It’s ok if your answer is – I got through the year and I’m still standing.
May 2026 be a year of thriving and joy for all of you!
From the Creative Purpose Blog
Clean Energy Brand Logos: What Makes them Work. And What Doesn’t.
If you’re not into branding, marketing, and design, you may ask yourself if this post is worth reading. To which, I say of course it is! If for nothing else than to have a laugh at the examples used. Personally, I giggled like a 10-year-old at some of the examples.
Whether your organization hasn’t changed their logo for 40 years, you’re thinking about undertaking a re-brand, or you’re contemplating striking out on your own, understanding what makes a good logo tick, why some work and some don’t, and what makes up a good logo system will pay off.
Read on to understand the do’s and don’ts, how to evaluate, and what to ask for when you go down the path of your clean energy brand logo design. Or at least read to snicker at the examples.
To date, Brighten Haiti has made an impact for over 8,000 Haitians, including adding solar to schools without electricity. In November, one student wrote:
“Before school started, whenever it rained, we would return home. The classrooms would become so dark that we couldn’t see anything. Sometimes the teacher would tell us to read “under the stars,” but I couldn’t hear clearly because he would sit down to light the book with a flashlight.
After installing the solar light, even if it rains, we continue to learn. We have light. I am happy, because I no longer miss lessons. This gives me more time to prepare for exams.
I would like to become a solar engineer so that I can install lights in all the schools that don’t have them yet. I don’t have electricity at home. Every night, I sit with my brother by the window. If I had a solar lamp, I would share it with him so that he can read it too.”
- Ypson Etienne, Baptist Institution of Gadsalin
It’s hard to put into words what students so eloquently portray. If you’d like to read all of the student essays submitted in November, they can be found here.
As we wind down the year and you finalize your year-end giving, please add Brighten Haiti to your giving list. It means so much!
Corbae will be closed from the afternoon of December 19th, reopening on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. I look forward to talking in the new year!
December Joke
What do dads say on the Winter Solstice?
“Man, the day really flew by!”
