Robert and Murina Pepetone
“For our family, and for everybody else, it’s the most sensible solution,” says Robert Pepetone, a homeowner of the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria. “I mean, all energy that we deal with comes from the sun anyways – just some ways are much more roundabout than others.” Robert, his wife Murina, and their two daughters live in a home on the Rancheria surrounded by Murina’s well-tended garden. On the day of the install, Murina helped out on the roof while Robert watched the kids. “I had never been on my own roof before!” says Murina, “it was nice to see my garden from up there.” For the Pepetones, having solar energy has been a long-time dream, but the high upfront costs kept solar out of reach for their family. Now, they say they would love to see it on every building on the reservation. Their daughters think the solar panels are “pretty cool,” but they were more interested in some some complimentary, GRID Alternatives-themed temporary tattoos
