Livermore High School Grad Helps Livermore Go Green

Livermore's Laila Hassan found her spark.

The former Livermore High School student was involved with the WattzOn program as an intern and spoke to a large audience at the ribbon cutting event on Sept. 16, celebrating the completion of a solar field at the Livermore Civic Center that will save the residents of Livermore $10 million over the next 25 years.

"I was talking to someone with Chevron and Anne White from the LVJUSD," Hassan says. "We were all amazed by how far Livermore is ahead of its neighbors Dublin and Pleasanton. The other two cities aren't even CLOSE to what Livermore has achieved. Livermore actually has the people who care and people who are willing to work."

Hassan first became involved with WattzOn as a student in Livermore High School because "It was a great offer," she says.

The program was made available to seniors involved with the "Green Engineering Academy" at Livermore High School and was offered to Hassan and five others because of their previous internship with the Alameda County Office of Education and PG&E. 

"During that internship, we had audited schools in the Bay Area to identify where they can have the most savings," Hassan says.  

What she discovered as she worked her way through the program is that of the Tri-Valley, Livermore residents set themselves apart with their overall attitude.

"People didn't realize that when Bridgelux replaced all the street lights with LED's, that not only was the lighting different but they're also saving so much money on it," Hassan says. "Then, we have had the wind turbines and now the solar field. 

"The City of Livermore is also tackling this from the different aspects of society," she says.

The program brought in students to connect with their communities and offer a glimpse into a sustainability lifestyle at the family-level, she says. The city is also working with the businesses and corporations. 

"Other cities that have pushed for greener energy have faced opposition because they are not accounting for all perspectives," Hassan says. "It is also a rather, passive-assertive push as well. Anything aggressive or too 'radical' could definitely alienate some people."

Hassan has graduated from Livermore High School and is now a civil engineering student at UC Davis.

"My personal motivations for joining WattzOn was first, it looks great on resumes, and it really builds up your career. Then, we were actually getting paid $14/hr., and for someone like me who had done about four internships for free, it was a nice perk," she says. "And also, just getting involved keeps you busy, and you never know where it will lead you."