Question: Message Strategies: Writing Routine Informative Messages; Composition Modes: Summarizing [LO-4] As energy costs trend ever upward and more people become attuned to the environmental and geopolitical complexities of petroleum-based energy, interest in solar, wind, and other alternative energy sources continues to grow. In locations with high insolation , a measure of cumulative sunlight, solar panels can be cost-eff ective solutions over the long term. However, the upfront costs are still daunting for most homeowners. To help lower the entry barrier, the Foster City, California- based fi rm SolarCity now lets homeowners lease solar panels for monthly payments that are less than their current electricity bills.

Your task: Visit www.solarcity.com , click on "Residential," and then click "SolarLease" to read about the leasing program. Next, study SolarCity's presence on Facebook ( www.facebook.com/ solarcity ) to get a feel for how the company presents itself in a social networking environment. Now assume that you have been assigned the task of writing a brief summary of the SolarLease program that will appear on the Notes tab of SolarCity's Facebook page. In your own language and in 200 words or less, write an introduction to the SolarLease program and email it to your instructor.