RootDown LA Celebrates a Solar-Powered Milestone

Last week marked a major milestone for RootDown LA as they unveiled a solar + battery storage system on their KitchenPod.

What began as Executive Director Karen Ramirez’s vision over a year ago is now a reality. The KitchenPod pilot will serve as a model for gardens in South Central LA and beyond. With electricity, RootDown can finally power refrigerators and induction cooktops, unlocking the ability to store produce and prepare vegetable-forward meals on-site.

For many attendees, it was their first time seeing solar power in action.  Pete Marsh from the US Green Building Council guided the process.  He shared insights along the way, including how induction cooking improves air quality compared to gas.

The celebration drew both the founder of RDLA and the district’s LA Councilmember. With the KitchenPod now fully powered, RootDown enters a new phase—ready to demonstrate how clean energy can support school gardens, healthy food access, and energize a community.

RootDown positions itself as one of the forward-thinking organizations in the Southern California landscape.