{iamge_2} At 97, Cardinal resident Marguerite DeVita is starting a trend among friends in Mathews County—making their homes operate on solar energy. A longtime dream, DeVita who considers herself a “true environmentalist,” is nearing the final steps of making her 3,200-square-foot home rely on solar energy.

DeVita recently signed up with Powerhome Solar and Roofing. She said for about a $20,000 upfront cost to install the solar panels on her roof, she is expected to save over $45,000 in the course of 25 years. “I’m sure I won’t even be around then,” she joked, but that didn’t deter her from making the investment.

“I want to go green with everything I can,” DeVita said. An avid cyclist, she still rides her bicycle each day, and when she does so, often picks up trash she finds along the roadside. She also said she tries to eat foods without a lot of preservatives. 

“I’m just so thankful,” she added...