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The Unity And Interrelatedness Of All Things:
 Sometimes referred to as the "perennial philosophy", the notion that everything is interrelated and part of a cosmic whole is as ancient as humankind, and has been expressed in one way or another by virtually every religious tradition. The idea that everything is connected on a fundamental level to everything else has not only been corroborated by quantum physics, it is also a cornerstone of modern ecology.
The Need For Diversity:
In the face of increasing globalization, it is more important than ever to preserve diversity in all of its manifestations - biological, ethnic, cultural, linguistic, and so on. The loss of rainforest, with its high concentration of biodiversity, should be of concern to everyone. Equally urgent is the need to preserve traditional cultures, even as they are assimilated into the global economy. One of the great challenges of our times is how to achieve "unity within diversity" - evolving a global society in which differences among people are not feared but celebrated. Similarly, how can we sustain a globally integrated economy while strengthening cultural autonomy and local self-sufficiency?
Bridging The Digital Divide:
As we enter the 21st century, with its global satellite and computer networks, there are still two billion people on the planet who are living without electricity. Not so much as a light bulb in their homes. These same people are isolated and cut off from vital information that could improve the quality of their lives.
Just as Freeman Dyson explains, it is important that the fruits of modern science and technology be used in the pursuit of social justice. The world will not become a better place as long as there is growing gap between the information haves and have-nots.
Fortunately, we now have an opportunity to narrow this gap by bringing solar electricity and wireless communication access to rural and remote parts of the world that would otherwise remain isolated and in the dark. This is a prime example of how advanced science and technology may be used to address the basic needs of some of the most marginalized groups of people on the planet.
Helping People Help Themselves:
Since its founding, SELF has always tried to promote self-sufficiency and self-help among the beneficiaries of its programs. Using micro-credit as a means of making solar electricity affordable to rural households has been an important vehicle through which these disadvantaged people are able to achieve greater control over and responsibility for their own lives. SELF's philosophy of helping people help themselves will continue to inform its basic approach to project development.
The Center Is Everywhere:
We live in a world dominated by a "center-periphery" consciousness. Access to energy, communications, information, and entertainment is concentrated in urban areas that are connected to centralized power grids and wireline communication networks. Remote villages are more often
than not deprived of basic energy services and communication access.
 When solar energy, which by its very nature is decentralized, is combined with wireless communication technologies, which are able to transcend the limitations imposed on fixed, wireline networks, there suddenly emerges the possibility of a world in which "the center is everywhere". In such a world, villages need no longer be cut off and isolated just because of their physical remoteness.
Preservation Of The Environment:
Regardless of whether or not one believes in the threat of global warming,
it is clear that burning fossil fuels pollutes the environment. Developing and deploying clean energy technologies is critical to the long-term health
of the biosphere. Solar cells have no moving parts and do not emit any
noxious gases. Renewable forms of energy, which include solar and wind technologies along with hydrogen-burning fuel cells, represent a viable alternative to the centralized, fossil-fuel based model of power generation that presently dominates our economy and way of life.
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