Learning about renewable energy: New curriculum brings solar to the classroom
The curriculum is aimed at teaching students about the rapidly growing solar energy industry in Minnesota and across the country. 4:30 am, Apr. 22, 2021 ×
Pine River-Backus students check out the solar array built at their school in 2019, a project that has saved the district thousands of dollars in utility costs and allows students to learn about renewable energy. Submitted Photo
About 60 school districts in Minnesota use solar energy, and they now have access to a complementary curriculum to go along with their arrays.
The Rural Renewable Energy Alliance, along with other community partners, recently developed a kindergarten through eighth grade curriculum aimed at teaching students about solar energy as a clean, renewable option for the future.
What does a sustainable community do?
Written By:
Douglas J. Weiss and Barb Mann | Balsam Moon | 6:00 am, Feb. 10, 2021 ×
In our previous column, we defined what a sustainable community is and how our communities here in rural Minnesota have become less self-sufficient and sustainable over the last 70 years.
In this column, we will briefly discuss some of the initiatives that are beginning to reestablish some local control over essential aspects of our lives.
First of all, what kinds of things make communities more sustainable, self-sufficient and resilient? Sustainable communities work toward: 1. meeting our basic needs for food, housing, health care, education, personal safety; 2. providing our needs for clean air, water and nutritious food while protecting the local ecosystem, land and energy sources; 3. providing economic opportunities that include meaningful employment with adequate pay; 4. fostering a sense of community that creates feelings of belonging and