By: Greg Holman

In light of the recent events in Haiti, there are a number of ways to support in the relief efforts. Here are two ways you, or your school can donate with a renewable/solar twist! Both of these items will not only help with the dire situation right now, but help the people of Haiti with cooking and lighting for years to come. Know that both of these organizations take donations of any amount, and have been on the ground in Haiti long before the earthquake. Sometimes, when everyone helps a little, it adds up to a lot!

Here is a summary about each opportunity:

From Kirk Weaver, Sunlight Solar:

Your students might find it interesting to find the Light Haiti Project on the Clinton Global Initiative web site – for more information. SunNight solar is the Commitment Maker for this project. We are currently in discussions with the CGI people a significant expansion of the project due to the immensely greater need now due to the earthquake.

Best regards,
Kirk
www.lighthaiti.org

From Paul Munsen, Sun Ovens International:
Sun Ovens International has been working in Haiti for the past 11 years. During that time deforestation has increased the need for an alternative to cooking with wood and charcoal. The recent earthquake has intensified the need for solar cooking and water purification. Hundreds of thousands of Haitians are homeless and camps will need to be opened to provide food and shelter for Haiti’s Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Plans are underway to provide Sun Ovens to the IDPs in Haiti. We are partnering with the Friends of Haiti Organization (FOHO) to send as many Sun Ovens as we can to Haiti. On January 28, 2010, FOHO in partnership with Feed My Starving Children will be sending a shipping container with 270,000 meals and Sun Ovens to Port au Prince, Haiti. There is room for additional Sun Ovens to be included with this shipment and additional shipments are being planned. Donations of any amount will be greatly appreciated. Checks should be made payable to:

Friends of Haiti Organization
P. O. Box 222
Holland, OH 43528
(Please note the donation is for the Sun Oven project.)
FOHO is a 501C3 nonprofit prganization so all donations will be tax deductable. 100% of the donation will go directly to sending Sun Ovens to Haiti. No administrative expenses will be deducted. FOHO has been working in Haiti for 45 years and has sent over 1,400 Global Sun Ovens and 12 Villager Sun Ovens to Haiti.

www.sunoven.com

Students at Paradise Intermediate School have purchased and used both the Sunoven and the BOGO Solar Light. These are durable products that will be an excellent source of baking and light in areas with no electricity.

Students in the Evergreen 6 program have sold items baked in ovens that were part of a Pacific Gas and Electric “Bright Ideas” grant in 2006. In addition to this revenue, they collected donations to be able to support these projects. We hope that you can too!

By Alex Kizer

In Richmond, Virginia, the trees glow a particular gold in autumn. There is plenty of history and even more friendly folks. Greg Muzik, the principal of Mary Munford Elementary School, is no exception.
“I ride it to school most days,” Mr. Muzik boasts, showing off his Ego electric scooter.  Greg Muzik is a large man with a voice that contains life. “I don’t live far from the school and so it costs me about a penny a mile in electricity costs!”

For the last 7 years, Principal Muzik has followed an environmentally responsible personal life. But like all hard workers, it is difficult to separate work and private life. Mary Munford Elementary has been a solar school for a little longer than Principal Muzik has been seen buzzing through the streets on his electric scooter. “The school’s 1 kW system was an inspiration to me and the students. Frankly, I hoped it would show our young kids the viability of new energy technologies – I didn’t suspect I’d be so excited too!”

American Electric Power (AEP) donated the system to Mary Munford, hoping to create an awareness of energy issues like solar and recycling in the school. Looking at Principal Muzik’s attitude 7 years later suggests that it has been working. The school now has a PTA committee that makes energy efficiency a priority. “They worked on projects to make us more “green” before anyone started using the word “green,” said Muzik.

Not all of the Richmond School System has progressed as far and as fast as Mary Munford, however. Maryan Cammarata, a long-time Richmond resident, thinks that the energy efficiency policies of Mary Mumford have influenced her community, with more opportunity to come. “Mary Munford was the first school, for a long time, to have any recycling policy in the region,” she said. “I’ve heard about [Mary] Munford’s recycling and energy management policies for sometime now. Just look at Principal Muzik. He’s always zipping around, setting a good example for everyone.”

“I’m a big guy,” Mr. Muzik laughs, “and my weight has limited the range I can get from my scooter.” Mr. Muzik’s larger-than-life personality has definitely contributed to his standard-setting example, with students looking up to him for advice, and watching him live by the examples he preaches: “The students and I figured that the power generated by the solar array, while not much, would provide enough electricity to fuel my scooter forever.” With his good example and with new technologies on the horizon, Mr. Muzik’s next scooter should get him much farther, hopefully alongside an army of his former students, all embodying Muzik’s lessons of efficiency and excitement for life.

Story submitted by the team at Saint Malachy

Everyday sunlight strikes a portion of earth for 7 to 8 hours. Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource in the world. The sun delivers 4 million watts of energy to an acre of surface on a sunny day. If the sun had shown for 8 hours on an acre of soil in your back yard yesterday, it would have received enough solar energy to generate 32,000 kilowatts hours of energy. It would only take about 5.5 acres of sunshine to provide Geneseo with all it’s daily power requirements if we could find efficient methods of converting, storing and transmitting solar energy to electricity for Geneseo residents.

Saint Malachy School students, led by Mrs. Franque’s sixth grade class, are going to study how a photovoltaic cell solar system reaches out to collect sunlight and convert it to electrical power for school use. Classroom lessons designed around a solar energy collector will include mathematics, accounting, chemistry, physics, computer technology, and meteorology. Students will have “hands on” interaction with more ecologically responsible technology tracking how power generation is affected by sun angles, cloudiness, length of day, air temperature, and equipment efficiency.

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation granted Saint Malachy School the money needed to purchase and install a new solar collector system and Commonwealth Edison is helping to pay for the teacher training workshops and the Illinois Solar School Program administration. 

Dave Merrill of Sunair Systems from Byron, Illinois supplied and installed the new equipment on September 11, 2008. Father Pakula is Pastor of Saint Malachy Catholic Parish and School and Stan Griffin is principal of this K-6 grade parochial school located on I-80 just 20 miles East of the Mississippi River. This beautiful church/school campus is used to educate 120 children with the dedication of 11 teachers and 3 aids. 

Gregg Swanson, Building and Grounds Maintenance Supervisor said that the One Kilowatt System has provided about 55kWh of energy in the first 18 days of operation, saving the Parish almost $11.00. One classroom can be lighted with the power generated by the new solar system on a sunny day.

Other schools in the area who have similar solar collection systems are

• Logan Junior High School: Princeton, Illinois
• Alwood School: Woodhull, Illinois
• Nelson Elementary School: Nelson, Illinois

You may go to the following websites to gain more information on solar collection systems:

www.illinoissolarschools.org

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/solar

Hi, I’m Lucy Whitmore and I go to Evergreen 6 in Paradise California. Today I’m going to tell you about a special trip that five kids from my school got to go on to Red Bluff.

Evergreen 6 is a PG&E solar school. We have our own solar array, which powers Evergreen’s computer lab. Sometimes, Evergreen is invited to go on special trips to teach other people about solar power. This year, one of the trips was to Red Bluff to teach other sixth graders about solar. There are about 96 kids that go to Evergreen, and fifty qualified to go on the trip because they had all their work in. Many people wanted to go, but only five were picked. I was really happy that I got to go. Two days after they announced who was going, the lucky five got to school at 6:00 in the morning. Once everyone got there, we left for Red Bluff.

When we got to the Red Bluff science fair, a day where all of Tehama county’s sixth graders went to the fairgrounds for lessons on hands-on science, everyone set up the solar equipment. Some people set up solar gadgets on the tables, and others put up the “Evergreen 6” banners and blew up a solar balloon, which eventually popped. When all of that was set up, we got out the solar ovens and started making cookies so that the kids could try solar cooked food. By the time we finished that, we only had a few minutes to practice our presentations before the first group of kids showed up.

The first time that we did the presentations, it was nerve-wracking. I expected some of the kids to goof off and start talking to their friends, but they all just sat and listened. They were all really interested. With each presentation, it got easier to project your voice and just speak to all of the people.

We taught the other sixth graders about solar gadgets, like solar cell phone chargers, and about how solar ovens work. We also taught them about what solar power could be used for in the future and how it could work. After each group had listened to the presentations, we let them come up and try the solar gadgets and taste the cookies. It was really great, because all the kids were smiling and looking really excited. Most of the people there had never seen a solar panel in real-life, and they really liked it.

Going to Red Bluff was really fun. Besides, about a hundred more people now know more about solar. Some of those people could go home and tell their parents or siblings about solar power, and then even more people know about solar! It feels really good to know that you’ve taught more people about something important in our world. Also, it was so much fun!

Lucy Whitmore, 11, is a sixth grader at Paradise Intermediate School in the Evergreen 6 program. She enjoys reading, playing with friends, and making tie-dye things.

Lucy was among five students who, using the NEED philosophy, taught various aspects of solar energy to their peers in a neighboring county. Her contribution to the Red Bluff Solar day was to talk about large-scale solar, solar concentration, and alternative transportation. (Using solar to power small electric vehicles.)

“More energy from the sun hits the earth in an hour than all the energy consumed by human beings on our planet in an entire year. “  Nate Lewis, Professor, California Institute of Technology

Many of our readers already have heard this statement…but what does it really mean, and how do we plug in?  Who are the leaders among us around the world, how can our communities learn from them, and what new lessons can we build on in 2009?  Most of our readers are connected through our solar schools…as I type this, we are close to 100 posts on our Energy Seeds site and have close to a thousand visitors a month from around the world (only 50 of you comment…but we know you’re out there)!  We are very happy to have you with us as we start a new effort…and I hope you will find it as exciting as I do.

Today I leave to join the 100 People team for a trip around the world…to begin telling a new story of solar leaders around the world – 100 People Under the Sun.  Some of you will be featured in this launch…and we hope to include others as we expand this effort over the next months and years.  Our team started in Paradise over the weekend with a trip to visit Greg Holman and Mario – both are contributors to Energy Seeds, and one of the first schools selected for the PG&E Solar Schools Program.  Tonight, we leave for the Philippines…then on to Malawi and Spain.

You will hear more about this effort in the coming months.  Check out the site below, and consider having your school join this effort…we will highlight leaders among us, and hopefully reach many new students around the world.

Here’s a little background:
http://www.100people.org/100people_under_the_sun.php
The 100 People Foundation is proud to announce a new project in collaboration with our energy partner, SunPower Foundation.

In a world that has become increasingly interconnected and interdependent, the need to understand commonalities, shared values and resources is vital. The 100 People Project set out to do this through the simple means of educating and connecting the people of the world through photography and film.
SunPower Foundation seeks to create a future where sustainable, clean solar power is an essential component of the global energy mix.  With 100 People Under the Sun, we have joined forces to help educate a global population about the tremendous potential that sunlight offers.

Story by Katie Kizer

In a world where one of the most constant sources of concern is money, and big businesses tend to emphasize profit, a major exception to this rule has emerged.  ComEd, a company owned by Exelon, is pushing for alternatives to the burning of fossil fuels.  The company is conscious of the economic strain on the wallets of hardworking Americans and has allied with a grassroots movement for energy efficient and renewable projects.  Aside from these green developments, Exelon is known for its hydroelectric and nuclear power, and the production of energy from fossil fuels.  One could assume from this list of assets that such a company would support the continued devotion to burning fossil fuels and other mechanisms of power which we hold so dear to our hearts.  However, what Exelon has added to that list is its status as “the largest provider of wind power east of the Mississippi River.”  And while wind is the company’s specialty in regards to renewables, Exelon has also branched out into solar energy.  

When inventions such as electric cars debut in this culture, the first thing many of us say is that it will threaten the automobile industry, and by extension threaten the livelihoods of many hardworking individuals.  As the harvesting of corn takes off for purposes of Ethanol, we await the cries from big oil.  Likewise, when solar and wind power are used more continuously to supplement energy use, we all turn to energy companies and wait for the protest.  Exelon has done something different.  It has examined all possible options, factored in the well-being of its stakeholders, and decided to aid in the fight to save money and protect our natural world.  This major conglomerate has committed itself to easing the transition from fossil fuels to alternative energies and ComEd has carried out this commitment in the Chicagoland area.  Paying tribute to these sponsors is important because often they are misrepresented as big bad utility companies with nothing but self-interest in mind.

Now a little bit about how this all relates to a solar installation at Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy, otherwise known as The Exelon Campus of Noble Street Charter School.  Part of the Noble Street Charter Schools, Rowe-Clark is a college prep campus with an emphasis on math and science, located just west of downtown Chicago.  I interviewed Rachel Kramer, Director of External Affairs at Rowe-Clark, who explained exactly how the alliance between the Noble Street Charter Schools and Exelon came about.  “Frank Clark, Chairman & CEO of ComEd, and John Rowe, Chairman and CEO of Exelon, along with Exelon Corporations, invested in Noble to name the Rowe-Clark Math & Science Academy campus.”  Rachel describes the solar installation as a “natural addition” during the renovation process preceding the August 2007 opening.  This is a rare sequence of events in that the school opened its doors for the first time with this renewable energy project already in place.  This is true evidence of solar PV technology becoming engrained within the structure of our nation’s schools.  And what better environment than an accelerated college prep institution with an emphasis on science and math?

Something that I am always eager to learn is how the community in and around the school has reacted to the addition.  It is through these responses that we truly understand the great impact these projects can have.  The truth is that we live in an imperfect world, and even something as sensible as solar can have a rocky start.  Rachel told me about certain frustrations spreading throughout the school while they were awaiting the live online data from the panels.  Everyone was so excited about watching the effects of the project that they felt disillusioned when it was not working properly.  However, Rachel reassured me that “the school community and staff have been very enthusiastic now that our panels are correctly hooked up and we can see the ‘action’ online.”  And of course, a solar PV system in the Midwest is not going to experience as much unadulterated sunlight as those lucky Californians have for their solar schools, so it is natural to feel frustrated throughout the duration of the data collection. 

Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation provided $10,000 in funding for the solar schools project and there is a web page devoted to this project at www.IllinoisSolarSchools.org where the data on the electricity generation from this system can be viewed.  

The ending to this story is nothing but a happy one.  Like many solar schools choose to do, Rowe-Clark held a solar celebration day filled with activities and games all pertaining to the power of the sun.  This includes “making a solar necklace, decorating a cookie to look like the sun (complete with sun spots), making a mini-model of the building’s solar panels, looking at the sun through a solar telescope, playing solar bingo and more.”  Complete with Exelon volunteers, this solar celebration put the final touch on a truly successful endeavor. 

“At Rowe-Clark, we live the Noble Way, dedicating ourselves to scholarship, discipline, and honor as we prepare our scholars for success in college and beyond.”  And if you read a little further into the mission of this school, you will find that one of the priorities is a will and dedication “to learn in a socially conscious environment,” a promise that has been fulfilled above and beyond all expectation.  The people of Chicago can rest easy that the individuals who matriculate at Rowe-Clarke will certainly become a socially responsible citizenry.