In a time when everything you thought about the world is changing at warp speed and all the evidence supports the need to work extra hard at being innovative in your approach to problem solving and on top of all this there are resources at your disposal to bring your childs education into the 21st century.
Why one might ask would a school prefer to continue running a curriculum that has little relevance in todays fast changing world. A world where if people don't master new technologies then they as a people will be mastered by them.
The following PDF is an excellant resource (one of many) to change the approach to the way buidings systems are taught and appreciated in our public and technical schools.
See- http://www.r-control.com/downloads/literature/zero_energy_high_res.pdf
Educational Components
and Partners
The Captain Planet Foundation is partnering
with several government agencies and other
nonprofit organizations to provide hands-on
exhibits and informational kiosks within
the cottage to teach students (K-12) about
energy efficiency through renewable energy
sources.
Among these partners include the
US Environmental Protection Agency’s
cooperative Energy Star and US Department
of Energy Building America Program and
EarthCraft House (a green home building
program of the Greater Atlanta Home Builders
and Southface Energy Institute) and environmental
education divisions.
Some of the exhibits include a solar water fountain
that automatically shuts down when it is
shaded from the sun. Two window units will
be displayed with a blower test demonstrating
energy efficient versus nonenergy
efficient windows.
Students will be given an opportunity to interact with a
solar bubble machine. The Captain Planet
Foundation is also partnering with the
American Lung Association to make the
house a healthy house under their guidelines.
The US Environmental Protection
Agency will provide educational fact sheets
on indoor air pollution, environmental
tobacco smoke and carbon monoxide that
will serve as reference materials for the
home.
Environmental Superhero Captain
Planet will also be available in person to
take kids through the house as they learn
about sustainability and renewable energy.
Sponsors for Captain Planet Foundation
Zero Energy Cottage
AOL Time Warner
ABC Gutter Company
Advanced Energy
Big Frog Mountain Corporation
Building Science Corporation
Carpet and Rug Institute
Certified Living, Inc.
Classic Roof Products
Copper Development Association, Inc.
CopperSun
Cutler Hammer, Eaton
EarthCraft House
Evergreen Solar
Expo Design Center
Fantech
Fieldstone Center
Future Smart
Georgia Pacific
Heat-N-Glo
The Home Depot
Husky Hardwoods
Hutton Communications, Inc.
Ingersoll-Rand Schlage
Insulspan, Inc.
Lees Carpet
Louisiana Pacific
Mid Continent Cabinetry
National Park Service
Omni Hotel
Panasonic
Philips Lighting
Plumbing & Mechanical Association of Georgia
Professional Builder Magazine
Pure-A-Tech
RCS
R-Control/Allied Foam Products
Sherwin Williams
Spalding Truss
Southface Energy Institute
Stock Building Supply
Structural Insulated Panel Association
The Sunworks Company
TOTO
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Unirac, Inc.
US Department of Energy’s Building America Program
US Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star Program
Visual Solutions Painting
Whirlpool
Winter Panel Corporation
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2 comments:
JimB:
OUTSTANDING example of what the folks at Oakland Schools Technology Centers, Building and Construction Trades should be focusing on.
As you witnessed yesterday, sadly they are not. However, I know we both agree, they could. In fact if I'm not mistaken I believe we may have "pierced their armor" during yesterday's meeting!
Let's use this as our end-game metaphor and begin the process of bringing it into being (manifestation). I believe this will find many of the folks at yesterday's table fast becoming advocates.
Of course, the students (Most Importantly) will move to this drumbeat in a heartbeat!
Best,
Jim
A few comments here. First to Mr. Stahlberg regarding the Southface Energy Institute.You should read "Saving Energy Growing Jobs" by David Goldstein published by Baytree. It is ironic although predictable to human nature that a small click of a "Trade association" is misusing the banner of energy efficiency analysis training to corner the market and therefor limit honest peoples access to these vitally needed carreers.Not only are they impeding access to this new and emeging job market but they also stand in the way of the larger picture. That is that we need more people to become aware of how they can take advantage of energy efficiency to improve their homes and businesses. These new (and old) technologies that save energy and dollars are part of the promise for a sustainable economy.It is human nature to covet things and so these folks are "normal" The problem with "normal" is that it is self serving and crazy because it stands in the way of our living full creative and productive lives. Anyone impeding this progress had better get off the tracks because the trains a coming full speed ahead!
Second comment and more to the point. The problem of barriers to access regarding this and other innovations are manifold. Starting first with the individual not taking advantage of their own capacity to teach themselves, especially with the advent of the computer age. Secondly there are changes that have to be made in how we use our public and private educational systems to create real world learning environments using all these new disiplines such as energy efficiency and the newfound science of Natural Capitalism.It is instructive to note that although these ideas may not be new in the sense that some people have been aware of them for years. However learned information is always new to each individual while gaining an understanding of information for the first time. When an individual has the foundational understanding of their cognitive capacity to creatively think and innovate, they then may be empowered to add their own vision of how to utilize the technologies uniquely.
This Captain Planet program is indeed one of many that we should utilize for these real world hands on learning programs to bring out each students vision of how they can add to these sciences to change themselves and the world.
Thirdly, I would propose that as part of the vision for the educational camp experience we create on the property a Co-Housing community that is intentional in its mission to be a part of the the camp by supporting its mission and thru everyday interaction with the camp these homes and buildings can be a stellar work in progress that uses all the systems of sustainable building, energy efficiency and other forms of natural capital appreciation. This community would in its charter understand that this is to be an ongoing experiential based learning environment that empowers the students to interacts with it.It goes with out saying that the residents would have the privacy of their own homes as is the case in all Co-Housing communities.
In order for people unfamiliar with the concept of a CoHousing community I am quite sure that we can organize a dinner and presentation of this concept at the Sunward CoHousing community common house in Ann Arbor (Google Sunward CoHousing) if we have interest in such an idea. The land would still be held in trust but each home could be owned by an individual, individuals, or a company or other entity. They would hold deed to the dwelling as is the model in CoHousing. Similar to a condominium association.
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