| Young people need to be educated about the | | | | one with the least; the ones that require the least |
| production of alternative energy and the most | | | | quantity of wind power; and most aesthetically |
| successful way as witnessed by the writer is by | | | | appealing wind turbine of all of them. |
| using the PicoTurbine Company's books, projects and | | | | PicoTurbine have a core curriculum for teachers to |
| kits. PicoTurbine has produced these things to | | | | follow to instil in their pupils minds. Included in these |
| purposely educate young people about the | | | | renewable and alternative energy sources are |
| environment which they will inherit by looking at the | | | | biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric and solar energy |
| advances in alternative or renewable energy, the | | | | as well as wind-produced energy. By using these |
| seeds of their future. "Things are more like they are | | | | alternative energy sources, we decrease the nation's |
| now than they have ever been before", said the late, | | | | dependence for using foreign oil supplies, that have |
| great Mr. Gerry Ford. "If we are to change the future | | | | to bought from nations which are not known "allies", |
| world for the better, then it starts right here and | | | | also making it more expensive for our country. It is |
| now with the advent of the "green" energy systems. | | | | seen to be cost effective and is becoming more so |
| There is a an old adage which states: "Tell me, and I | | | | to use alternative energy, in comparison to the use |
| will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of | | | | of fossil fuels which we currently are reliant upon. |
| it. Involve me, and I will master it", which has been | | | | As pointed out by PicoTurbine it is already a |
| tried and tested. It has become a core concept of | | | | commercial sucess for those in the production of |
| PicoTurbine in producing kits which encourage young | | | | wind farms and also solar energy plants. During the |
| people to learn hands-on by the activities that are | | | | last twenty years, photovaltaic cells have gone from |
| suggested so they can see for themselves. One such | | | | costing almost $1000 down to only $4 per watt. |
| suggestion by the company is the demonstration of | | | | Predictions show that by the year 2015, analysts |
| how wind energy can produce heat (a specialty of | | | | have the cost per watt down to only $1 (by today's |
| the company), which uses a "picture wire" as the | | | | prices). The hidden costs of fossil fuels should be |
| heating element. People naturally would think that | | | | taught to students, and what can lead to |
| wind energy would produce some king of "cold" | | | | environmental pollution and degradation. There are |
| energy as discovered by PicoTurbine, so it comes as | | | | lots of health risks as the burning of fossil fuels |
| a pleasant surprise to learn how in fact the use of | | | | causes a lot of air pollution increasing the cases of |
| wind in our homes can generate heat. The company | | | | asthma, the increase and heightened allergies, and |
| also offers another suggestion that in a classroom, | | | | how they cause cancer. The importance of switching |
| different groups are made up, so that can build their | | | | to cleaner, green energy is paramount and it should |
| own wind turbines and then the results compared | | | | be stressed that by more use we would prevent |
| respectively. This is exciting for young children | | | | more air pollution that would improve the |
| especially, as they are then able to see which one | | | | environment for all. |
| can produce the most electricity in comparison to the | | | | |