By Linda F. Shipton
Special to the Post
“Greetings, Earthlings. No matter how alien you might feel, you are all Earthlings.”When Fred Stewart of Solar Consultants Inc. announced his arrival, he had the attention of everyone in the auditorium at Knox Middle School. He kept that attention, for the rest of the hour, with the sixth-grade students assembled for the Earth Day commemoration which started in the auditorium, traveled the halls, and entered most of the science classes that day.
Stewart, who has been in the solar energy business for more than 30 years, seemed more showman than “solarman” as he wove through the history, math and reality of solar thermal energy. He showed students how people have, for thousands of years, heated their homes and their water, cooked their food and lit their buildings with the beautiful, natural and never-ending source of energy that comes from the sun.
Perhaps the unusual greeting may have seemed humorous to us all at first, but as he continued, he reminded us that this is our home planet and that everyone chooses the energy they consume, whether they think about it or not.
“The sun emits enough energy in one second to power our planet for 500,000 years,” Stewart said. “And, as a matter of fact, we now power our entire planet completely with solar energy”
I thought he had misread his script, but he continued.
“All plant matter on the earth is the result of direct conversion of sunlight to living plants through photosynthesis. All of the oil that we pump from the ground is from remnants of prehistoric tropical forests and assorted plants that have been transformed through the eons into the wonderful complex hydrocarbon molecule that we now use so prolifically. All of the coal was likewise created this way, through time and pressure. Our planet, fellow Earthlings, has been powered by solar energy since the beginning of time.
“Only now are we becoming aware of the impact of using all of the terrestrial stored forms of the energy. Most of the environmental damage that is done to the earth is done as the result of the need for energy. Whether it is for transportation, electric generation, heating our homes or operating our factories, we need energy. All of the hydroelectric power we create is the result of the sun’s heat warming the oceans and evaporating water that then rains out in the mountains, and is captured behind dams and then runs through turbines and drives gigantic generators.
“The wind is the result of solar-heated air rising and making way for cooler air to fill the void; all the weather is created by solar energy. It makes perfect sense that we would begin to capture this powerful energy source as it falls on the earth, fellow Earthlings, and use it in its natural state. The price we pay for using some of the more complex forms of solar energy is not limited to environmental damage ó we also fight wars for the rights to possess energy located in foreign lands. And that price is paid in human lives.”
What energy choices have been made for us, what are the alternatives and do we want to do to make a change?
It all seemed simple when thinking with middle school logic, but could it really be that simple?
“One square foot of sunshine is one watt of energy; all we need to do is harvest it,” he said.
“Change will never happen until you take the first step,” he said.
This is something we all need to remember in our global community even as many people struggle with the challenging circumstances they are facing already.
“The change that is upon us will be your challenge to undertake,” Stewart reminded students, and they seemed to understand we all make choices that effect us and the world around us.
“I think that in the future, we will be embarrassed that we used the wonderful complex hydrocarbon that oil is for its heat energy. When we reflect on all of the fantastic products that come from oil, we will understand what a waste it was to burn oil for the heat it contains.”
The interest the students had for the subject was obvious, the questions were everywhere.
Stewart offered one final observation: “I don’t know if we will make a difference. I only know that if we don’t try, we won’t succeed.”
Linda F. Shipton is a teacher of exceptional children at Knox Middle School.