Education -

RENEW has a new education program to promote an understanding of renewable energy throughout the state of Wisconsin. This work is built on the experience of the Milwaukee based Community Group Education Program.

The Milwaukee group has done 44 presentations to date to a variety of groups including:

Libraries,

Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions Clubs,

schools, and

conservation groups.

The mission is to discuss the problems with fossil fuel as a source of electric energy, promote a change to renewable energy as a replacement, and advise the audience what they can do to help bring about this change. Presentations are available to groups within 100 miles of Milwaukee.

This program is now being expanded to areas outside that presentation range. If you would like a presentation for a group in your area, or would like to help with this program, contact:

Ed Blume in the RENEW office (eblume@renewwisconsin.org or 608.819.0748).

Members with RENEW's Education Program can also set up longer term displays to promote renewable energy in places like libraries and shopping centers.

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Presentations Reach Out to
Southeastern Wisconsin

by John Bahr, Published in Wisconsin Renewable Quarterly - V10:1 Winter 05

RENEW’s Wind Power Community Education Program presents the renewable energy story to community groups, including schools, service clubs (Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, etc), churches, government, and environmental groups. The goal is to help people understand the current problems of relying on electric power generated from fossil fuels and to introduce them to available alternatives.

The group of volunteers has given 16 presentations mostly in the Milwaukee area, with more scheduled. Response has been excellent. A comment from a group where 50 people attended was, “Thanks for your excellent presentation ... The large number of those in attendance is proof that this issue is gaining great interest.”

Programs provided by our group describe the economic and environmental problems of burning fossil fuel to generate electric power. We present wind power as a positive alternative and tell the audience what they can do to promote the transition from fossil fuel to more windpower.

We urge audiences to learn more about windpower, share this information with their friends and government representatives, and encourage them to sign up for utility-sponsored Green Power programs as another way to transfer their concern into action. We tell them about RENEW’s work and how they can help our cause by joining.

Our program committee, which I chair, meets in Milwaukee at least once a month to discuss renewable energy topics to increase understanding of this field by our committee members. Some people joined our group to increase their personal knowledge of renewable energy before they consider making community presentations. Other more experienced members find they continue to gain more insight from others in the group. We also emphasize teamwork and presentation training, and plan new presentations for community groups as requests are received.

Our members have developed different PowerPoint programs so a presentation can be matched to the nature and interests of a specific group. Dennis Briley, a very active member as well as a member of RENEW’s board, developed a tabletop display to support our presentations with educational posters and take-home literature.

Educational resources continue to grow as additional reference slides, PowerPoint presentations, and other background material are found or developed. The material is available to all committee members for new programs.

Committee membership continues to grow as more people are reached through our presentations. We welcome anyone who wants to work with us. Since our study/action group is made up of people from a variety of backgrounds, the meetings also provide place for networking between members with different interests and needs.

Other RENEW members active in this program include Amy Taivalkoski, Rick O’Conor, Peter Lee, Gerry Flakas, Mark Daugherty, and Ed Allen. Anyone who has an interest in renewable energy is welcome to visit one of our group meetings. Contact John Bahr (414.228.0608) for more information.

As it grows in size and experience, our Milwaukee group can be a model for similar study/action groups in other parts of the state. Anyone in other cities who would like to participate in such a group to promote renewable energy in their community, should contact RENEW.

If you know of a community group in the Milwaukee area who would like a presentation, please contact Ed Blume at eblume@renewwisconsin.org.