December Energy Education NewsletterDec 12, 2019 · be loaned one Davis Vantage Pro2 Weather...
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From: Energy Education Director, Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) [email protected] Subject: December Energy Education Newsletter Date: December 11, 2019 at 2:00 PM Colleen -- Happy solstice season! REAP staff have been reflecting lately about how easy it is to expend a lot of energy this time of year, from finding reprieve from the cold and dark, to out- of-state holiday travel. One way to reduce your impact is through the purchase of carbon offsets . This month’s related trivia question: What Alaska nonprofit has created the state’s only locally-targeted carbon offset fund? Read to the end to find the answer! Power Pledge Challenge 2019: the results are in! We're thrilled to share that more than 4,000 students from 167 middle school classrooms around the state participated in the 7th annual Power Pledge Challenge, an initiative aimed at helping youth better understand their energy use. Students received a presentation about electricity from an educator, then went online and completed a survey and made a pledge to reduce their energy use. Completion of the pledge entered their class into the competition for both regional and state prizes. Join us in celebrating the 2019 statewide winner, Keane Richards’ 3 rd period science class at Anvil City Science Academy in Nome! This year’s campaign covered the largest geographic area of the challenge to date. Learn more here .
Transcript of December Energy Education NewsletterDec 12, 2019 · be loaned one Davis Vantage Pro2 Weather...
From: Energy Education Director, Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) [email protected]: December Energy Education Newsletter
Date: December 11, 2019 at 2:00 PM
Colleen --
Happy solstice season! REAP staff have been reflecting lately about how easy it is toexpend a lot of energy this time of year, from finding reprieve from the cold and dark, to out-of-state holiday travel. One way to reduce your impact is through the purchase of carbonoffsets. This month’s related trivia question: What Alaska nonprofit has created the state’sonly locally-targeted carbon offset fund? Read to the end to find the answer!
Power Pledge Challenge 2019: the results are in!
We're thrilled to share that more than 4,000students from 167 middle school classroomsaround the state participated in the 7th annualPower Pledge Challenge, an initiative aimed athelping youth better understand their energy use.Students received a presentation about electricityfrom an educator, then went online andcompleted a survey and made a pledge to reducetheir energy use. Completion of the pledgeentered their class into the competition for bothregional and state prizes. Join us in celebrating the 2019 statewide winner, Keane Richards’3rd period science class at Anvil City Science Academy in Nome! This year’s campaigncovered the largest geographic area of the challenge to date. Learn more here.
KidWind Challenge is an engineering design competition that allows students to design andtest model wind turbines. Teams come to the competition ready to test their turbine design in a wind tunnel for maximum power output, get tested on their wind energy knowledge, and present to judges on their design, process, and collaboration.
Interested in putting a team together? Participate in our free training on January 11th tolearn about the basics of wind energy in Alaska, activities about wind you can incorporateinto your classroom, and how to get a team together for the KidWind Challenge!Participants who attend the training and bring a team to the Challenge have the opportunityto earn a free continuing education credit. Learn more, including how to register for thetraining or Challenge, here.
Weather Education Program: Still accepting applications! Are you an educator looking for a new,interesting way to engage your students inSTEM? Renewable Energy Alaska Project(REAP) is excited to be soliciting applications forits Weather Education Program. Recipients willbe loaned one Davis Vantage Pro2 WeatherStation for use in developing a place-based,student-led and multi-year project that addressesa local energy issue in their community. Eligibleapplicants include K-12 teachers from alldisciplines, as well as informal educators that engage with students on a regular basis. Formore information, including how to apply for this exciting opportunity, click here.
Upcoming REAP presentations
Watt’s Up with Renewables in Alaska?: On January 12th at 49th State Brewing Company in Anchorage from 4-5pm, Colleen will be giving a presentation overviewing Alaska’s renewable energy landscape. She will answer questions such as: How are communities using renewable energy throughout the state? When is the best time of the year for solar in Alaska and why? How do different technologies work? This presentation is hosted by Anchorage Science Pub. See more about this event here. Clean Energy in the Mat-Su Region discussion: On January 16th at Sutton Library from 7-7:45pm, Colleen will be joined by Mark Masteller to discuss renewable energy and project initiatives in the Mat-Su region as part of the Castle Mountain CoalitionWinter Speaker Series.
Reminder: KidWind Training January 11th
Student Opportunities
Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA)Civic and Conservation Summit will be held March24-27, 2020 in Juneau. This is a youth-drivensummit where peers will hone their skills incommunication, advocacy, and the democraticprocess to affect change. If you know of youngpeople who are passionate about making a
difference in their community, learn more about the application process or how to nominatea teen for this opportunity here.
The Arctic Youth Ambassadors Program: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, AlaskaGeographic, Alaska Conservation Foundation, and World Wildlife Fund are recruitingAlaskan high school and college-aged youth (17-20 years old) for the third cohort of thisprogram. Over the course of 18 months, student Ambassadors will get to share their voiceand visions for the Arctic, our country, and the world through media and publicpresentations, meetings with policymakers, trainings, rural and urban exchanges, fieldprojects, and Arctic conservation convenings. Students who have high leadership potential,an interest in Arctic issues, and a passion for storytelling should apply. Application form canbe found here and nomination form here. The deadline to apply is January 5th, 2020.
Job Opportunities
Summer Science Educatorpositions with AlaskaGeographic in Denali NationalPark: Would you like to spendthe summer living and workingamidst spectacular mountainscenery with unparalleledwildlife viewing opportunities? Apply to join the Alaska Geographic science educationteam at the Murie Science and Learning Center in Denali National Park and Preservefor a summer of learning, exploration, sharing, and fun. Learn more here.Applications due January 12.Youth Summit Coordinator for Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA):AYEA inspires and trains rural and urban youth leaders to impact environmentalissues through youth-led campaigns. The Civics and Conservation Summit brings 20youth organizers from around Alaska to Juneau for a week of youth driven
engagement with state policymakers. If you are passionate about supporting youthleadership please send a letter of interest and resume to [email protected]. Seefull job description here.Environmental Educator for the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies: Leadeducational programs for children, school groups, and visitors to Alaska. Seasonalstaff are employed at the Wynn Nature Center (a 140-acre boreal forest preserve),Peterson Bay Field Station (a semi-rustic facility across Kachemak Bay andaccessible only by boat), and Yurt on the Spit (exploration of invertebrate life living onand around the Homer Harbor Docks). For more information, check out the webpagehere.
Blog posts by STEM Education staff:
Peace of Keex’ by Clay Good: "Apart from the occasional din of airplanes and theyear-round thrumming of diesel generators, the peaceof Keex’ (Kake) is one of the most compelling qualitiesof this quietTlingit cultural stronghold in the middle ofAlaska’s panhandle..."How many earths does it take to sustain an energyeducator for one year? Too many by TaylorFerguson: "I think through this endeavor ofquantifying my own energy use, I myself have becomea much more energy literate person. Because if wedon’t understand how we use energy, how can westart to solve the problems that surround andencompass our energy use?"Deck the halls…with energy saving light bulbs byColleen Fisk: “Winter solstice is just days away, so our nights are long and (sort of)cold. This is a time of year when heating and electricity bills go up… If you aretravelling, even if just for a few days, there are some major savings to be had withjust a few tweaks.”
Trivia
Q: What Alaska nonprofit has created thestate’s only locally-targeted carbon offsetfund?
A: Renewable Juneau. This non-profitcreated the Juneau Carbon Offset Fund, in which the funds generated from the purchase ofcarbon offsets will eliminate future heating oil emissions by financing the conversion of oil-
based heating systems to carbon-free, high efficiency, hydro-powered heating systems forqualified lower income Juneau households. Read here about the program’s success story ineliminating 700 annual gallons of heating oil in a 1904 Douglas home with the first round ofoffset revenues!
Colleen Fisk, Taylor Ferguson & Clay Good
Renewable Energy Alaska Project Educators
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