Back to the Basics Therese E. Peffer I had always lived in the city. Turn on the faucet, water rushes out. Flick a switch, light floods the room. Rotate a dial and the room gets warmer. Flush. Almost magical. As long as the bills are paid, nothing requires you to think about the source of water or electricity, how much is used, or even where the waste goes. Enter Home Power The last two months have been different. I moved from Berkeley, CA to Agate Flat, OR to work for Home Power Magazine. Living in the country requires one to be concerned with where the water, light, and heat come from and where the waste goes. Don't get me wrongÐI often wondered where my city water and energy came from, but now I am closer to the sources and the sinks. We are actively involved for the resources we use; conservation comes naturally (less work for us!). I came to learn about renewable energy. Again, not that one cannot learn in a more urban setting, but I am immersed in the application here. Opening the daily mail with its comments and questions from readers is an education in itself. I am a noviceÐless than a year ago, I didn't even know what "PV" meant. I struggle through the technical articles herein, but I'm learning. Discussion of watts, voltage, and basic battery chemistry awakens memory of chemistry and physics courses, but it makes more sense now in a real life situation. I started keeping a list of the new vocabularyÐnicad, inverter, charge controller, regulator, etc.Ðand it is beginning to make sense. Of course, many more questions arise. I'm beginning to appreciate the complexity rather than be overwhelmed by it. From site selection to defining needs, from what kind, how many, to ac vs DC, and then the study of cost-effectiveness, the process of developing a system has many facets! The Question Everyone has their own particular interest in the renewable energy field, whether batteries, solar cooking, or environmental concerns. I am interested in education. How do people become aware of the so- called alternatives to the ubiquitous utility? Where do those interested learn about photovoltaics, solar thermal, hydrogen, water, and wind power? What sparks the interestÐpersonal freedom, ecology? What got me hooked was reading about appropriate technology projects in developing countries. Some of these countries have great political and environmental problems; I do not want to idealize them. However, it is the philosophy of using local resources in keeping with local culture and environment in small scale projects that attracts me. Lack of excess spawns creativity. When people don't have a lot of resources, they make do on what they have, using mud, bamboo, stringÐwhatever comes to hand. Living from the land implies an inherent conservation of resources and simplifying of needs, and elicits a stewardship for the natural environment. People have been living sustainably (taking what you need from what the land can give) and with little impact on ecological cycles for thousands of years. Appropriate to U.S.? But try to find this philosophy in the United States. We import oil thousands of miles to light and heat our homes. We cut trees for export. We ship water and electricity for hundreds of miles down canals and wires. Hours are spent on the road commuting to work. We flush nutrients out to sea. Large-scale invites separation from the land, excess, and waste. There is no initiative to conserve water or energyÐjust "pay a little extra." But there is hope. In these pages, I read about people recycling motorcycle parts into wind machines, making trailer heaters out of car parts, and concocting homemade meters. With renewable energy, people can move to the country and enjoy the comforts of the city. Besides living amongst the beauty, there is the freedom from utilities, and less pollution. For urban areas, I have seen programs to take the magic out and put reality in; such projects introduce open space, reintroduce natural environments, encourage pedestrian traffic, or integrate agriculture into a city. I remember the Sustainable Cities conference in Berkeley encouraging sustainability of citiesÐmore efficient, and less travel time for both food and people. There are a growing number of utilities that encourage conservation through weather sealing, energy efficient appliances, and compact fluorescent lights. The Integral Urban House, a renovated Berkeley Victorian, demonstrated self-reliant living in the city to the public, until its closure in 1985. The house featured passive solar design, a composting toilet, solar heated water, grey water system. A large vegetable garden, rabbits, bees and fish were raised in the back yard. Education at any age How to get others hooked? The first step is educationÐcreating awareness of energy and environment, energy and politics, and alternatives to what we do now. Through education, we can refine the questions and make better choices. For inspiration, we have a fourth and sixth grade class from Penasco Elementary School in Penasco, New Mexico. Recently, they wrote to Home Power requesting a subscription in return for writing about what they are learning about solar power. We are delighted with their suggestion of a Kid's Corner in Home Power, and introduce the first with this issue. We salute Brad Rose of Solar Works for dedicating his Friday afternoons to teaching these youth. End Note Back in Berkeley, I tried to learn more about sustainable forms of energy and came up with few sources after much time. It's great to finally be immersed in it! But, I am interested in where opportunities for learning about RE are across the nation. We are aware of some schools out there, but there must be more! Please drop me a postcard if you know of a class at your local school, university, college, or trade school in RE, and we can spread the word!