MUM courses:
- Energy Use by Man and Nature
- Hands On Course In Sustainable Technologies
- Permaculture Design Certification
- Sustainability Forest Academy
- Artisan Foods and the Slow Food Movement
- Local Economy
Grinnell College courses:
Resource Center
Energy Grinnell
Renewable Energy: The Energy Basis for Man and Nature
ENV 295-02
February 11 - March 5, 2008
Mon - Wed 2:15-4:05
Classroom: 105 Goodnow
"We are charged with designing the world, not being victims of it" - R Buckminster Fuller
The sunlight, the wind, the earth’s temperature, the ocean tides, plant biomass and rainfall — all of these provide energy flows that power the economy of nature. This course explores how the human economy (a small subset of the eocnomy of nature and utterly dependent on it), can be designed to be powered in the same way.
This course explores the basic concepts of energy. We’ll also look at the cultural, economic, and public policy issues involved in the widespread use of renewables coupled with drastic improvements in energy efficiency.
Until now, the human economy has been driven by fossil fuels (ancient sunlight) and a cradle-to-grave materials flow. In contrast, nature’s economy is driven by contemporary sunlight and material flows that works in closed cycles, eliminating the concept of waste (also called cradle-to-cradle). A solar powered economy for humans would more closely resemble the energy and material flows in nature.
The creation of this economy will involve rethinking and redesigning almost every aspect of human endeavor, and is one of the greatest challenges in human history. The common thread that runs through the human economy today is fossil fuels – what kind of economies can we create that have the common thread of renewable energy? Can we use the distributed and scaleable nature of renewable energy to address problems of social and economic equity, to create equity and wealth in communities? We will explore these questions, and many others, in this short course intensive.
The course will consist of lecture, hands on demonstrations and projects, practical application in projects on campus and in the community, films, guest speakers, and teleconferences with national leaders in the field, an field trips. There will be no single textbook, but students will need to purchase a reader that the instructor has specially prepared for this course. (Much of the reader, plus supplemental text, audio, and video is available on-line below)
The class will create a wiki documenting renewable energy projects and resources for the College and the greater Grinnell community, including a review of renewable energy and efficiency policy initiatives that could be adopted by the College and the city of Grinnell.
Contact Info for Course Instructor Lonnie Gamble
Audio, Video, and additional reading material for the fanatical
Guest Speakers, Resource People, and other useful contacts