According to many people, the best method of educating young people about alternative energy production is with the PicoTurbine Company's kits, books, and projects. The PicoTurbine Company has produced them especially to educate the youth about renewable (alternative) energy thereby promoting the cause and getting young people to look into the future and realise that they will inherit the environment currently being seeded. PicoTurbine has really helped by providing hands on education methods for alternative energy.

As the late, great Gerry Ford said, “Things are more like they are now than they have ever been before.” If we are to change the future world for the better, then it starts right here and now with the advent of “green” energy systems.

One of the core PicoTurbine concepts can be stated like this:

Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I might remember some of it. Involve me, and I will master it.

Based on this adage, the kits thay they produce come complete with suggested activities designed to give the participants hands-on learning.

Another company suggestions is to demonstrate how heat can be produced using wind energy and a “picture wire” as the heating element. PicoTurbine has found that people typically think of wind energy as “cold” energy, and are pleasantly surprised to see how wind can be used for generating heat in the home.

Yet another suggested project is to divide the class into groups, have them design and build wind turbines, followed by discussions and demonstrations about their models with the entire class. They can see which ones produce the most or least electricity; which ones need the least amount of wind power to start up; and for very young children, which ones they find the most exciting.

The PicoTurbine core curriculum that the teachers need to instill in their pupils deals with all the different renewable amd alternative energy sources, such as solar, hydroelectric, geothermal, and biomass and, of course, wind-produced energy. The more alternative sources of energy we can bring into daily use, the less the nation's dependence on foreign oil supplies. Fortunately, alternative energy is becoming more cost effective and can compete with fossil fuels that we currently rely on.

PicoTurbine points out that wind farms and solar arrays are already proving profitable for their manufacturers: In the last two decades, the cost of photovoltaic cells expressed in terms of per-watt has gone from nearly $1000 to just $4! It has been predicted by analysts that by the year 2015, the cost per watt should only be about $1 (in today's dollars).

It is imperative that students be taught about the negative impact  of fossil fuels: pollution and environmental degradation. Air pollution caused by fossil fuel usage has been shown to increase incidences of asthma attacks, intensify allergies, and even cause cancer.

Switching over to clean, green energy produced by alternative methods would not only dramatically lower air pollution , bolster the environment and but also decrease the incidences of respiratory diseases, allergies and other negative health consequences of pollution caused by fossil fuels.

Incidentally, if you buy a product from one of the links on this page, I will be paid a small commission for your purchase :).  Editor

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