How many earths does it take to sustain an energy educator for one year? Too many.
REAP: Renewable Energy Alaska Project
In this terrific piece by REAP’s Taylor Ferguson, she outlines in very clear terms the value in working towards an understanding of our personal energy diet, the amount of energy we more than likely take for granted as we run the day to day rat race of our busy lives. The quest for personal energy use awareness speaks volumes to the greater and pressing need for corporate and municipal entities to also gain an understanding of energy usage. Individuals can indeed make change, but the effect of both business and governing bodies to effect change can be so much greater and far reaching.
At REAP, we often frame our teaching in the context of energy literacy, which is, according to the Department of Energy, an understanding of the nature and role of energy in the world and daily lives accompanied by the ability to apply this understanding to answer questions and solve problems. Our goal is to increase the energy literacy of all Alaskans, thereby increasing human capacity to make informed decisions about energy. I think through this endeavor of quantifying my own energy use, I myself have become a much more energy literate person. Because if we don’t understand how we use energy, how can we start to solve the problems that surround and encompass our energy use?
There are so many angles to go about saving energy and living more sustainably – from purchasing carbon offsets for travel (which REAP has recently decided to do), to investing in efficiency measures to save electricity and heat in your home. These individual choices are powerful and should not be underestimated, because collectively they can lead to systemic, positive change.