30 schools from Himachal learn lessons on solar

Climate change or global warming is a threat and the world is reeling under it today. Emissions emanating from the burning of fossil fuels for energy is one of the major contributors to this threat. The use of renewable sources of energy – such as solar and wind – is being seen as a key initiative towards replacing conventional sources of energy andmitigating the impacts of a changing climate.

Centre for Science and Environment’s Green Schools Programme (GSP) has been working with school teachers and educators from across the country to build an understanding and create an awareness about climate change, its impacts and linking it to some of the major environmental concerns that we are facing today--the solutions and adaptive measures that we could initiate, and how the subject could be taught effectively in the classroom.

Solar 30 is one of the key new initiatives of GSP in this direction, under which the programme–with the support of Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology and Environment (HIMCOSTE), is aiming to workexclusively with some selected schools in Himachal Pradesh. This is the second in a series of workshops (the first was held in Solan) that was developed for these schools, which will continue the discussions and knowledge-building around renewable energy.

MaitreyiKarthik, Deputy Programme Manager for Renewable Energy, CSE, provided training to the participants on issues ranging from the introduction of the concepts of global warming and the ways to mitigate the effects of global warming through the uptake of solar energy in daily life, the installation, operation and maintenance aspects of solar power systems and the best practices for schools — through her presentation.

The two-day workshop focussed on issues ranging from the adoption of solar energy in daily life and the challenges faced in installation, operation/maintenance and the best practices for schools — through an assortment of lectures and presentations, videos, and activities.

All in the sylvan surroundings of CSE’s training facility in Anil Agarwal EnvironmentTraining Institute (AAETI) located in Neemli, Rajasthan, in the foothills of the Aravallis.