Watt's in the News? - Volume 15

There have been a lot of articles published over the past month from a wide variety of sources expressing views on the "gas vs electric stove" debate at the federal level. The use of natural gas, though, goes far beyond just cooking our food. Here is a series of articles that can be shared over the next two months as we take a look at energy transformation and resources that can help identify regional production/consumption data for a variety of energy sources. 

All of these resources provide support for the upper level of the BTU Crew: "Module 5 - Energy Usage in Buildings." In addition, they serve as a great introduction to the lessons high school students can learn in NC3 Data Analytics Certification #1 - "Harnessing the Power of Data" and Certification #2 - "Energy & Sustainability with Data Analytics".

"A look at energy transformations, past and present..."

The Past: 

One of America's first conservationists and considered by many to be the father of modern game management, Aldo Leopold, wrote the environmental classic, "A Sand County Almanac". A visionary in terms of conservation and sustainability, Leopold stated, "Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land." 

"A Sand County Almanac" was required reading for students in my Environmental Science classes and one of my favorite quotes is from his story of "Good Oak." 

“There are two spiritual dangers in not owning a farm. One is the danger of supposing that breakfast comes from the grocery, and the other that heat comes from the furnace.”

-  Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

In his writings to help the reader understand where our energy comes from, Leopold symbolically talks of landowners using the shovel to give and the axe to take. His stories stress the importance of understanding the connections in nature and the role we play as a part of this natural world. It is only through understanding these connections that we can truly begin to sustain them. 

So today, while the symbolic tools of the shovel and axe still exist, man and machine have progressed in ways that can have a much greater impact on nature and society, creating rapid changes that can have both positive and/or negative impacts. 

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American Countryside With Windmill

Present:  

One of the newest tools we have available to optimize all of these energy transformations necessary to sustain our quality of life is data analytics. Technology now allows us to collect and rapidly analyze large amounts of data, but sometimes it helps to take a step back to keep in mind the big picture and all of the related connections (https://www.nc3.net/partner-trane/).

NC3 Data Analyttics Certification #1 

NC3 Data Analytics Certification #2

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Meet Bill NelsonTrane Educator in Residence

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