The community that I am helping is my subdivision, located in city just on the edge of the Bay Area. There aren't many trees where I live. We have huge grassy hills that are dedicated green space and really strong winds. I am trying to solve my subdivision problem with power. Let's face it, it takes a lot of energy to keep twelve-hundred homes cool. Each family pays for their energy bills, but we are all paying a lot for the energy we need. They best solution for us is to come together as a community and solve our energy crisis.

My project addresses the problem with wind energy. We have all these hills that are so barren and so perfect for wind turbines. This project first began when I was in the eighth grade. It was my first year in independent study and I had decided that I didn't want to take Earth Science, but Oceanography and Environmental Science instead. I took the Environmental Science class in my second semester and learned about alternative energy source about half way through it. I was truly captivated by the class and even more captivated by wind energy. I began to wonder why we even bother with fossil fuels to power our homes and why we have to pay so much for energy. Energy should be free; we shouldn't have to be so reliant on power companies for electricity. I then came up with the idea of putting wind turbines in my subdivision and now this project is based on getting more subdivisions and communities to switch to alternative energy.

This project involved a lot research. I bought books, read PG&E's website thoroughly, talked to the manager of a wind farm, talked to real estate agents, and on top of that made a ten minute film. Much of the work and research is summed up in the video.

It's easy if you want to help! First, educate yourself and talk to people in the field of alternative energy. You'd be surprised what's available to you that hardly anyone knows about. Second, start working on your own project, whether it be you house or you community. Third, tell others about it, including me. I'd loved to know what other people are doing in their communities!