We need to change our lifestyles and the way we work, live and play in order to live within planetary boundaries (stopping human-caused climate change, destroying air, water, nature, etc.). We can totally get to a point where everyone on the planets’ needs are met, and we’re all living our purpose and making a good living in service to human well-being and nature.
The first and absolutely necessary change is to shift away from energy provided by fossil fuels (coal, oil, “natural” gas) to clean, renewable energy (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.). It’s totally possible, and it’s absolutely critical. Energy is intertwined with every facet of our lives, so changing the way we get and use energy will also affect every aspect of our lives. It’s important to understand the underlying facts. That’s what this course is for.
Over the course of this course, we’ll refer to this transition to clean renewable energy as “CHANGE.”
Who is this course for? Everyone.
How long will it take for me to complete the course? Depending on your familiarity with the topics, this will probably take 15 minutes to an hour or more per day over the course of a week or so. It’s really a self-guided course, with lots of links to external information. The idea is that you try to absorb the main ideas, then dig deeper into the the topics that interest you most. You don’t have to complete all the lessons if you don’t want to.
What are the rewards for taking this class? First of all, you’re going to be super knowledgeable and up to date on all the latest information about the transition that’s underway, and you’re going to know what to do to get involved. If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions. Each lesson is worth either 50 points total or ten points per topic in the lesson you complete, then you get another 100 points when you’ve completed all the lessons. If you complete assignments, you get 50 points for each assignment, then if you complete all 3 assignments you can also get a certificate of completion for your All4.Earth profile.
What else do I need to know?
When something jumps out at you or grabs your heart, get on the discussion forum and see who else is thinking about it. A discussion forum is part of the course, so participate in the discussion forum and apply your knowledge.
Key Takeaways
You will have the basic underlying knowledge that everyone needs in order to understand what is happening in our world, why we must change, and ideas on how to do it. Once you read it, you will be prepared to start your journey.
The transition to business models and lifestyles currently underway (and required) is one of the biggest opportunities of our time, in terms of:
Reducing carbon emissions,
The massive number of jobs and investment that will be created, and
The increase in human health, equity, and prosperity.
This is the “change” we want and need, and that we’ll be referring to throughout the course.
IT’S URGENT! For best results, the transition to clean energy needs to get about half way there by 2030, and be completed by 2050, or even sooner if possible. So, this is the story of our lifetime. There’s nothing bigger. It’s a big complicated change, but it has to happen, and we have to do it right. Everyone has a role to play, and that starts with taking the responsibility to know the facts and get involved as a citizen of your community, state, and nation.
This course provides learners with essential facts and information so they can:
Understand the benefits of renewable energy and climate change, how these changes will result in lots of good jobs, and why it’s urgent to transition now,
Understand critical factors for success,
Understand how they can start to get their own families and communities hooked into taking action, and
Know the crucial actions that need to be happening now so that we can get this done.
Learners are also introduced to the climate venture map, a way to cause the change we want to see.
Disclaimer
We’re not making any representations, warranties or promises by offering this class. There will be things missing, things that could be covered better, but we’ve done our best to get what we feel are some important facts into the course. If you take any of the target actions or click on any of the links, do so at your own risk. Also, please be sure to sign up for and provide feedback in the discussion group. Thanks again!
Everyone's first priority always has to be their own mental and physical health and safety. We need to have clean air and water, adequate shelter, food, education, healthcare, security and mental health. As we build and protect our comfort zone, we have to ensure that we don't harm others or the environment in doing so. To get started:
Understand and evaluate your personal needs and impact.
Think about the things that you really need to be happy and healthy, and how you can cut unnecessary waste.
Ask questions.
Seek out truth in a world of disinformation.
Know your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in a world with a changing climate.
All kinds of jobs are available in The Climate Economy in areas like clean energy, natural conservation and restoration, and the circular economy just to name a few. And we can create new ventures that are good for the climate, economy and humanity based on our expertise and passions. We can all achieve economic security. To get started:
Explore and learn more about what you love, and how it fits in The Climate Economy.
Try things out.
Measure and evaluate.
Specialize and create value in your area of expertise.
3. Share: Participate and share your expertise.
Humans need to feel that their lives have meaning and that they personally have value. Belonging and contributing our strengths and experiences to a community is also a basic human need. To get started:
Share and participate.
Build community.
Build connections.
Build trust.
Contribute your expertise.
Repeat!!
We will learn lots of lessons along our 3-steps, so we can evaluate, improve and repeat.
This course aims to provide learners with a basic introduction to worker-owned cooperatives, what they are, how they work, and why anyone would want to be involved in one.
Points for completion: 50; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Time to completion: 10-30 minutes depending on your familiarity with the subject
Mini-courses should be completed at your own pace and for your own benefit. The quizzes will not be graded but should still be completed with care.
You can get the background information you need to do a Community Climate SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats). A SWOT analysis is a key part of any strategic plan. A Community Climate SWOT is a lot like a traditional SWOT analysis but with climate change considerations kicked in. At the end you’ll be able to lead a discussion in your chosen community to do the analysis if you so wish.
Time to completion: Probably about an hour.
Points for completion: If you are a registered member, you can earn 100 points for completion of the three lessons. There are also two “quizzes” (actually surveys) which are worth an additional 100 points each.
This course is a pared-down version of the “Clean Energy and Jobs” course. It only includes the lessons and topics related to Illinois and the Clean Energy Jobs Act and the Toolkit.
Who is this course for? Everyone interested in clean energy and jobs, but especially Illinoisans. It shows the current status of clean energy and jobs in Illinois, and how pending legislation is aiming to spread clean energy and jobs all across the state.
What are the benefits of taking this course?
You will learn about what’s happening in clean energy and jobs in Illinois, and about a novel pending legislation that has been a grassroots effort over a number of years.
If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Part of the course is a toolkit, which has handy facts and figures plus a whole list of actions you can take to participate in the clean energy and jobs transition in Illinois.
How long will it take to complete the course? Probably from one to a few hours.
Are you interested in starting a new group or getting your existing group to do start a new effort? In this Intro-To-Go:
You will be shown examples of how others are starting groups to accomplish a variety of goals,
You will get lots of ideas for new groups or efforts, and
You will learn how to use CLEANetwork for group facilitation and reward group members and others for target actions.
For now these courses are self-managed, so you decide what to read and what to pursue further. If you would like additional help, contact theclimateeconomy@gmail.com or call 618 713 2896.
There are several lessons in this course. You don’t have to complete all of them. If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions. You will get points for whatever lessons you complete. Just as a bonus you get 50 extra points if you complete all the lessons.
This course provides some reading material about Illinois Solar for All provided by the Citizens Utility Board and by the Illinois Solar for All website. Please read and share.
Time to completion: 10-30 minutes
Points upon completion: 30; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
This course provides introductory information for schools in Illinois interested in solar and in teaching about solar.
Time to completion: 10-30 minutes
Points for completion: 30; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Be sure to share the course when you’re done and get extra points!
Who is this course for? This course is for everyone ready to start their energy transition. It covers the many inter-related topics and issues that go along with clean energy. The transition is not just as simple as switching on the lights. It’s going to take individual efforts along with systemic change, powered by individuals. It’s important to know all the issues so that you can have a positive impact. It’s not necessary to be a scientist or a legal or business expert, but you may have to spend some extra time on things you’re not familiar with. The course is general and for everyone, while the Toolkit that is Part 3 of the course and can be downloaded separately focuses especially on Illinois and CEJA. We’ll be adding more info on resources in more states soon.
What is the target action for this course? Target actions are things we can do to reduce emissions and/or increase human connections. They are things people can do or participate in that result in a variety of rewards and benefits. The target action right now is to get people started on their energy transition: using clean energy, getting them in to clean energy jobs, and to help others so do as well, and to stop using fossil fuels for electricity and transportation. We produced these educational materials, including the course and the toolkit, to 1) educate people on why we can and must transition now, 2) the keys to success of the transition, and 3) the many ways to participate right now and start feeling the benefits of transition. Basically, by taking this course, you’re jumping into the transition. We’re giving you a list of things everyone can do, and hopefully inspiring you to find even more.
How long will it take for me to complete the course? This will probably take 15 minutes to an hour or more per day over the course of a week or so, depending on how much background you already have on the topics, and how much you want to learn. It’s really a self-guided course, with lots of links to external information. The idea is that you try to absorb the main ideas, then dig deeper into the the topics that interest you most. You don’t have to complete all the lessons if you don’t want to.
What are the rewards for taking this class? First of all, you’re going to be super knowledgeable and up to date on all the latest information about clean energy and jobs, and you’re going to know what to do to get involved. If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions. Each lesson is worth either 50 points total or ten points per topic in the lesson you complete, then you get another 100 points when you’ve completed all the lessons. If you complete assignments, you get 50 points for each assignment, then if you complete all 3 assignments you can also get a certificate of completion for your CLEANetwork profile and which can be verified by The Climate Economy Education Inc on your Appii.io resume.
What else do I need to know?
This is a self-guided course, so keep a notebook with things that interest you or that you want to learn more about.
When something jumps out at you or grabs your heart, get on the discussion forum and see who else is thinking about it. A discussion forum is part of the course, so participate in the discussion forum and apply your knowledge.
We recommend you do the lessons in order, although it’s not required. You can skip around and even skip lessons or topics; you just won’t get the bonus 100 points unless you complete everything.
Also, this course is not the final word on clean energy and jobs. The main goal is to provide the basics and inspire people to dig deeper into topics that interest them.
Please note: the Clean Energy Jobs Act is a piece of legislation in Illinois that may come up for a vote at some point. Things about it may change over time, and we will do our best to make sure the course and the toolkit and the course are kept up to date.
Key Takeaways
The transition to clean energy and jobs is going to require that we, as humans, decide to be smarter about how we do things. It’s going to require the kind of mobilization we had after WWII. We have brains, and we need to start using them, start taking responsibility, and start working together. We can do it, it’s going to open up all kinds of new opportunities, and it’s going to be a blast.
It’s the responsibility of every American citizen to make sure that the people who represent them at all levels of government know that they want a transition to clean energy and jobs, urgently. If legislators are still propping up fossil fuels and receiving fossil fuel money, they must be voted out, or we’re just going to keep ending up with more and bigger of the same problems. Politicians must be required to work for all the people they represent, not just big corporations with lots of money who want to bend the rules, but rather including the poor, people of color, women, Indigenous people, fossil fuel workers, local communities, future generations and small businesses.
Everyone has a role to play. For now, please be sure to learn the facts about clean energy and jobs in this course and toolkit, pass it on, get involved, and help make clean energy and jobs happen.
Details
Clean energy is one of the biggest opportunities of our time, in terms of:
Reducing carbon emissions,
The massive number of jobs and investment that will be created, and
The increase in human health, equity, and prosperity.
For best results, the transition to clean energy needs to get about half way there by 2030, and be completed by 2050, or even sooner if possible. So, this is the story of our lifetime. There’s nothing bigger. Clean energy is a big complicated change, but it has to happen, and we have to do it right. Everyone has a role to play, and that starts with taking the responsibility to know the facts and get involved as a citizen of your community, state, and nation.
This course provides learners with essential facts and information so they can:
Understand the benefits of clean energy, how it will result in lots of good jobs, and why it’s urgent to transition now,
Understand critical factors for a successful clean energy and jobs future for all,
Understand how they can start to get their own families and communities hooked into clean energy, and
Know the crucial actions that need to be happening now so that we can get this done. There is an entire list of individual target actions that people can take today and every day. There’s also a toolkit to keep handy.
Learners are also introduced to the climate venture map, a way to cause the change we want to see.
This course also has a “Focus on Illinois and CEJA,” or the Clean Energy Jobs Act. CEJA is a piece of legislation that has been supported by many individuals, communities and organizations in Illinois, but has not yet been passed by Illinois legislators. As part of this course, learners will also be able to:
Talk about the Clean Energy Jobs Act in Illinois and how it will benefit all Illinoisans,
Understand why laws are crucial to the success of the clean energy and jobs transition, and
Learn how to get involved in their own communities.
It links to a lot of external reports, and copy/pastes important parts of long reports in these lessons so you don’t have to read the whole reports if you don’t want to. This course is also available as an ebook. The benefit of taking the course is that you get points when you complete lessons and the course on CLEANetwork. You will also get points if you join and participate in the discussion group, and you can also get points for sharing on social media or emailing invites to people you know. Thank you and please share!
Disclaimer
We’re not making any representations, warranties or promises by offering this class. There will be things missing, things that could be covered better, but we’ve done our best to get what we feel are some important facts into the course. If you take any of the target actions or click on any of the links, do so at your own risk. Also, please be sure to sign up for and provide feedback in the discussion group. Thanks again!
Learn about the many ways in which the fossil fuel industry has deliberately misinformed the public in order to keep selling their products regardless of the costs to human health and the environment.
Points for completion: 30; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Time to completion: 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on type/number of sources researched
You should complete this course at your own pace and according to your own informational needs. Quiz completion is required to help you organize your thoughts, but will not be graded.
This mini-course provides learners with information about how to counter lies and myths about clean energy and climate change that is holding back forward progress.
Points for completion: 30 points; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Time to completion: 10-30 minutes
Mini-courses should be completed at your own pace and for your own benefit. The quizzes will not be graded but should still be completed with care.
Read about the Ameren Illinois Residential Energy Efficiency Program and find ways to reduce your energy use and lower your energy bills.
Points for completion: 15; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Time to completion: 10-30 minutes depending on your familiarity with the subject
Mini-courses should be completed at your own pace and for your own benefit. The quizzes will not be graded but should still be completed with care.
This course is a quick introduction to the subject of solar tax incentives and rebates.
Points for completion: 15; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Money that stays in your own community will strengthen your local economy and create jobs more efficiently than the powerhouse corporations that towns across America have been so desperate to attract through costly tax incentives and other payouts. Many local investments can provide better or equal returns than putting your money in Wall Street. Plus keeping your money invested in all the things you love close at home will also provide social benefits. And it goes without saying that it will reduce your carbon footprint. Here we will learn about re-defining value and how to think before you buy or invest.
Points for completion: 100; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Time to completion: This is an at-your-own-pace course.
This course has been developed in partnership between The Climate Economy Education Inc and AES Solar. We’re launching it during the Coal2Sol fundraiser so that anyone who completes it from 9/21 until 10/16 can dedicate their points to their favorite nonprofit.
Every action matters! We want to provide everyone the inspiration, education and actions they can take to help spread the transformation to solar energy. With the Solar Ambassadors course, you’re briefly introduced to solar energy, then given some visions of the awesome economic, environmental and social improvements from a transformation to a clean economy including solar energy. Then we consider some issues that are related to solar energy and present a full flexible list of action options so that everyone can find their “niche” or whatever it is that ignites their passion to help spread solar. We have an associated group here on CLEANetwork so we can continuously improve our courses and share ideas and tips. As Aur would say, “Stay Energized!”
Time to completion: at least one hour
Points upon completion: 50; If you are a registered member (registration is free) you will gain points for completion of lessons and topics and can participate in the group discussions.
Please remember to share this course to earn extra points!
