Fuelling the Future: Sustainable energy approaches for sustainable communities

对于当前关于应对气候变化的辩论来说，最关键的问题之一是未来如何满足我们的能源需求。可再生能源和清洁能源技术是答案的一部分，还有关于改善能源利用和节约以及提高能源效率的更广泛战略。然而，由于可再生和清洁(可持续)能源技术科学的迅速发展，广大公众仍然不确定、怀疑和不了解这些技术在他们的日常生活和社区中的真正应用和潜力，以及改进能源利用和节约以及提高能源效率的重要作用。对于来自传统上较难接触到社会和教育不利背景的群体来说尤其如此，他们在参与这些问题方面面临着最大的障碍。该项目将采用强有力的伙伴关系方法，使清洁技术领域的活跃研究人员激发公众对可持续能源方法的兴趣，并帮助更广泛的公众认识到这一科学领域对他们所在社区的巨大重要性和相关性。该项目将采用三种免费的交流方式：(1)面向广大公众的‘绿色’路演活动；(2)为当地社区团体举办的工作坊；(3)与学校(中小学)和教育团体的工作坊，以及以学校为基础的公共活动。这些活动将特别侧重于使北斯塔福德郡及周边地区的社会和教育处境不利的社区更加困难。该项目得到了强有力的项目伙伴关系的支持，这些伙伴包括：在与社会和教育处境不利的社区特别是在重建可持续社区合作方面具有专门知识的合作伙伴；在社会和教育处境不利的社区内提供信息、设计和实施可再生技术方面具有设施和专门知识的合作伙伴；以及在与更广泛的公众(包括学校)合作交流气候变化和可持续解决办法方面具有相当专业知识的合作伙伴。此外，项目小组在提供关于可持续能源办法和气候变化的讲习班方面与中小学生、学校教师和教育团体合作具有丰富的经验，项目小组、项目伙伴和参与者代表之间将通过项目小组、项目伙伴和参与者代表之间建立的讨论小组，以及作为项目一部分举办的研讨会，实现项目小组、项目伙伴和参与者代表之间的密切和有效对话。这将确保就对广大公众最重要的可持续能源办法的各个方面进行有效对话，同时帮助产生真正的态度和行为变化，以便在与该项目合作的社会和教育匮乏地区建立更可持续的社区。

One of the most critical issues to current debates on tackling climate change is the way that our energy needs can be met in the future. Renewable and clean energy technologies are part of the answer, along with wider strategies regarding improved energy utilisation and conservation and improved energy efficiency. However, due to the rapidly advancing science of renewable and clean (sustainable) energy technology the wider public remains uncertain, sceptical and ill-informed of the real application and potential of these technologies to their everyday lives and communities, and the essential role of improved energy utilisation and conservation and improved energy efficiency. This is particularly true for groups from traditionally harder to reach socially and educationally disadvantaged backgrounds who face the greatest barriers to engagement with these issues. Using a strong partnership approach, this project will enable active researchers in the field of clean technology to stimulate the public's interest in sustainable energy approaches and help the wider public realise the huge importance and relevance of this area of science to their own communities.The project will adopt three complimentary communication strands: (1) 'green' roadshow events for the wider public; (2) workshops for local community groups; (3) workshops with schools (both primary and secondary) and education groups and school-based public events. These activities will focus particularly on harder to reach socially and educationally disadvantaged communities within the North Staffordshire and surrounding area. This project is supported by strong project partnerships including partners with expertise in working with socially and educationally-disadvantaged communities particularly in the regeneration of sustainable communities; partners with facilities and expertise in information, design and implementation of renewable technologies within socially and educationally-disadvantaged communities and partners with considerable expertise in working with the wider public (including schools) in the communication of climate change and sustainable solutions. In addition, the project team has extensive experience of working with primary and secondary schoolchildren and schoolteachers and educational groups in the provision of workshops on sustainable energy approaches and climate change.Genuine and effective dialogue between the project team, project partners and participant representatives will be achieved through discussion groups set up between the project team, project partners and participant representatives, in addition to the workshops run as part of the project. This will ensure effective dialogue on the aspects of sustainable energy approaches of greatest importance to the wider public while helping to generate real attitudinal and behavioural change towards establishing more sustainable communities in the socially and educationally deprived areas with which the project works.