The Sustainable Souls Project: Renewable and Alternative Energy - The Sustainable Souls Project April 2017

Hello and Welcome to The Sustainable Souls Project April Post.

The Sustainable Souls Project is a monthly artist collaboration inspired by sustainability issues, concerns, ideas, and thoughts. Each month, we will pick a sustainability topic and create awareness through art, using the monthly theme as inspiration. Projects may include art-journaling, mixed media, assemblage and more.

The idea is to create awareness around Sustainability through art, one paint stroke at a time!

We hope to educate, entertain, and share pretty things for both humans and the earth.

April's theme is a theme that humans, society, and countries all working together in unison, can make make a big, life altering change: RENEWABLE AND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.

Renewable and Alternative Energy sources include any of the following: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, hydrogen, hydro-power, and water. Many countries currently rely on coal, oil, and natural gas for energy. These fossil fuels are non-renewable, drawing on finite resources that will eventually be too expensive or damage the environment too much to last.

You may hear the terms 'renewable' and 'alternative' energy interchangeably. The actual definition of each is below.

Renewable energy is energy that is generated from natural processes that are continuously replenished. This includes sunlight, geothermal heat, wind, tides, water, and various forms of biomass. This energy cannot be exhausted and is constantly renewed.

Alternative energy is a term used for an energy source that is an alternative to using fossil fuels. Generally, it indicates energies that are non-traditional and have low environmental impact. The term alternative is used to contrast with fossil fuels according to some sources. By most definitions alternative energy doesn't harm the environment, a distinction which separates it from renewable energy which may or may not have significant environmental impact.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) explains the types of renewable energy HERE. Visually, here's how they explain each type.

Edison, godfather of electricity-intensive living, was an unlikely green pioneer whose ideas about renewable power still resonate today.

“We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible sources of energy--sun, wind and tide. I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

We asked the Sustainable Souls to create, using this theme as an inspiration point and as a point to share what renewable and alternative energy means to them. I think you will be amazed at how each artist interpreted the theme and how they shared their message.

Let's see how 'Renewable and Alternative Energy' was transformed into art.

(Click names for links to the artist blog post)

Camille McCoy

Laura Roberts aka HastyPearl

Laura Mooney

Robyn Crowningshield

Tina Walker

Tracy Krueger

In addition this month, we have a very special Guest Artist who is a Sustainable Soul at heart and fully embraces Renewable and Alternative Energy. ♥

Please welcome Nathalie Kalbach! We are so happy and thrilled that she is joining us this month!

Let's see how she was inspired by the theme.....

(I totally LOVE that quote - how perfect and poignant)

Nathalie Kalbach

What an incredible collection of art! I personally love the unique characteristics of each piece and what Renewable and Alternative Energy means to each person.

Thank you to each and every artist who took time to create with us this month.

We leave you with two videos about Renewable and Alternative Energy.

The first one is a thought provoking video by Elan Musk, explaining his Tesla Powerwall.