Navigating Solar Power, Sustainability, and Teaching Sustainability

Scrolling through social media today, I came across a post about a solar installation company that had gotten permission to go door-to-door in our town. The reaction? Let’s just say it wasn’t sunshine and rainbows. The sheer vitriol and misconceptions about solar power were both fascinating and frustrating. It seems this company offers leases for solar panels, which isn’t the route we chose when we decided to go solar.

Our Solar Journey

When we decided to invest in solar panels, we went with a company that sold us the panels outright. They also helped us navigate the process of setting up 1-to-1 net metering and securing rebates from federal tax credits and the Illinois Solar Shines program. It wasn’t cheap — and, full disclosure, we haven’t saved as much on our electric bills as I initially hoped.

But for me, the decision wasn’t purely financial. Going solar felt like the right step toward reducing our energy footprint. Every time I see those panels on our roof, I feel like we’re contributing, even in a small way, to a more sustainable future.

Beyond Solar: Reducing Plastic and Rethinking Consumption

The journey toward sustainability doesn’t end with solar panels. Over the past year, we’ve been working hard to reduce our plastic usage and become more conscious about consumption in general. It’s a mindset shift — moving away from an obsession with “things” and focusing instead on what really matters.

There’s still so much to learn and so many ways we can improve, but the small changes we’ve made feel meaningful. From reusable shopping bags to minimizing single-use plastics, every step feels like progress.

Bringing Sustainability Into the Classroom

As I prepare to return to teaching, I’ve been thinking about how to integrate these lessons into my class. Sustainability is such a critical topic, and recycling, in particular, is something students can easily connect with. It’s tangible, actionable, and helps foster a sense of responsibility for the environment.