Page 2 RAIN June 1978 SOLAR Solar Energy: Progress and Promise, by the Council on Environmental Quality, April 1978, USGPO Stock No. 041-011-00036-0, available from: Supt. of Documents U.S. Gov't. Printing Office Washington, DC 20402 Increasingly, various government agencies and congressional committees are publishing reports suggesting we can make the transition to a solar society much more rapidly than previously supposed. This one's main conclusion is "that under conditions of accelerated development and with a serious effort to conserve energy, solar technology could meet 25 percent of our energy needs by the year 2000." In addition, it's an excellent, short (52 pp.) summary of the solar-wind-biomass state-of-art especially suited to use by citizens' energy groups and anti-nuclear intervenors. Chockful of the latest references, as well. - LJ (Courtesy Dr. John Davidson, CEQ) Children of the Sun: An Activities Guide on Solar Energy, Grades 5-12, by Janis Philbin, April 1978, 51 pp., $1.00 from: State Office of Environmental Education (NW Section) Shoreline District Offices N.E. 158th and 20th N.E. Seattle, WA 9815 5 Most of the energy and environment curricula I've seen so far have been either subtly negative on the idea of using solar energy or just plain stupid ... written by organizations greatly influenced by electric utilities due to their being funded by them, or written by theorists far removed from the practical aspects of classroom teaching. Happily, this one is neither. Running the gamut from solar plans, economics, outdoor activities and Indian legends, a more accurate, sensitive gathering of useful RAIN ideas and materials is not yet available elsewhere. Hopefully it'll get thicker as we find more ways to teach the solar transition. - LJ FORESTRY More Anti-Herbicide Forestry Groups Since last month's article concerning the use of phenoxy herbicides in the forestry industry ("Freeing Our Forests," RAIN, May 1978), we've come across another important organization to note: the Citizens National Forestry Coalition. A $10 donation will put your name on their mailing list for newsletters and bulletins and will help in their campaign to promote labor- (not chemical➔) intensive forestry practices. You can contact them at 1346 Connecticut Ave., N.W., No. 1010, Washington, DC 20036 (or in the Southwest at: Rt. 1, Box 25A, McNeal, AR 85617). The list of groups outside the Northwest in last month's article was supplied by Jeff Cox of Organic Gardening & Farming, Emmaus, PA 18049. If you have additions or other information, keep Jeff posted. -SA APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY Overdeveloped Nations, by Leopold Kohr, 1977, $9.95 (hardback) from: Schocken Books 200 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10016 Leopold Kohr has been writing about good, sensible things like smallness for access many years, although his works have been little known beyond the readers of Resurgence, the British magazine which so often picks up on ideas that are ahead of their time. Much of the material in this book is nothing newit was new when it was written but now we've gotten used to many of the ideas thanks to Schumacher and Illich (both of whom have obviously read Kohr). I did find his ideas on the appropriate size for nations intriguing-he lays out good reasons for Wales to secede from Britain (or Quebec from Canada or Maine from the U.S. of A.). After all, what do us big countries really have over Switzerland or Japan in terms of wealth, good living or influence? Where is the point when the loss of touch with subcultures and varying needs within a country mean that it has passed its optimal effective size? Good food for thought here. Thanks to Schocken for making it available in this country. -LdeM UTILITIES State Initiatives for Electric Utility Rate Reform, RM-632, $2.00 from: Coum;il of State Governments Box 11910 Lexington, KY 40578 (606) 252-2291 Summarizes state efforts at changing traditional utility rate structures. Topics include abolition of declining block rate structures, use of flattened rates, inverted rates, peak-load pricing, interruptible service, and lifeline rates. -LJ
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