Despite the overcast skies this season, the Midlands Meander Association Education Project (MMAEP), Facilitator, has been busy introducing the possibilities of solar-powered cooking to learners in rural schools.  As part of lessons dealing with climate change, global warming and sustainable energy, learners are introduced to the principles of solar power - the relationship between colour and heat retention, reflection and insulation - using simple materials.  

Many educators and learners have previously played the interesting and fun Eco-Footprint game which shows how an individual’s consumption of renewable natural resources and production of waste output impact on the Earth.

Traditional food is prepared for the sun stove  – madumbes, mielie rice, imifino and tomato relish.  This presents an opportunity to discuss the importance of wild foods – particularly the wild greens which are still easy to harvest, and the superior nutritional value of “real” food compared to fast  food.

After preparing the food for the oven we look at the values that underpin appropriate technology. We discuss forms of energy as a class,  emphasising the basic principles of reflection, absorption of heat and insulation.  We divide learners into groups and hand out information on different examples of renewable energy technology such as the grease car, the world’s largest solar cooker and wind energy. The learners read the article, discuss it in their groups and prepare a poster to present to the rest of the class.

Each group is then given a range of materials they could use to build their own solar cooker. The plans for the cookers are checked and then the learners set to building them. Using both boxes and the newspaper to insulate and aluminium foil to cover. Consideration has to be given to the angle of the sun’s rays when entering their boxes, and with the relative sizes of the boxes, but in the end all the groups produce workable solar cookers. Their cookers are placed in the sun, and the temperature within each of them taken by the learners initially and then again after 15 minutes. All showed a marked increase in temperature.

By the end of the day, the food in the Sun Stove is ready, and everyone enjoys a taste.

The Midlands Meander Education Project works in 12 KZN Midlands schools, supporting their efforts to achieve Eco-Schools status through curriculum support and creative lessons. Besides environmental education lessons on subjects varying from Natural Disasters to Reptiles to Renewable Energy, the MMAEP also spends days co-teaching creative lessons which include paper making, cultural art and bird sculpture.  Food gardens are an important part of the project, with many schools requesting composting, seed germination and companion planting lessons in an attempt to get their gardens flourishing.  We firmly believe that Respect for all components of our world - frogs, dogs, children, and trees is essential and facilitate regular discussions focussed on important Values, such as Tolerance, Peace and Love.

For more information about our work visit www.mmaep.co.za