In this episode of The Children’s Hour, we explore renewable energy with experts in solar, wind, geothermal, and hydro power. The Kids Crew ask big questions about how renewable energy works, why it’s cleaner than fossil fuels, and what the future of energy could look like. With guests Rebecca “Puck” Stair, Jim Desjardins, and Dr. Sherri Kelly, we learn how kids can be part of building a cleaner, brighter tomorrow.

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Everything we do uses energy, but not all energy is the same. On this episode of The Children’s Hour, we learn about renewable energy—power that comes from sources we can use again and again without running out.

Our Kids Crew wondered: what exactly makes energy “renewable”? Experts joined us to explain. Rebecca “Puck” Stair, director of New Mexico’s State Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, told us how sunshine and wind keep giving us free power every day. Jim Desjardins, of the Renewable Energy Industries Association of New Mexico, showed how solar panels turn sunlight into electricity we use at home. Dr. Sherri Kelly, a geologist from the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and New Mexico Tech, explained geothermal energy—how heat deep underground can be used to make electricity.

We discovered the many forms of renewable energy:

Solar, which works almost everywhere and gets even better when paired with batteries.

Wind, which spins turbines day and night to make power.

Geothermal, clean energy that comes from Earth’s heat and runs all the time.

Hydroelectric, both traditional dams and new storage systems that save power for later.

Even wave and tidal energy, capturing the force of the ocean.

The Kids Crew asked tough questions: Why do fossil fuels harm our planet? What makes greenhouse gases so dangerous? Can renewable energy replace all fossil fuels before they run out? Our guests explained how carbon dioxide and methane trap heat like a greenhouse, why change takes time, and how countries like Iceland are already running fully on renewables.

We also talked about what kids and families can do—speak up, make small changes like using less plastic or conserving energy, and dream about careers in the growing renewable energy industry. Most of all, our guests reminded us that kids’ voices matter most, because the future belongs to you.

This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone with help from Sarah Gabrielli and Thaniel Lentz. Chad Scheer was our recording engineer at the Outpost Performance Space in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Amber Shiel writes our learning guides and educational materials. 

The Children’s Hour is produced by The Children’s Hour Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to creating high-quality children’s public radio. We’re distributed by Native Voice One, the Native American Radio Network, and we’re supported by listeners like you. 

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