Research

The research core is the heart of The Next Earth Project, as it provides the knowledge basis for the other two cores: practice and education.

The research core is led by a PhD research scientist and as such takes a serious and methodical approach to the topics at hand. We gather information from reputable sources (academic and best-available non-academic) and systematically review this literature. As a result, we deliver well-informed and easy-to-understand scientific summaries and practical how-to guides.

These writings are published on online (this website, social media), print/online formats (short best practice guides), and print formats (books). Three research areas are explored.

The science research area broadly assesses the cutting edge of research in climate change and interlinked issues, and provides interpretation for a public audience.

The solutions research area broadly explores grassroots sustainability innovations in sustainable living technologies (including food, alternative housing, water, waste) and culture (community design, art).

The sustainability education research area focuses on curricula development for the education core, publicly shared for replicability.

We also offer research consultation.

Practice

The practice core focuses on the co-creation of physical experimentations with grassroots sustainability innovations (developed by the research core). The central problem identified by the proposed project is the challenge of both imagining and physically creating solutions to the climate crisis; solutions that address the panoply of human needs. As such, projects are in the areas of waste (e.g. composting toilets, composting), water (e.g. rainwater collection, water recycling), power (e.g. solar, wind, geothermal), heating and cooling (e.g. solar heaters, geothermal), food (e.g. permaculture), alternative shelter (e.g. earth building, aircrete building, passive solar), and culture (e.g. art for sustainability, designing resilient communities).

Education

The third project core is education. The learning model proposed is based in three areas (Science, Solutions, and Skills) that together provide a holistic understanding of the problems posed by climate change and both social and material solutions to it. Courses prioritize learner-centered, active learning pedagogical strategies.

AREA 1: SCIENCE. This area covers basic climate science necessary to gain an understanding of the scope and scale of climate change and its drivers. It also introduces a social scientific perspective on climate change mitigation using a critical lens that focuses on grassroots solutions. Area subsets: Climate Change Physical Science Basis, Climate Change Impacts, Climate Change Mitigation, Climate Change Adaptation

AREA 2: SOLUTIONS. This focus area covers the gambit of alternative systems: housing, food, power generation, water, and waste. Teaching places emphasis on practice and experiential learning; students will understand the fundamentals in each area, design their own systems, and build working examples. Area subsets: Physical: Alternative Shelter, System Design, Water, Power Waste, Food; and Social: Social System Building, Art and Sustainability

AREA 3: SKILLS. This focus area recognizes the need for students to be capable users of building tools and technologies- hard and soft- to reduce dependence on industrialized solutions for building. It also places emphasis on navigation of financial considerations. Area Subsets: DIY Projects and Tools, Digital Tools, New Technologies, Metalworking, Woodworking