Earth Day 2025: Our Power, Our Planet

Zooooom….Zooom…Zzoom… (Jerk)... (Jerk)... zo..om…stop. Growing up in the early 90s, this was too often the sound of a toy racecar coming to an utter halt as its batteries went completely dead followed by the frown of a disappointed child. But soon after, rechargeable batteries became available! They were a more affordable way for kids to play with battery-operated toys to their hearts ’content without their parents having to repeatedly buy new batteries that provided only a few hours of play. Fast-forward to today, and not just toy cars but full-sized, electric vehicles are running on rechargeable batteries! Furthermore, this shift to providing more electric vehicle options for consumers is only trending upward across numerous brands.

For this year’s Earth Day celebration, PRAXIS3 came together to learn about the impacts of power - both energy production and consumption - on our built environment and personal lives. We discussed PRAXIS3 projects where photovoltaic [PV] panels were integral to a client’s vision and shared interesting lessons learned in designing projects with PV panels. We also learned how individuals can take small steps to use less energy even at home, make notable differences to their costs, and further the goals of sustainability.

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Just as energy storage has come a long way, so too has energy production, especially in the form of solar power. According to Earthday.org, “Across the U.S., solar capacity has grown over ten-fold in the last decade and is poised to become the 2nd largest source of USA’s generating capacity in the next few years. Over the past decade, the cost of manufacturing solar panels has plummeted dramatically, making them into one of the most affordable, and often the cheapest, form of electricity. Solar module prices fell by up to 93% between 2010 and 2020.” 

In addition to our discussion about energy production and consumption, staff members set personal sustainability goals for the next year, ranging from planting more native landscape to reducing phantom electricity usage. Finally, 13 PRAXIS3 individuals joined 13 colleagues from SK Collaborative and volunteered their afternoon at the Wylde Center assisting with its nursery and plant market and doing minor construction projects. It was an inspiring and momentous way to celebrate the Earth and give back to our community.

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