905-355-3000

Earth Walk Training Programs

Earthwalk offers workshops, seminars, courses, internships, field trips as well as on-line training programs covering a wide range on sustainable living and natural health subjects.

Our programs are designed to address various interest levels ranging from school groups to graduate students, individual, trades and professional programs. We are constantly developing new courses for our educational program and appreciate your input.

You can help us refine our programs so they meet your needs. Just review our list of upcoming and proposed workshops and let us know which ones you would be interested in participating in. We are working on our programming content and schedule for this year and we can keep you abreast of the details of available workshops as our program evolves.

UPCOMING AND PROPOSED PROGRAMS

WORKSHOP PARTICIPATION - Explore these links to find out more...
Educational Philosophy - Workshop Atmosphere - Workshop Materials - Enrolment - Cancellation Policy - Lodging & Logistics -Upcoming Workshops - Proposed Workshops - Becoming an Instructor

Educational Philosophy

Earthwalk believes that people learn by doing. Instructors are leaders in their fields, bringing the most up-to-date information in sustainable living skills and technologies. Classroom and laboratory work is often enhanced by case studies, tours and practical installations.

Workshop and Course Instructors

Course Instuctors and seminar leaders are coming form near and far to contibute thier expertise to the Earthwalk educatonal programs. They are selected for their knowledge and experiance in thier chosen field. To learn more about our team of course leaders and what they will be covering you can read the Instructor Bio's and course descriptions.

Workshop Atmosphere

Classes are small. We work hard and ask that you do the same. Earthwalk stresses safety and consideration. People from different cultures attend our workshops, and we expect that all participants treat people of different backgrounds and abilities with respect. We try our best to make your experience rewarding and enjoyable.

Workshop Materials

The fee for the workshop includes all course materials. You will receive a workshop notebook, and in some cases additional literature, upon your arrival. In some of the workshops we will be traveling to a remote site, and you may need to be prepared for rustic camping.

Enrollment

Open to all on a first-come basis. Class size is limited. To reserve a seat, send your entire tuition. Please check the course description on the web site to make sure there is space available. Workshops are subject to cancellation due to low enrollment. Earthwalk has a limited amount of work-trade intern options available.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel prior to 30 days before the workshop start date, 50% of your total tuition is non-refundable. A written cancellation is required. If you cancel within 30 days of the beginning of the workshop, your entire tuition is non-refundable.

For online courses if you elect to transfer your course enrollment to another person, there is a $50 administrative fee. If for some reason you are unable to complete the course and transfer to another session, there is a $350 fee.

Lodging & Logistics

Earthwalk is located in Colborne Ontario, a small town just off highway 401 between Toronto and Kingston. (exit 497). Located centrally in Northumberland County, Toronto is an hour and a half to our west and Kingston is an hour to our east.

Logistics -Via Trains run several times a day to Cobourg and there are taxis available from the station to Earthwalk. Car Rental, pick-up & return at station: DISCOUNT CAR RENTAL are also available at 905-373-4348.

Very limited accommodations are available near Earthwalk in a B&B retreat center or sometimes camping by our campfire circle on our grounds possible. Use of these facilities must be arranged well in advance. A list of Hotel, B&B and camping accommodations are also available at Cobourg accommodations (20 minutes west of Colborne) or at Brighton accommodations (15 minutes East of Colborne).

Many of our workshops are held in other parts of the country. Local logistics and lodging for each workshop venue is available on our web site (click on the location). We also have a "no dog" policy on site. If you must bring your dog, please make arrangements for him or her to be somewhere else during your stay.

Upcoming Workshop Descriptions

Note: Our full 2009 course schedule will be available soon. However some workshop dates have been established and these dates are indicated in the course description.

Renewable Energy Workshops

Solar Electricity

Wind Power

Micro-hydro

Sustainable Home Design & Natural House Building

Solar Thermal

Renewable Fuels

Solar Electricity

Solar Water Pumping

A two day workshop covering pumping terminologies, PV modules, system sizing, and component selection. Includes pump descriptions and comparisons with information on trackers, linear current boosters, and other associated equipment. The workshop will include laboratory exercises and a system tour.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Photovoltaic Design & Installation

Participants will gain technical skills and a strong foundation of how to design and safely install solar-electric systems. Participants learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection of BOTH stand-alone and grid-tied systems. This workshop is great for people who are seeking employment within the growing solar industry, wanting to install it on their own home, or interested in learning more about this amazing technology.

Advanced Photovoltaic's

The Advanced PV workshop is designed to follow the PV Design and Installation or Utility-Interactive PV workshops with the next level of design criteria, maintenance issues and troubleshooting skills. Participants must have successfully completed either our hands-on or online PV Design & Installation workshop or Utility Interactive PV workshop (with supplemental stand-alone curriculum), or have the permission of the instructor.

Utility Interactive PV Systems

Learn how to design and install code-compliant PV systems to safely produce electricity to tie into the utility's grid. Participants learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection of grid-tied systems ONLY. This workshop is great for people who are seeking employment within the growing solar industry, wanting to install it on their own home, or interested in learning more about this amazing technology.

PV Design Online

Learn how to design a complete solar electric (photovoltaic) power system without leaving your home. A six-week, Internet-based, online course of instruction with text, CD-ROM reference materials and Internet resource links. The course will be offered five times throughout the year.

Advanced PV Online

This course is designed to follow the PV Design & Installation workshop or the PV Design Online course with the next level of design criteria and maintenance issues. This course heavily emphasizes the l Electrical Building Code as it pertains to PV systems, and is especially useful for people who currently work in, or plan to be employed in the PV industry.

Women's Photovoltaic Design & Installation

A PV Design and Installation workshop geared specifically towards women. Learn how to use photovoltaic technology to produce electricity from the sun through practical design and installation of PV systems. Other presentations include PV in developing countries and discussions on issues such as being a woman in a traditionally male field.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Solar Industry Seminar

Earthwalk is taking a educational initiative to "PV Industry Week". This well-rounded seminar will provide a whole systems approach to renewable energy. Participants get to meet PV industry professionals and will receive product-specific training. Manufacturers, distributors, and installers will make commercial presentations. There will be adequate informal time encouraging participant questions and networking. Industry reps will also provide technical training on their specific products and services. The workshop includes hardware demonstrations but does not include a hands-on system installation.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Natural Building & Renewable Energy

This week long course provides an overview of natural building, and covers how to use solar, wind, and water power to generate electricity for homes.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

PV Safety

PV Safety is a one-day workshop designed for PV installers/contractors, PV business owners, and anyone generally interested in finding work in the PV industry. This basic safety workshop will explore many of the hazards and safety concerns associated with installing solar electric systems.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

PV Lab Week

This workshop is perfect for people needing hands-on experience with current equipment. Participants will install code compliant PV systems at Earthwalk's PV Lab facility. Systems include stand-alone, grid-tied, and grid-tied with battery back-up.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Utility Interactive PV Systems

This workshop will teach women how to use photovoltaic technology to safely produce their own electricity on-grid. Workshop participants will learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection. Workshop participants will help install an operational system .

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Wind Power Workshops

Residential Wind Power

Learn to design and install residential wind systems, up to 100kWh/day in capacity. The workshop will cover system sizing, site analysis, installation and safety issues, and hardware specification. Learn about the different commercially available residential wind turbines, how they work, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Get hands on experience with wind generators, and designing a wind/PV hybrid system.

Home built Wind Generators

This workshop will guide students through the process of building a small wind turbine from scratch. Brief sessions each day on wind generator theory will be followed by shop sessions. The workshop group will construct a working wind generator.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Wind Power

A wind workshop geared specifically towards women. Learn how to design and install wind generator systems, culminating in a hands-on project erecting a full-size wind generator. This workshop is taught in conjunction with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Micro-hydro Workshops

Micro-Hydro Power

This workshop teaches how to design a fully functional micro-hydro system. Learn site evaluation, including how to measure and estimate head and flow. Perform preliminary system sizing for mechanical and electrical power generation of 50-watt to 100-kilowatt capacities. The workshop will include field exercises and tours of operational systems.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Home Design & Natural House Building Workshops

Designing and Building Natural Homes

This course covers the opportunities and evolving variations within the field of natural building. Architects, builders, and owners and students will gain an excellent introduction to the art and science of natural building materials, techniques, and design considerations, while also giving participants the opportunity to get their hands on straw bale, adobe, pressed block, cob, natural plasters and more.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Advanced Straw Bale Construction

If you already know the basics of straw bale construction but want to know more, this is the workshop for you. Renowned straw bale authority David Eisenberg will give participants the latest information on straw bale construction. The workshop will include brainstorming and experimentation.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Home Design

Learn the principles behind designing and building residential structures that achieve optimal year-round comfort, reduce energy consumption, improve indoor air quality, and limit environmental impact.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Home Design Online

Similar to the PV Design Online course, this six-week, self-paced online course, is for anyone interested in modern solar construction. With a focus on how-to build energy efficient, sustainable solar homes, everyone from the serious owner-builder to the professional contractor, will learn up-to-date strategies for sustainable new home construction and remodels.

Solar Hot Water

Participants in this workshop will learn theory, design considerations, and installation techniques necessary to install and maintain a solar domestic hot water system.

Advanced Natural Building & Building Science

Building professionals including architects, builders/contractors, engineers, building scientists and code officials are invited to explore the new challenges inherent in natural house building systems.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Straw Bale Design & Construction

An in-depth look into the design considerations and the variety of styles and techniques of the evolving field of straw bale construction. Participants will gain hands-on experience with different techniques, discuss and experience different construction and detailing ideas, and try their hand at sample plasters.

Solar & Radiant Heating Systems

This 3 day course provides critical information to design practical and efficient solar and radiant heating systems for energy and cost savings with comfort of under floor heating.

Natural Building & Renewable Energy

This week long course provides an overview of natural building, and covers how to use solar, wind, and water power to generate electricity for homes.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Solar Home Design & Natural House Building

Learn solar home design principles and natural building techniques in one workshop! This workshop combines the best of our Solar Home Design Principles workshop and our Designing & Building Natural Homes workshop.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Plaster for Natural Homes

Learn about plaster as both a building material and an art form. The qualities of earth, lime, cement, and gypsum plasters will be explored in relationship to natural wall systems such as straw bale, cob, and adobe.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Solar Thermal Workshops

Solar Hot Water

Participants in this workshop will learn theory, design considerations, and installation techniques necessary to install and maintain a solar domestic hot water system.

Solar & Radiant Heating Systems

This 3 day course provides critical information to design practical and efficient solar and radiant heating systems for energy and cost savings with comfort of under floor heating.

Advanced Solar Radiant Heating

This 1 day workshop will be for those familiar with the basic solar thermal designs and are seeking advanced skills in building solar thermal and radiant heating systems. Learn the performance ratings for these designs and go over solar heating calculations for sizing collector areas and analyzing performance.

Further your knowledge and skill in Solar Radiant Heating Systems. The cost of this one day workshop is $250.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Renewable Fuels Workshops

Renewable Fuels

Learn the fundamentals of creating a renewable fuels economy. The workshop will cover all types of renewable fuels and alternative transportation. Experts from the field will discuss how we can move away from a gasoline economy, and rely less on foreign oil. A bio diesel vehicle, electric vehicle, and other forms of alternative transportation will be on site.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Bio diesel Fuel

Learn the fundamentals of this alternative fuel source that can be used in any diesel engine. Participants will make bio diesel fuel with locally available materials, visit existing small scale production plants, and learn from top bio diesel industry specialists.

Hydrogen and Alternative Vehicles

Learn from industry specialists about hydrogen and alternative vehicles. This workshop will introduce hydrogen as a viable fuel which is being implemented today. Introduce yourself to the range of alternative vehicles in existence, and how they can work in conjunction with alternative fuels to build an oil free transportation future.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Electric Vehicle Conversion

This workshop will guide students through the complete process of converting a vehicle to electric power. Classroom sessions will be combined with hands-on shop sessions. By the end of the workshop, the group will have completed a running electric car conversion capable of highway speeds and 60-80 miles range.

Rural Development Workshops

Learn how to help improve the quality of life for people in the developing world, or in lesser developed areas of the industrialized nations.

Renewable Energy for the Developing World

This workshop explores different applications for renewable energy technologies in developing countries. Participants will learn how to successfully accomplish sustainable development projects with renewable energy. Effective technology transfer methods will be presented, as well as setting up infrastructure and the economics and financing of renewable energy projects. Case studies will be presented on solar cooking, rural household electrification, appropriate building technologies, rural health care and micro-enterprises utilizing renewable energy.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Renewable Energy for the Developing World -- Hands On

This workshop includes classroom sessions and labs, and has a strong hands-on component. In Costa Rica it focuses on several main projects: solar cooking, a methane digester, and solar hot water and solar electricity upgrades and maintenance. In Nicaragua it focuses on solar electricity and solar cooking.

Appropriate Technology for the Developing World

This workshop provides an overview of technologies which promote small scale sustainable energy and agricultural practices in the developing world. This workshop is ideal for organizations working in rural areas, people wanting to get involved in sustainable development work, and those who wish to reduce their own ecological impact.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Building for the Developing World

This workshop covers current technologies being used in developing world environments that address people's housing, water, and sanitation needs in appropriate, ecological, and sustainable ways.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Building for the Developing World - Hands-on

This course involves the construction of a residence for a low-income family in a Colonia on the U.S. border with Mexico, near Ciudad Juarez. Participants will work with local Mexicans to construct a home out of recycled and natural materials.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Water Management and Technology

This course offers a general overview of the situation of water in the world, along with the main technological options for sustainable management. Consisting of a series of combined seminars and field trips, the program gives participants the basics required for proper evaluation and monitoring as well as designing simple treatment systems for different types of water.

Solar Electricity for the Developing World

Learn to design and install photovoltaic systems for the developing world. Workshop participants learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection. The workshop covers typical applications and case study examples. Install and upgrade real-world systems with current renewable energy equipment.

Ecology, Permaculture, and Renewable Energy

This workshop provides an overview of technologies which promote small scale sustainable energy and agricultural practices in the developing world. This workshop is ideal for organizations working in rural areas, people wanting to get involved in sustainable development work, and those who wish to reduce their own ecological impact.

Biodigester and Rainwater Harvesting

Produce your own fuel and potable water! IRRI-Mexico is offering an opportunity to receive professional training in biodigester systems, as well is theory and site evaluation of a number of sites for effective rainwater harvesting systems, from homes to large buildings.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Bio Sand Water Filters

The workshop offers instruction and hands-on experience in construction of all components of bio sand filters.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Workshops

Why Women Only?

The workshops are intended to provide women with a supportive learning atmosphere. Many women have little or no hands-on electrical experience, and may be wary of attending a coed course with men who have grown up using power tools. Even women with hands-on experience already working in technical fields find it helpful and rewarding networking with other women interested in and/or working in renewable energy.

Carpentry Skills for Women

This comprehensive introduction to carpentry is designed for women with little or no experience with building or power tools. This week long carpentry intensive takes place in a safe noncompetitive, hands-on learning environment.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Photovoltaic Design & Installation

A PV Design and Installation workshop geared specifically towards women. Learn how to use photovoltaic technology to produce electricity from the sun through practical design and installation of PV systems. Other presentations include PV in developing countries and discussions on issues such as being a woman in a traditionally male field.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Wind Power

A wind workshop geared specifically towards women. Learn how to design and install wind generator systems, culminating in a hands-on project erecting a full-size wind generator. This workshop is taught in conjunction with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Women's Utility Interactive PV Systems

This workshop will teach women how to use photovoltaic technology to safely produce their own electricity on-grid. Workshop participants will learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification, and component selection. Workshop participants will help install an operational system at a school through the Legacy School Project.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

For Educators Workshops

These workshops are for teachers and educators who want to learn how to implement renewable energy curriculum into their classrooms.

Renewable Energy for Educators

Educators attending this summer seminar will learn about the impacts that our energy use has on the planet and how to best teach youth about solutions: energy conservation, energy efficiency, and renewable energy technologies.

Other Workshops

Introduction to Renewable Energy

This workshop will introduce renewable energy technologies and strategies to homeowners, contractors, and renewable energy advocates.

The Politics of Energy

A one-day look at the history of electricity, energy supply structure, policy issues, global impacts of energy, and the production and use of energy sources.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Successful Solar Businesses

If you are considering launching a business in solar, do not miss this opportunity to meet and talk to successful solar business leaders in our country. Students will have a chance to learn what works and what doesn't, and will walk away with the tools to start their new business.

Natural Building & Renewable Energy

This week long course provides an overview of natural building, and covers how to use solar, wind, and water power to generate electricity for homes.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Practical Applications for Renewable Energy

This workshop focuses on the practical uses of solar, wind, and water power for electric power generation. Solar thermal applications will also be discussed. There will be a special focus on eco-resorts.

No sessions are scheduled at this time.

Water Management and Technology

This course offers a general overview of the situation of water in the world, along with the main technological options for sustainable management. Consisting of a series of combined seminars and field trips, the program gives participants the basics required for proper evaluation and monitoring as well as designing simple treatment systems for different types of water.

Online Workshops

PV Design Online

Learn how to design a complete solar electric (photovoltaic) power system without leaving your home. A six-week, Internet-based, online course of instruction with text, CD-ROM reference materials and Internet resource links. The course will be offered five times throughout the year.

Sustainable Home Design Online

Similar to the PV Design Online course, this six-week, self-paced online course, is for anyone interested in modern solar construction. With a focus on how-to build energy efficient, sustainable solar homes, everyone from the serious owner-builder to the professional contractor, will learn up-to-date strategies for sustainable new home construction and remodels.

Enjoy the benefits of Earthwalk Membership

www.ecoearthwalk.ca