Bill was the editor of the Soldiers Grove newspaper. His editorial pages were the gathering place for residents' opinions on relocation and solar energy. He was inspired by what he witnessed and changed careers to spread the vision of Soldiers Grove across the world. While the idea of solar energy lost popularity in the 1980's and '90's, Becker fought to draft programs that are creating the new solar towns of today.
Don was a pharmacist in North Dakota. He read a magazine article about Soldiers Grove while it was rebuilding. He was impressed by the town's dedication to solar and when he he saw that they needed a pharmacy, he flew his family out the next weekend and decided on-the-spot that this was the place for them. He has been the town pharmacist ever since.
Just a few years out of college, Tom was the relocation coordinator of Soldiers Grove. He helped the residents stand up to the Army Corps of Engineers who were insistent on building more levees and dams. Instead of allowing the government or a large contractor to take over the rebuilding efforts, Tom made sure that the wishes of the building owners were carried out.
The husband and wife team of architects were the sultans of solar in the Midwest and were called upon to help Soldiers Grove with the unprecedented task of changing into a solar town. They solved the problem of solar affordability for Soldiers Grove with an ingenious invention.
Jim and Linda Dworshack along with their children Willa, 11 and Matthias, 14, live in the rural countryside of Soldiers Grove. In 2004, they moved from the Milwaukee suburbs to live a lifestyle with as little impact on the earth as possible. They live off-the-grid with electricity generated by two small solar arrays and heat provided by a wood-burning stove. The Dworshacks do not preach their lifestyle on others, it is simply what they have chosen for themselves.
Environmental advocate Chris Cote has been urging people to build green for years-- now he's doing something about it: He became a home builder and he is creating solar neighborhoods in his hometown of Gilroy, California. His efforts have also led Gilroy's new highschool to include one of the largest solar rooftop arrays in the United States. He's hoping that Gilroy will become as well-known for solar as it is its garlic fields.
College students are building the solar towns of tomorrow in the semi-annual Solar Decathlon in Washington, DC. We visit them to see the lessons of sustainable construction and the hope of the future.
Energy expert Tom Wilson allowed our cameras to follow him during his inspection of the Soldiers Grove systems. Are they still operating at peak efficiency? Is the model of Soldiers Grove the blueprint for a greener future?
