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Chapter 2: Current Situation - Text Summary

Earth is our home. Recently we've started calling it the Global Village. This documentary is about a new and emerging vision for our world called The Solar Village.

Our ancestors sensed the importance of the sun. They knew it was the ultimate source of energy for sustaining all of life. Scientists have calculated that enough solar energy reaches the earth to provide all of the power we need. Our challenge is to discover how to harness this power before global warming overwhelms us.

The ancient Greeks knew that in winter the sun travels in a low arc accross the southern sky while in summer it passes high overhead. They built their homes so that the winter sun could enter deep into large south porticos. Overhanging roofs and eaves shaded the house from hot summer sun.

The ancient Greeks planned cities so that each house had good southern exposure. Socrates and Aristotle advised city planners to position buildings so that sunlight entered them in winter while shading them in summer. Heavy building materials stored the solar energy let in during the day. Window shutters were closed at night to retain the heat inside. Buildings were clustered together to protect them from cold northern winds.

Six hundred years later the Romans added tranparent mica windows that faced south. In the first century AD the Romans invented solar rights laws. They developed water wheels to increase food production. Water was harnessed to produce more food by tranporting it long distances to power water wheels.

For more information about John Wilson, the producer of this web site and documentary video, contact him at www.NaturalLifeNetwork.com or wilsonjd9@hotmail.com .