ECOSTATION REOPENING!

AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURE

In EcoStation, families can explore environmental issues by visiting a native plant garden, a woodland area, the bayou table, a pond and a research pavilion. They can participate in diverse, hands-on activities such as insect collecting, tree rubbings, footprint identification and more! New components will show how much sunlight is needed to power the exhibit and determine how much daily trash output can be reduced through recycling.

This one-of-a-kind exhibit enables kids to explore first-hand how their actions impact the environment every day and see what they can do to make a positive difference for their community. Activities will change weekly and include favorites such as water quality testing, soil type explorations and more that can be used either in the exhibit or can be taken home for environmental research in their own backyard!

“Through the experiences visitors encounter in EcoStation, they will walk away with a better understanding of how the world around them works in harmony and how to better combat environmental issues that affect them daily,” said Mindalyn Galli, science educator at the Children's Museum of Houston.

SOAK UP THE SUN

Through a partnership with Standard Renewable Energy, EcoStation is almost fully powered by solar energy. The five-panel, 800 watt pole-mounted solar array produces 500 kWh of electricity each year, which is used to provide power to the exhibit. A monitoring system located nearby displays information in real-time, including energy produced, energy consumed, energy returned to the grid, and the amount of carbon dioxide emissions the solar power prevents from being spewed into the atmosphere. Kids can also investigate a miniature solar panel and learn how clouds affect the output of power.

“Standard Renewable Energy is committed to helping Houston continue to be the leading city in the energy industry, with an eye to the future of energy that is vested in renewable natural resources. This is an example of how we can help our beloved city achieve its goal of sustainability for years to come. We are pleased that this will not only have an impact for this particular project, but that the installation

will serve a greater benefit by educating our children and community about the applications and availability of solar energy,” said Standard Renewable Energy CEO John Berger.

In addition to the educational display, a 55 panel, 8.8 kW solar array located on the roof of the parking garage generates clean power, which is used to power the lighting in the Museum’s new parking lot. The system produces 11,000 kWh of electricity annually and is expected to prevent more than 22,880 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year — the equivalent of planting 912 trees or keeping 768 cars off Houston streets for a day every year!

Explore your world in EcoStation and learn the positive impacts that solar energy has on the environment!