GEDA in collaboration with the Community Science Centre Vadodara organized an activity packed one-day Renewable Energy Mela for the Schools of Vadodara district. More than 60 Schools from the city and the district participated in the day long activities. The Mela was designed to stimulate children's curiosity about renewable energy and increase their awareness on the urgency to integrate renewable energy technologies and energy conservation practices into our present life-styles, and to provide them basic information through varoius games and activities that would enable them to make Energy-wise decisions in real life. The Mela attracted the enthusiastic participation of 700 school children from primary, secondary and higher secondary levels and teachers from Gujarati and English medium Schools in the district.

The multi-activity package included:

• Renewable Energy Technology Competition - Children from the primary, secondary and higher secondary levels were invited to participate in a RE and EC Model Making Competition. More than 200 entries were received from the three levels. The exhibits/models presented and demonstrated innovative scientific concepts on new and renewable energy scenarios, sources, technologies and systems. Several of the models were working models, some of which were low cost prototypes designed for cost-effectiveness. Oral presentations and charts accompanied the models. Windmills and Wind farms had particularly captured the children imagination. Some interesting models included OTEC Energy, Bio-diesel and a design to tap energy released from Traffic, Solar Air-conditioning, Solar Chimney and other emerging technologies and applications.
• Renewable Energy Treasure Hunt - This was a Treasurer Hunt with a difference- the search was to find the Sun's energy hunted through simple experiments to understand principles of Solar Energy Collection and Absorption. About 70 students participated in this activity.
• Energy-wise Shopping - A simulated shopping game to make children aware of what goes into making wise energy buys. The game introduced them the products available in the market, their prices, models and capacities suitable for particular applications and their energy consumption levels. About 20 Schools participated in this activity. Hidden Energy and Environmental costs in packaging and transportation were also woven as costs that must be accounted for in the Game design.
• Solar Cooking and Healthy Eating - More than 30 children from various schools cooked nutritionally rich and tasty recipes that were most suitable to Solar Cooking. The activity has not only enhanced their cooking skills but also taught them the importance of Solar Cookers.
• Drawing, Slogan and Quiz Competition, Energy Parcel Game and Film Shows - About 300 children from primary level participated in the On-the-Spot Drawing, Slogan, and Quiz Competitions and Energy Parcel Game.
• Complete the Incomplete Story - A Short Story Competition for teachers. To encourage innovative story formats to take the message of RE to children. About 25 Science teachers participated in this enterprise. Enteries were submitted in Gujarati, English and Hindi. Quiz Competition
• One-Day Teachers Orientation Programme organized by CSC on February 11th, 2003. About 100 teachers participated in the Orientation Workshop to familiarize them with RE Concepts, issues, systems and devices and brief them about the activity of RE Mela.

Attractive Prizes were offered in each of the activities. The 3 Outstanding School Participation Awards were awarded to Don Bosco, Bright and Mother's Schools.

GEDA now proposes to organise Renewable Energy Melas as an on-going annual activity.